Bayou Bend Gardens - Carla Garden

In 1961 Hurricane Carla wreaked havoc on Houston, and the gardens at Bayou Bend did not escape the devastation. Miss Hogg, however, saw opportunity in disaster and established this charming garden in a clearing created by Carla's violent winds.

The plan was inspired by Miss Hogg's acquisition of an antique carousel seat in the form of a peacock. Although the brightly colored peacock was too delicate to remain outdoors, echoes of the carnival theme can still be seen in the design of this garden.

The circular brick terrace with its boxwood borders mimics the shape of a carousel, while the concentric circles of multicolored azaleas are appropriately vivid and cheerful. The garden originally included a large tree that was destroyed by another hurricane--Alicia--in 1983. The brick terrace and retaining wall help control erosion problems created by the hurricanes.

Carla Garden, 1961
Designed by Miss Hogg;
redesigned 1970
by Harriet Wagner
and Janet Osborn

In spring, the Kurume azaleas bloom in colors ranging from pale pink to deep red.A camellia blossoms on the south side in December and January, and a two-winged silverbell tree blooms in March. Angel-wing begonias--one of Miss Hogg's favorite plants--fill the urns.

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This website was a created as a class project by students at the University of Houston College of Education. It is not the approved website for the Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens or the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Refer to the MFAH website for information about Bayou Bend at: http://www.mfah.org.