Some gardens are impressive because of their size. Others make you want to slow down, look a little closer, and stay awhile. Jenny Perry’s pocket garden is definitely the latter.
Jenny and her husband bought their Amarillo home in 1989, and the backyard looked nothing like the lush space it is today. With lots of shade, wet conditions, and an unusual layout, Jenny began researching what would actually thrive in her yard.
More than 30 years later, she has created a garden full of personality, beautiful plants, clever solutions, family stories, and plenty of lessons for gardening in the Texas Panhandle.
Making the Most of a Small Garden
Jenny calls her backyard a “pocket garden,” and containers play a huge role in making the most of every inch.
Hostas, begonias, coleus, dipladenia, mandevilla, thunbergia, salvia, caladiums, and more fill pots and tucked-away spaces throughout the yard. Jenny has learned exactly where each plant performs best by paying attention to the different microclimates within her garden.
Her biggest advice? Watch your plants. If something isn’t thriving, move it, replace it, or try something new. Gardening is an experiment!
Gardening for Hummingbirds & Pollinators
Jenny’s garden isn’t only beautiful—it’s full of life.
One of the biggest hummingbird favorites is her Cuphea, which started as just three small plants and grew into a massive display of blooms. She puts hummingbird feeders out early in the season, then lets her flowering plants provide natural food once the garden is in full bloom.
Jenny also keeps a bee box for solitary leafcutter bees and avoids insecticides in her garden. Those little circles you sometimes see cut from leaves? Jenny welcomes them because they can be a sign that beneficial leafcutter bees are making themselves at home.
Her dill is another pollinator favorite, providing a host plant for swallowtail caterpillars. As Jenny reminds us, if you want butterflies in your garden, you have to make room for the caterpillars, too.
A Garden Filled With Stories
Some of the most special plants in Jenny’s garden aren’t there just because they’re beautiful.
Her heuchera came from a plant that belonged to her father, and she continues dividing and sharing it with others. A peanut cactus was passed down through generations of her husband’s family, while rocks, an old tractor piece, and even her grandmother’s table have found a place in the garden.
It’s a beautiful reminder that a garden doesn’t have to be perfectly designed or filled with expensive pieces. The best gardens are personal.
Jenny’s Raised Herb Garden
The final stop on our tour is Jenny’s raised herb bed, which is about 13 years old and filled with everything from chives and basil to rosemary, sage, thyme, dill, and a Sun Gold tomato.
Jenny takes a relaxed approach here, too. Instead of immediately cleaning everything out after the first freeze, she leaves some spent plants standing to provide habitat for insects and allow herbs like basil and dill to naturally reseed.
Each spring, she lightly refreshes the bed with Yum Yum Mix and fresh raised bed soil rather than completely starting over.
And one tip we’ll definitely be trying? Jenny soaks fresh sage stems in water and places them underneath salmon on the grill to help prevent sticking while adding flavor.
Amarillo Gardening Inspiration
After spending time in Jenny’s pocket garden, one thing is clear: you don’t need acres of space to create an incredible garden.
Pay attention to where the sun moves. Learn which areas stay wet and which dry out quickly. Choose plants that work with your conditions, welcome the pollinators, let a few things reseed, and don’t be afraid to experiment.
Most importantly, fill your garden with plants and pieces that mean something to you.
Thank you, Jenny, for welcoming us into your beautiful pocket garden and sharing so many of your favorite plants, stories, and gardening tips with us!
Watch all four parts of Jenny Perry’s Garden Club tour below, and follow Pete’s Greenhouse for more Amarillo gardening inspiration all season long.
Instagram:
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four
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Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four
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