Continuing ...

The Mexican variety of Texas rock rose with larger, brighter flowers ...

I am fascinated by the "lavender butterfly vine's" (Mascagnia lilacina) twisty lower limbs that really show off after the tree on which it was climbing was removed ...

Also intriguing is the new foliage that looks like pink flowers on the ten ft. tall Mexican Mahonia lanceolata

Surely with all the ancient varieties of plants there's a dinosaur lurking nearby ...

Ah, probably not. Pots indicate a gardener has been here last ...

Eric has devoted the last few months to rebuilding his pond into which a long meandering stream which he built empties. Just a few more weeks and it will be ready to be filled with water and the border filled with plants ...

Photos of another visit to Eric's garden HERE.

Thank you Eric, and also Dave for helping in the creation of this lovely space on planet Earth.

Edit: The "Dwarf Mexican purslane" in the original post is: Portulaca pilosa

As they became known to me I've added botanical names in this post. Eric has given IDs more below.

Wow wow wow!

Would be better if you gave botanical names for all. The "rock rose" for instance is not a Cistus.

Around here it's called Texas rock rose, Pavonia lasiopetala.

Is that a silver bismarckia? Wow wow wow

Bossy, I wondered that also, but no, not a silver bismarck. Eric may have said what it was but I don't remember. It doesn't form much of a trunk and is rarely found for sale; one reason it's not propagated more often is that any seeds produced are eaten immediately by birds.

R, I didn't even see the word "cistus" on there anywhere. But I do love the pavonias! ERIC! Your place is phenomenal ! No wonder Ragna loves going to see it ! I've heard so much about it and would love to see more photos. Please give us your own take when you can. But you must finish that pond first ! I can imagine a host of wildlife enjoying this water feature. I have a dykia that looks like that. Can't remember the name off the top of my head, but it's one of my favorites. Would love to have seen the blooms on the purple butterfly vine. I have the yellow climbing my windmill tower...have never heard of another color... and the vines do the same thing. So structural as they get older and thicker. The second to the last photo : in the middle... is that a bamboo muhly ? that really soft looking plant ? Ragna, with all the palms and stickery plants, I can see why you like this garden. Awesome, Eric !!

Patty, Cistus is a family of flowering shrubs commonly called 'rock rose'. I've seen them growing in California, Oregon and Washington when visiting there. Not sure why we don't see them growing here. Maybe the over all temperature is too hot; not only are the days hot, but the night temps sometimes don't go below 85 degrees.

I used to grow the 'purple butterfly vine/lavender orchid vine', Mascagnia lilacina but it was too aggressive for me and I finally took it out. HERE are some photos of mine.

Thanks for the photo visit to a wonderful spot. Progress on the pond in the nine or so hot weeks since Eric's 2017 Garden Projects post is nearly as impressive as the plants.

Wow that's truly amazing!

Very nice. thanks for sharing.

Eric, is that concrete or mortared flagstones on the bottom of the pond? It is huge and I cannot wait to see it with water.

Concrete. This morning I laid the slab for the waterfall top rock. I'll let that cure for a day or two and then put the rock in place (must weigh at least 200 pounds). Then the flanking rocks to each side and a bit of work on the stream bed above the fall. The last bit of mortar/concrete work will be a small beach area at the far end of the pond. I'll post photos as work finishes.

Wow! Eric's garden is so beautiful! Thank you for the photos Ragna.

Ragna, Pics of a couple of plants you asked about that were not in bloom at this time.

Bromelia sp. Either B. balansae (probably) or possibly B. pinguin.

Known as 'Heart of Flame'.

Pitcairnea sp. Have no idea which one. Bloom spikes reach over 3 feet high. This is the bromeliad that looks like a grass. That is inland seacoast in front.

Closeup. Blooms in spring. A lot of foliage burn this last winter at 18F and no blooms this year, but has recovered well and hoping for blooms again next year.

Both are spectacular!!!!

About B. Balansae: It needs to be in a tub because it will quickly take over your garden if planted directly in soil.

But that's okay. I like to live dangerously and loved the look when I saw it in Eric's yard even when not flowering. It will be perfect in one of my big planters... (If it doesn't escape ... ;-)

Ehhh..... Not bad I guess. ;)

Eric's garden has lots of soft and gentle plants too ... :-)

Here are a few of my pictures of Eric garden. It got hit by that 3" hail a couple of days later. I loved the layering of palms and understory trees under the oaks.....Great ballet of branches

Big Dady Oak

Mind you, his cactus area is made from a brocken up asphalt road base. Eric can grow plants in anything.

I was SO happy to see that this had not succumbed to that hail.

Oh my. All so breath taking :-)

There are so many unusual plants in one place! Mara, thanks for adding your photos. They must have been taken in April 2016 so lots of things were blooming then. That hail storm did an amazing amount of damage. Eric's garden made an equally amazing recovery

What is the tree in wanton's 4th picture. Reddish bark pendulous foliage. Taxodium ?

Plant and weather lust! :)

I want to say a Cupressus cashmeriana, but I am guessing. He is babying some seeds on it that take years to mature. They have been making me drool for years.

I was also wondering about the tree in Mara's photo. I was so focused on the ground plants I totally missed the tree.

Yup. Cupressus cashmeriana.

I've kicked around the idea of buying one mail order for years. How cold has it gotten at your place since its been in the ground ?

I have seen one growing in West lake also. That is still warmer than me.

It's been in the ground about 25 years. I think I remember once getting into the single digits.

That was Dec.22 1987. It got to 2º . How can I forget. I was having a party and my son was 2 years old.

The good thing about san Antonio is that those rare instances we get low temperatures it bounces back within hours. You have some nice plants in your collection eric. And you're a good enough gardener for it to not look like a "collection". Most plant collectors (and I count myself in this group) end up with a plant zoo, a bunch of interesting oddities. Its harder to make it all look nice. Good work

Thanks Todd. It still feels a bit zoo-like to me. Sent you a personal message.