where friendship blooms

Moving an abandoned house and restoring it to its former glory inspired these homeowners to create a garden getaway. Surrounded by flowers, the home now forms the center of their retreat.

It's tough to resist the call of an old home that has been neglected for many years-especially if your goal in restoring a house is to encircle it with a garden. So when friends Jayme and Harley Ponder announced the purchase of 20 acres adjacent to their ranch outside Burton, Texas, I wanted the relic of a house that was just sitting on that land waiting to be bulldozed or torn down. The Ponders said I could have it-if I would move it. My wife, Diane, a supportive veteran of two previous restorations, was more than hesitant. "The house is much too fragile," she said, and even started calling it Fragilee to remind me of the frivolity of my judgment.

In fact, she announced in a moment of complete frustration (and little forethought) that she'd have nothing to do with it-a position I leaped upon! Imagine, a house and garden to create without interference. I, of course, overlooked the fact that the house hadn't been inhabited except by animals for more than 30 years, and that more of it was falling apart than intact.

The six-over-six windows, square nails, cypress siding, and hand-hewed support beams confirmed it was a mid- to late-19th-century structure. Visions of beautiful parterres and a potager (ornamental kitchen garden) surrounding a raised cottage overshadowed wisdom. Totally removed from my mind was the statement of the house mover, Larry Schroeder, that relocating the house would be successful only if the "termites held hands." A move was necessary, however, in order to complete the agreement of the Ponders' gift. By this time, I was too far in to back out.

Finding a Suitable Location

One possible site was a 3-acre plot I owned in nearby Round Top. While I was deliberating the requirements for the 10-mile move, the Ponders presented a more practical solution-a roll through the pasture to a 4-acre site on the edge of their ranch. The lot purchase would include a barn, a fenced area, and a beautiful overlook of the small lake on the Ponder Ranch, with their cattle and the rolling terrain beyond. What more could a gardener and upcoming land baron desire?

Sylvester Hudgen, Jr., a local trash hauler, came in to empty the house and prepare it for the move. Interestingly, despite the lack of indoor plumbing, the house contained an early electric range-the home of a sleepy opossum. Examination of the upper story found evidence that buzzards, raccoons, and assorted other species can and do live together in harmony.

Creation of a Dream

Basically, I am a garden man, not a house renovator. This project was immense in scope. Because local contractors had already restored many of the old houses in the area, we put out word that we needed help. Mike Faubion came recommended as one of the best. He shored up the house prior to the move and took over the renovation, leaving me free to concentrate on plans for the landscape. On the day of the move, I held my breath, and fortunately the termites did hold hands.

Designing the Garden

Any landscaping project should begin with careful site analysis. Soil, native plants, grasses, orientation to prevailing breezes, sunlight, and views are all important considerations. The site had less than ideal soil, and there were few trees. The lack of trees posed no problem because I enjoy planting them and watching them grow. The soil was another matter. Because the soil in the region tends to be thin, plants that would adapt to the growing conditions seemed a logical choice. Some areas would need additional soil for plants that would not adapt. Small retaining walls on the gently sloping site enabled me to create pockets of good soil for heirloom roses and perennials.

The design of the garden evolved as the renovation of the house began. Restraint is always an internal battle for a plant collector like me. The project was held in bounds by the fact that this was a weekend getaway. Because I was to be the principal gardener and much of our funds had been drained by the renovation of the house, my design plans grew ever more practical. I did want wonderful garden views, though, as well as areas for entertaining and some places for growing fruits and vegetables.

Vertical elements are essential to good landscape design. Well-placed fences, arbors, and arches should repeat lines in the architecture of the house to give definition to the garden. I enclosed the back and side garden with 4-foot-tall cypress picket fencing. Louisiana cypress and treated pine combine to form pointed arches framing the east and south entrances to the garden.

For additional structure, local stonemasons used native materials to build a retaining wall for the raised plantings at the front entrance and stone columns to support the porch. They also built a low retaining wall around the side garden for fruits and vegetables, creating the potager.

Roses and Recollections