Building my Garden

Today I went to pick out native plants for my garden. In an effort to bring painting inspirations a little closer to home, I’ve turned attentions to cultivating my small suburban plot with a mix of natives and edibles.

I’m working to create an outdoor oasis- a place where I can go to meditate, sketch, get inspired, drink a beer, and enjoy the outdoors with my kiddo and friends. In considering what to include in my design, it was important for me to create a beautiful area that will feed my family and the birds and pollinators of this shared land. As a painter of native plants and animals, I’m excited to create a space that will bring both to just beyond my door.

It’s surprisingly difficult to find natives as they’re not carried by most of the local nurseries, so I drove the 40 miles to Heep’s Nursery in Harlingen, which specializes in plants of the Rio Grande Valley. I first met Mike Heep when I was in elementary school and he was helping my mother to landscape our new home. For decades, Mike has cultivated natives and educated people on the ecological benefits of using these plants in their landscapes. Visiting his nursery is a joy. This morning, as I walked through make shift paths between plants, roaming dogs, and chickens, Mike advised me on what plants will do well in sun and shade. I’m enormously grateful for his knowledge and his dedication to providing plants that feed our local wildlife.