Book review: Gardens of Texas by Pam Penick

‟A book about Texas gardens? I live in California / Arizona / Oregon / Washington / etc. How is that relevant for me and why should I care?”

I'm sure that's what some of you may be thinking. And I get it. We tend to focus on places and things we're familiar with. But most of the time, the challenges we face, as well as the joys and triumphs we experience, are not unique to where we live. I was reminded of that in vivid terms when I read Pam Penick's new book, Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State. In this review, I will explain why it resonates with me so strongly.

Pam Penick, photographed by Kenny Braun

Texas is enormous: encompassing 268,000 square miles, it's the second largest U.S. state by area (Alaska is #1).  It's part of the southern Great Plains, but it spans ten ecoregions and USDA hardiness zones 6b to 10b. Yearly rainfall totals range from 60 inches in southeastern Texas to 10 inches in El Paso. Challenges include everything from extreme heat to multiday freezes, and from drought to floods.  There isn't one Texas, there are multiple Texases. And it's because of these vast differences that this book is of interest to gardeners elsewhere who face similar conditions. 

Longtime Texas resident, garden writer, and blogger Pam Penick was frustrated that Texas gardens aren't better represented in books, magazines, and online sources: “After many years of wishing for a book featuring a multitude of Texas gardens, showcasing the beauty, creative design, sustainability practices, and gardening passion across our vast state, I realized that I just needed to write to it myself.”

And that's exactly what she did. She spent six months on the road, traveling 6,742 miles across the state to document twenty-seven standout private gardens. The gamut runs from a succulent-heavy crevice garden and Pam's own garden in Central Texas to a desert oasis and an 1,100 acre ranch in West Texas, from a woodland garden and a family farm in South Texas to a prairie garden and a “punk rock” garden in North Texas, to a vegetable-forward garden and a native garden in East Texas.  

In her preface, Pam sums what gardening is like in Texas: “[It] is wholly different from gardening in other parts of the United States. Our seasons tend to be upside-down in terms of when to plant, when to prune, when to harvest ... and when to go inside to read a book or binge a show until gardening weather returns.” 

The book is organized by the geographic regions of Texas. Each section introduces the climate challenges of each region and specific strategies that local gardeners use. Pam's description of the North Texas climate, for example, reflects the weather-related upheavals so many areas of the world are now facing: “Summers are growing hotter and longer, and droughts are expected to intensify. Rainfall may remain at similar levels but fall with increased intensity, leading to more runoff and flash flooding. Winters will be warmer overall but may bring more extreme cold snaps.”

The central theme of the book is how Texas gardeners can adapt to the state's challenging and changing climate. Pam showcases gardens that thrive in these extremes by embracing sustainable practices and appropriate plant palettes and working with (instead of fighting) the local ecosystem. 

The 27 garden profiles spotlight gardeners who have found creative ways to navigate the state's harsh and unpredictable climate. These are fearless folks who garden in spite of very real obstacles. For each garden, Pam gives actionable guidance, including plant recommendations and design ideas. The “Try this at home” sections are particularly valuable. Whether you live in Texas or another place dealing with weather extremes, many of the lessons are broadly applicable, be it drought-tolerant design, rain capture, or planting for pollinators. 

Another significant aspect of the book is the integration of native plants and nurturing local wildlife. This goes hand in hand with planting for climate resilience. (Some of the gardeners in the book argue — and I agree — that you don't need to limit yourself strictly to native plants; climate-appropriate plants from elsewhere work just as well.)

What makes Gardens of Texas different from other books about regional gardens is the generous layout. I'm so happy to finally see a book that does the featured gardens justice. Each one gets a 10- to 14-page spread — plenty of room for an in-depth essay and 20+ photos. 

Speaking of photos: Pam's evocative writing is complemented by 600+ images contributed by Austin-based photographer Kenny Braun. They're not just pretty pictures, they thoughtfully capture the character and scale of each garden and make it come alive. I particularly appreciated the occasional drone views showing the respective garden from the air.

Let's take a look at some sample pages:

I connect with many of the gardens featured in the book, but I do have three favorites: Coleson Bruce's urban crevice garden, Neil Subin's modern camp on 1,100 acres, and Linda Peterson's fusion garden. (Pam's own garden in Austin, which I had the pleasure of seeing for myself during the 2018 Garden Bloggers Fling, is a close runner-up.)

Here are few photos from my top 3 gardens:

Texas Crevice Garden (Coleson Bruce, Austin, Central Texas)

Modern Camp (Neil Subin, Casa Piedra, West Texas)

A Garden Meant To Be (Linda Peterson, San Antonio, South Texas)

Finally, I want to share some quotes from gardeners portrayed in the book. When interviewed, people often give noncommittal answers that don't really say much. That's why it's so refreshing to hear words that are so meaningful and relatable. 

Pam Penick in the preface: “First, plant what wants to live here (or wherever you are). [...] Second, it's a fact that every gardener kills lots of plants, so don't let dead plants discourage you. Plant more of what succeeds, discard what doesn't, and just keep planting. Gardening is an act of optimism and experimentation, and it rewards doggedness.”

Gina O'Hara (p. 48): “My garden is not an example of a perfect garden. It's not a beautiful garden that stays beautiful. It's an example of try and try again. It's the work itself that's the joy.”

Pam Penick (p. 98): “As every gardener who has been at it a while knows, there is no final moment of perfection in a garden, no end goal. It's not about that. Gardening is about the doing and the growing, resowing and replanting, and looking to the future, while enjoying the innumerable, ephemeral moments of delight a garden offers in the present.”

Linda Peterson (p. 192): “I like spiky plants. I love agaves for the contrast of big, spiky things against the walls, and I like little poofy plants like daisies growing under them. It's all about the contrast.” (A quote about agaves — I couldn't help myself.)

Lorie Kinler (p. 290):  “A garden is a natural, living thing. [...] You're going to have weeds. You're going to have plants that die. You have to be able to go with the flow and not expect everything to be perfect all the time.” To which Pam adds, “It's a radical idea to some—a little punk rock even—but one that pays out in enjoyment of a garden suited to its place.”

Patrick Boyd-Lloyd (p. 312): “There are failures and challenges, but when you do get it right, or something good you didn't even expect, that's the joy of gardening.”

Greg Lofgren (p. 374): “For me, creative endeavors are all the same, [...] whether you're cooking or doing interiors or making outdoor rooms. If you're creative, it's all connected. It overlaps in every part of your life.”

My verdict: Gardens of Texas is very successful at what it sets out to do. It’s not just a beautiful book (it truly is), it’s a thoughtful exploration of how gardeners are creatively meeting environmental challenges. Pam brings heart, expertise, and a sense of place. For anyone passionate about gardening in a demanding climate, or who simply admires garden beauty, this book gets my highest recommendation.

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Also check out Pam's previous books, Lawn Gone! (2013) and The Water-Saving Garden (2016), as well as her award-winning blog Digging: Cool Gardens in a Hot Climate.

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Disclaimer: Pam is a friend, and she sent me a complimentary review copy of the book, but I was under no obligation to write a review, positive or otherwise.

© Gerhard Bock, 2025. All rights reserved. To receive all new posts by email, please subscribe here.