June 29, 2025
On the first full day of the Memphis Fling, we were treated to breakfast at Memphis Botanic Garden. They set out a lovely spread for us, but when there’s a garden to tour, breakfast can wait. I headed straight into the gardens to see as much as I could in an hour and a half.
My favorite space during this early June visit was the Daylily Circle. Yes, the daylilies were grand — I’ll show those in a sec — but a rainbow of echinacea dazzled me more, especially against a centerpiece sculpture and backdrop of snowy ‘Natchez’ crape myrtles.
Purple coneflowers in a medley of color
Orangey red ballerina skirts…
…and buttery yellow landing pads — all so good.
The sculpture in an oval pool is called Iris: Goddess of the Rainbow by Bobbe Gentry. She oversees a rainbow of coneflowers at this time of year.
OK, let’s go see those daylilies. Hemmed in by a concrete curb, they jostle like parade-goers vying for a streetside view. ‘Natchez’ crape myrtles wave their white blossoms like pom-poms.
Freckled daylily faces
Zesty stripes
And blushing cheeks
Daylilies galore brighten the circular bed.
Looking back to the Iris sculpture
A few more coneflowers
Yarrow too, with lacy, lavender flowers
Fizzy flowers of Appalachian mountainmint
Woodland
In the shade of tall trees, bottlebrush buckeye stood head-high with upright fuzzy flowers.
Japanese Garden
At the specified time, I headed for the Japanese Garden for our group photo. A placid lake offered a serene, green palette cleanser.
Koi came to say hello.
A sculpted pine
An arching red bridge makes a scenic focal point, especially with feathery bamboo dwarfing it.
Bridge to bamboo
The bridge was soon packed — and it held! — with around 70 Flingers wearing caps with Elvis sideburns and sunglasses. Thank you, thank you very much.
My Big Backyard family garden
The family garden at Memphis Botanic is called My Big Backyard. I only had a few minutes to explore here, but I admired a elevated playhouse and a winding, wiggly stone path in the shape of a bird.
Planting “beds” were quilted with flowers and plumped with shrubby pillows.
At the foot of each bed, a pair of shoes was laid aside — and they were sprouting plants too.
Shoe succulents
Even the bathroom fixtures — a pink toilet and pedestal sink with mirror — got in on the plant-it-up act.
The family car too, plus a basketed bike!
Another area — Seedling Circle, I think — featured a log limo, giant tire planters, and a slide.
Fun spaces for little ones to explore
Formal courtyard
A formal courtyard near the entrance showcases a tiered fountain and a lovely backdrop of trees.
Beyond, massive crape myrtles were in full bloom.
Southern magnolias also looked fabulous — and not just here but throughout Memphis, as we’d see in days to come. This is obviously where they like to grow (not in too hot, too dry Austin, y’all).
Their enormous, creamy, Lemon Pledge-scented flowers attracted lots of noses.
Their glossy, olive-green leaves with velvet brown undersides are also handsome.
One more
Back at the breakfast buffet, I had time to grab a little something for the road before boarding the bus for our next stop.
Up next: Dr. Arsen Manugian’s mossy, glowing sculpture garden. For a look back at Chip Morrison’s tree goddess and secret garden, click here.
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!
__________________________
Digging Deeper
My new book, Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State, is available for pre-order at Amazon and other online book sellers. It’ll be released on October 14th, and while that’s several months away, pre-orders are tremendously helpful in getting my book noticed by readers and reviewers. Please consider pre-ordering if you’d like to read it this fall; more info here. Thank you for your support!
Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Read all about the Season 8 lineup here!
All material © 2025 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
