In 1994 my wife and I moved into our custom built home. The landscape and pond design was as important to me as the layout of the house. We were fortunate to find a 2-acre plot of land just outside the city limits of Amarillo with lots of potential. This property actually has a running creek along it’s back edge. Running water is very rare in this dry part of west Texas. We commonly see deer, wild turkey, raccoons, coyotes, possums and, of course tons of rabbits. Once or twice I have come upon the dreaded rattlesnake.

As we planned our house, the landscape and pond design was very important to me. I wanted a blank canvas with which to build my new gardens. A greenhouse was part of the home construction. Same with the pond. The pond actually enters the greenhouse under a wall and into the interior of the greenhouse.

I grow orchids in my greenhouse. Some more successfully than others. I have learned by trial and error which varieties and species do best in my greenhouse conditions.

I am very proud of the fact that my home landscape has been chosen for two Amarillo Botanical Garden tours, two Master Gardener tours and two Pond Club tours over the past 14 years.

My home landscape has evolved and changed over the past 14 years. I went from a wind swept caliche hill to what might be called now a shade garden. I will never have it the way I want it. It will always be a “work in progress”. Someday I may be content with it but at this time, I continue to have a long list of plants to move, stone to place and walks to install.

photographs copyright KP 2013