The extended drought really has created terrible hardships for our local nurseries, so all during October, designated Support Your Independent Nursery Month, several Austin garden bloggers have been highlighting their favorite nurseries each Wednesday to encourage people to get out there and give our local gems a little garden-shopping-kind-of-love. I can tell you that my garden and ponds would not even exist were it not for the wonderful plants, landscape materials, tips, and encouragement I’ve gotten from many of Austin’s finest nurseries. This is such a great time to get back in the garden, too — fall planting is the best for so many plants and delicious veggies. Whether you’re looking for new perennials or trees, pottery, holiday gifts, garden tools, or other items — this is a great time to get them!
Here’s the extra exciting part: To tie in to Support Your Independent Nursery Month, eight Austin bloggers are offering great prizes to participating local nurseries. If you visit all eight blogs, you maximize your chances to win!
I’m quite pleased to be able to host a giveaway for a $50 gift certificate for Hill Country Water Gardens, one of my personal shopping spots. I visit HCWG for all my pond needs, and somehow I always manage to bring home plants or beautiful garden items with me, too. The many ponds, waterfalls, fountains, and streams found all over the 5-acre grounds are incredibly inspiring.
Hill Country Water Gardens is located at 1407 N. Bell Ave (old 183/Research Blvd.) in Cedar Park, just north of Hwy. 1431. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and quite happy to help you with pond information, aquatic plants, fish, and more. Furthermore, if you want a pond but just aren’t a do-it-yourselfer, they’ve got a professional installation team that will build your pond for you, or help you maintain it, as the case may be.
I also highly recommend the free how-to demonstrations HCWG staff regularly give to show homeowners how to install ponds and waterfalls, disappearing fountains, and disappearing streams. Great info and a perfect time to get all your questions answered about that new aquatic feature you’ve been wanting to build.
But Hill Country Water Gardens isn’t just about ponds — they have a great selection of native and adapted plants, and they have some of the most beautiful and unique pottery and garden art I’ve seen. And now you’ve got a chance to go there with a $50 gift certificate!
If you’d like a chance to win this fantastic prize, here’s what you should know:
- You must leave a comment on this post to enter. If you have trouble with the reCAPTCHA, tell it to give you another set of letters to enter, or simply try again. Thanks!
- Each participating blog will hold its own random drawing, so leave a comment on each blog to enter all the giveaways.
- Only one comment per person per giveaway.
- Participating bloggers and their families are ineligible to win.
- Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on 10/26.
- Winners will be announced on each blog on 10/27.
- Winners must go to the nursery with a photo ID and pick up their prize in person within two weeks of winning. Prizes will not be mailed.
Be sure to visit the other Austin bloggers for a chance to win a gift certificate to other fantastic nurseries!
- Diana of Sharing Nature’s Garden is giving away a $50 gift certificate from Emerald Garden.
- Jenny at J Peterson Garden Design is hosting a $50 gift certificate prize from The Great Outdoors.
- Amy of Go Away, I’m Gardening! is giving away a $100 gift certificate from Sunshine Landscape & Garden Center.
- Cat, the Whimsical Gardener, is offering a $25 gift certificate prize from It’s About Thyme.
- Jenny at Rock Rose has a $50 gift certificate giveaway from Shoal Creek Nursery.
- Pam at Digging has a giveaway of both a $100 gift certificate and a Fall Power Package (valued at $50) from Barton Springs Nursery.
- Cyndi at Growing Optimism is giving away a $25 gift certificate to The Natural Gardener.
Thanks to all the participating bloggers and nurseries (and to Pam and BSN’s Bernadine for planning all this) — what fun this is! Good luck, everyone!
This is another one of those places to just go and enjoy. They have beautiful displays. But, don’t usually get out of there empty handed.
Thanks.
I would love to win!!! Judy
You are right, Linda — it’s such a beautiful place to shop at. I particular love listening to the sounds of the falls and streams as I ponder what my garden needs.
You are entered, Judy! Thanks for participating!
Sounds like fun, and a wonderful way to support your local nursery!
Looks like the perfect place for water feature ideas!
I just love Hill Country Water Gardens, Steve Kainer and everyone there! Steve will be on CTG in January, too, for cold-weather tips for ponds and fountains. Thanks for sharing his great mission, Meredith!
It is, Lynne! I get so inspired every time I visit.
That’s wonderful that Steve will be on CTG — I’ll be sure to watch for him!
if I win it must mean I need to put in a fountain!
It might just be the excuse you need to make it happen! 🙂
based on how popular my water dishes are, I really do need to think about putting in an actual pond.
Our pond changed everything for us, Katina — so much happy wildlife!
It is fun! I’m happy to be a part of all this nursery-loving goodness.
Roadtrip….this looks awesome, thanks for the opportunity!
Pamie G. pgraham@gvtc.com
What a wonderful giveaway! I’m enjoying getting acquainted with your blog.
I went there for the first time this past summer. Great to just walk around and see the fountains and look at the fish.
Pamie, we’re happy to be able such great giveaways — thanks for helping support our nurseries!
Michael, it’s worth another visit soon!
Welcome, Elizgonz!
Please enter me in your drawing — I’ve been wanting to visit this place ever since going on the pond tour last year.
You are entered, Marjie — glad to hear that you enjoyed the pond tour!
I would love a fountain or pond. Hope I win!!
Hi Meredith!
My pond would loooove a gift cert to HCWG. I love this place.
Thanks for doing this!
Michele
lovely idea – fingers crossed…
I’d love the win and chance to visit this nursery?
Hill Country Water Gardens is a long trip for me, but always worth it!
And I know just what that gift certificate would go towards. Thanks for the chance.
Someday I would love to have a stock pond water feature. maybe now?
I love, love, love this place! It would be so fun to spend some “free” money here!!
This is so exciting!
Please enter me in your drawing. Austin has the best nurseries!
I’ve never been to Hill Country Water Gardens. It sounds delightful. I better check it out. Thanks for highlighting it.
Just started putting in a pond and water garden. Would love to win this one!
I love this place! Great pots, great ponds, great plants…a great place to spend time!
Meredith, my MUST VISIT list is getting longer with each Austin blogger I read! I’ve not been to Hill Country Water Gardens before but next trip to Austin, I’m there!
Great giveway! Thanks for the chance to win!
Love, love, love HCWG! I always go there for some inspiration!
Hill Country Water Gardens is a beautiful garden center – on my side of town!! Thanks for hosting this and thank you for your great blog.
Exciting giveaway, so fun to read about all the great local nurseries.
Love HCWG
I’m ready to get back outdoors! Thanks for a great post!
Yolanda
I would love an excuse to make a day trip to Austin to check out this place. I think my front yard needs a water feature to serve as a focal point but it has to be just the right one. I keep wanting to check out Hill Country Water Gardens and winning would be a great reason to do it now.
– Abbey in San Antonio
I just bought a $175 Texas Pistache (some say Pistacio) at Barton Springs Nursery. That should perk things up both at my house and their bottom line.
HCWG is not only an excellent resource for pond gardening, but also a great general nursery as well. We built our pond several years ago and they were (and still are ) our “go to” folks for information.
I’ve always wanted a water feature in my garden…of course, I’ve also always wanted a garden…Maybe this will be the kick in the pants I need to get it going. Thanks for the opportunity!
I’ve been meaning to get out there since spring. Your pics were inspiring!
I love your blog and the photos…Thanks for featuring these local businesses.
Even if you don’t have a water feature, you can create a bog-type garden in a large pot that has no drainage. If the pot came with a drainage hole, just cover it with several layers of plastic before adding the planting medium.
Would love to win. Thank you, wendy
Thanks! Still have lilies and iris from when I lived up there.
oooh, I think our native birds need us to put in a water feature!
I’d love to be a winner and take a trip to Hill Country!
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