Johnson's Backyard Garden

Johnson's Backyard Garden is a 20-acre certified organic farm just five miles east of Downtown Austin owned by Brenton and Beth Johnson. We have a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program which serves 450 families in Austin year-round with fresh, organic vegetables, herbs and flowers. Our members benefit from convenient neighborhood delivery locations and are invited to participate in U-pick days, farm tours, and other member events that take place throughout the year (take a look at our Calendar of Events).
We started out on Holly Street in East Austin with a 30x50 foot "Backyard Garden." In 2006 we were fortunate enough to greatly expand (and give the kids plenty of room to play) with the purchase of a 20-acre tract located just five miles east of downtown Austin. In three short years, our CSA has grown from being the smallest in Austin with only 10 members to now being the largest, with 450 members. Thank you, Austin!

2008 has been a big year for us; Brenton quit his day job in January and became a full-time farmer, and we secured our organic certification through the Texas Department of Agriculture in June. The farm has been rapidly expanding, we've brought all of our available acreage into production and instituted a crop rotation and cover cropping plan, expanded our packing facilities and greenhouse. We hope to continue on this path so that we can help meet Austin's rising demand for fresh, local, organic produce and someday soon feed over 1,000 Austin families each week.
"You get a lot of veggies for the money that you pay and the quality is great. I loved going to our pickup spot and saying 'hi' to the other subscribers. Plus, you get that warm happy feeling of buying from local farmers that do a fantastic job." - Rachelle
"I am always surprised by the variety, quantity and quality of the vegetables, and we have been inspired to start cooking all sorts of new dishes. I also make baby food from the veggies - how much better can you get than organic food that was just picked? I imagine this is how vegetables and eggs are supposed to taste." - Julie
"While it's a challenge to figure out how to serve so many vegetables in one week, I think it's a great way to get a more healthy variety of food in our diet, and the freshness just can't be beat. The eggs are heavenly." - Michellann

Palace Gardens

I would like to give you a quick tour of the historical palace gardens that I went to visit during my stay recently in my home town of Prague. These palace gardens are inviting to spectators due to their unique layouts that evolved over centuries.
Built right below the Prague Castle is complex of five neighbouring palaces. From the palaces built on steep slopes below up to the castle walls are amazing terraced gardens.

First, they were built as vinyards then were later converted into Italian-style renaissance gardens to fulfill the leisure and amusement needs of the owners. Gazebos and "sala terenas" (outdoor concert amphitheatres partially covered for acoustic purposes) were necessary parts of the design.
In the middle-fifteenth century, gardens were renewed in the baroque style, numerous sculptures were installed on balustraded terraces and monumental stairways and fountains were built.

Now, you can visit these gardens and admire the artwork as well as the impressive view overlooking the city of Prague. As long as you are not running up and down the stairs trying to see everything as I did, it is the most relaxing and romantic setting you can imagine. Many generations of lovers have sat on these benches placed between steep stairways and terraces covered with vines. Do not be surprised if you loose track of time while observing the city below, if that happens the sundial fresco will help you get back on track.

I admire the determination our ancestors had to make every piece of land useful and artful. In such a setting, people could pick their every day herbs or admire spectacular pieces of art surrounded by exotic plants, while listening to concertos playing below. The steep bank that could have been merely a nuisance evolved over the centuries and we can now enjoy the gardens, thanks to generations of people who cared to preserve it.
Viktorie Hladik Horticulturist Landscape Designer

Landscaping with edible plants.

I would like you to look at ordinary fruit, herbs and vegetables in a different way. Lets look at strawberry and mint as a great ground cover, raspberry or blueberry as an informal hedge and carrots or savory as attractive edge plants for your flowerbed. As well, consider nasturtiums and pansies as colorful additions to your salads, Purple cone flower and St. John's Worth as healing medicinal plants to enhance your herbal tea.

I think that every garden should be decorative as well as useful. We are used to seeing traditional gardens where ornamental plants are orderly in their designated flowerbeds and vegetables are in rows in a square patch. It might seem more efficient but it is definitely not necessary. Your garden gate could be covered with beautiful flowers of beans; your rock garden could have displays of Lavender, flowerbeds can be enhanced by outstanding foliage of red beets, kale or showy rhubarb. Oregano has red foliage and will look outstanding backed up with lush foliage of Basil. Spring bulbs could be replaced with lettuce and radishes.

Don't stop your imagination from painting this incredible picture that will please your sight as well as your stomach. We are what we eat.
Landscape Designer and Horticulturist
Viktorie Hladik

Winter Gardens

Even though winter is the part of the year when we spend most of our time indoors, gardens are still part of our life. Therefore, they should be designed to show their beauty even in this time of the year.
There are specific factors to consider. One is light that changes from season to season. Another is co lour and texture that become more noticeable in winter months. In addition, any structures add character to the winter garden. A composition that considers all the above-mentioned aspects will give us desirable effects.

Although our gardens are always changing with the seasons, the most dramatic change comes when trees lose their leaves. This alters the whole proportion of the garden. For instance, a closed-in yard feels more spacious because more light can come in. When planning where to plant trees around the house, considering those changes will contribute to good light conditions inside. Planting conifers will provide privacy all year long. On the other hand, deciduous trees and shrubs will shade a house in the summer and allow sun to enter in the winter. By considering these aspects, the house will benefit and become more connected with the outside. Since our days are shorter in the winter, adding outside lights to our landscape will extend our enjoyment of our gardens. Looking out through the patio door into a lit up back yard will add another proportion to our living space.
Winter coloring is more on the gray side in comparison with juicy green spring, flowering summer and yellow or red fall. Here are some tips to add co lour to the garden in the winter. Using conifers and evergreen incorporated with other plants gives landscape greenery and an unchanging structure. Some plants stand out because of their colorful bark. A good example is Salix alba for large trees and Cornus stolonifera with its red twigs and Cornus alba "Bud's Yellow with its yellow twigs. Some plants, such as ornamental grasses, have a very attractive texture even in the winter. The dried up flowers of some plants add an accent to gardens. A good example is Hydrangea or Upatorium.
Our focal points might change with the seasons. For example, a stairway that is overgrown through most of the seasons might become a focal point in the winter. Therefore, when placing pathways, stairs, retaining walls, ornaments and statues, imagine their roles in the winter.
When analyzing your winter landscape, keep light in your house and outside, and colors, textures, structures and ornaments in mind. Our garden should be an extension of our living space through all the seasons.

Viktorie Hladik Horticulturist Landscape Designer

Landscape Lights

In the winter, our time outside is limited by darkness coming earlier and our lives are mostly spent indoors. Illuminating gardens can bring us lots of joy and visual effect as well as making the house safer, secure and more comfortable. In addition, landscape lights are excellent way how to visually extend our indoor space

To get the most out of landscape lighting we need to decide carefully about location and stile. I would like to talk to you about path lights, accent lights, spotlighting, grazing and silhouetting.
Illumining paths decks and patios is a good way to start drawing the picture in your head. Choosing the right location and shape of the light is curtail. Lets make sure that there is no interferes with traffic and lawn moving or lights don’t have an irritating glare. Otherwise, narrow and unpredictably waindy path can become pleasing picture in a soft light. Also, consider that decks, patios and steps will be more inviting if illuminated.

As path lights main purpose is safety accent lights are mainly aesthetic. Effect that you can create may seam endless. Spotlighting is perfect way how to bring attention to your statue. Shadowing can create rather romantic mood where uplighting could be quite dramatic.

On the other hand, when we place light to shine across a textural surface such as brick or a tree bark we will create more subtle effect.
As you can see landscape lights are great way how to increase use and enjoyment from your yard and garden. Safety and security are priority but at the same time, being playful and give your place another dimension could be part of the result.
Viktorie Hladik Horticulturist Landscape Designer

Use of Small Trees in Landscaping

Big shade trees provide desirable privacy and shade, but not every property has the appropriate space to accommodate these trees. People with small yards can find a solution in a large selection of small trees. In a courtyard or by a charming pond, small trees can provide excellent visual effects.

Most commonly used and always appreciated is the Japanese maple Acer palmatum. Most nurseries have a large selection of varieties of Japanese maple that vary in sizes and shapes. Therefore, when shopping for one for your yard, getting accurate information on a specific variety will help you to avoid future disappointment.
As much Japanese maples have fascinating foliage and graceful form Japanese Snowbell Styrax japonicum is a deciduous tree that attracts attention with its outstanding flowers. It is 15 feet to 25 feet tall and its crown has a rounded vase shape. Styrax flowers are perfect little white bells that cover the whole tree in late spring or early summer. You might want to think about planting this tree where you can enjoy its flowers up close.

Another small tree I would like to mention is the English Yew Taxus baccata 'Fastisiata', which is a columnar and will excel in a shady spot in the garden. This slowgrowing conifer reaches a height of 15 to 30 feet and it remains about 4 to 8 feet wide. Its narrow form is very useful in a variety of situations.
Achieving a success in landscape planning means considering always changing size of plants. Underestimating the size of a tree might cause lots of grief in the future. Therefore, choose the tree for your garden carefully considering its size in ten years and fifty years from now.
Viktorie Hladik Horticulturist Landscape Designer

Annuals with Attractive Foliage

I would like to sharpen your appetite with some examples of annuals that can refresh our plantings with interesting foliage colours and textures. I would like to show you some examples of annuals that can refresh our plantings with interesting foliage colours and textures.
Ornamental Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batata) could be an attractive addition to your arrangements with its bright green or deep purple foliage. As a vine, it will hang down from baskets or climb up from planters.

Ornamental millet ‘Purple majesty' ( Pennisetum glaucum ‘Purple majesty') is an ornamental grass that will enhance any planting with its vibrant dark purple colour and adds height. It grows the best in full sun and well-drained soil.

The medicinal plant 'Salvia officinalis' is a tasty addition to herbal teas & could add texture and colour with its grey and purple foliage.