June 19, 2026

Drive two hours south of Denver to Pueblo, and you’re in a hotter, drier climate where cactus and yucca feel right at home. On June 6th, I toured three Pueblo gardens open to the public as part of the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days Program. At the Conrad Family Garden, I admired a terraced xeriscape bristling with yucca, cholla, prickly pear, and other dry-loving plants.

Surprisingly, there’s also a spring-fed pond and wetland garden on the 2-acre site.

Sitting high on the lot, the handsome adobe-style house (it’s for sale, by the way) enjoys views of the pond and distant mountains, as well as a woodland garden and sunny gardens.

I was most drawn to a terraced dry garden on a rocky slope. Backed by a dark screen of pines and cypress, several trunking yuccas with showy flower spikes stood out.

Benches are charmingly built into the stone terracing along the path.

Chocolate daisy adds color and fragrance — yes, the smell of chocolate.

One more

A big Yucca rostrata reminded me of Austin gardens. The cholla is nice too.

A little cactus flowering among the rocks

A yucca with multiple bloom spikes reaches for the sun.

Thank you to the owners for opening their garden in the midst of selling their home. I hope the next owners appreciate the gardens too!

Up next: The Sage Queen Garden, a “celebration of pollinators.”

I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If you’re reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!

__________________________

Digging Deeper

“Gardens of Texas is not your typical door stop/coffee table book filled with beautiful images of gardens you can never hope to achieve. The photography is definitely inspiring, but Pam’s thoughtful, detailed storytelling and “Try This At Home” features…makes one feel empowered to create similar garden magic….This is what I’ll curl up with on late August afternoons when the mercury in Austin soars and I’m stuck indoors.”

–MomInAustin, a reviewer on Amazon

Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State is here! It’s for anyone who loves gardens or the natural beauty of Texas. Find it on Amazon, other online book sellers, and in stores everywhere. More info here.

All material © 2026 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.