BAY CITY, TEXAS, USA -- I'll be the first to admit, I am not a gardening enthusiast. I've been an apartment dweller in Los Angeles for the past 20 years. What time wasn't spent in apartments was spent traveling while staying in hotels or in an RV. Even if I had an interest in gardening I would have had no way to exercise it.

So when traveling companions wanted to trek off to a place called Myra's Gardens in the tiny Texas coastal town of Bay City, I was a good sport and went along for the ride, expecting to be bored. I was wrong.

This garden/nursery/shop has so much going on that even non gardeners and kids are likely to be amused. I especially enjoyed the whimsical planters, fountains and garden accessories that were artfully scattered throughout the outdoor landscape.

Best of all (at least for non-gardeners like me), the shop at Myra's was filled will so many unique and interesting items that I went away with a lot of the following year's Christmas shopping done. Owner Myra Sue Mayo and general manager Sharon Taylor are to be commended for their buying prowess and good taste. No one will ever believe you found these chic decorative items in rural Texas. New York City, London, or Los Angeles, maybe, but not rural Texas. It's worth the drive. The prices here are shockingly reasonable.

Myra, a single parent, started the business as a way to make money while spending time with her kids. Her small enterprise soon took on a life of its own. Today, Myra offers landscaping design and services, and water garden installations, in addition to the wide variety of trees, plants and shrubs available at her nursery. Myra also offers monthly classes to folks who regularly come from as far away as 70 miles to shop here.

"Each year people come from further and further away," says Myra. "A lot of city people are moving down here and buying second homes on the coast," she adds, "which helps add to our reach."

While gardeners from all over will enjoy the creativity and variety here, Myra's Gardens specializes in Texas gardening, featuring native plants that do well in the mild coastal environment. They also do a lot of colorful basket gardens that can accentuate just about any space. Couple that with all the creative and whimsical garden accoutrements available here and it might be just enough to get a non-gardener like myself to start planting.

Texas Coastal Garden Tip from Myra

When asked for her most important tip for folks who might be new to gardening in her region, Myra immediately focused on soil. "The soil in these areas is usually not that good," she advises," it's black gumbo type soil rich in clay- so you must build the beds high with a garden mix soil before planting.

Practicalities

Myra's Gardens can be found on Route 1 (Skelly Rd.) in Bay City, Texas. For more information or a class schedule call 979-245-3634.

For general information about planning a visit to Matagorda County, Texas, click on www.visitmatagorda.com or contact the Matagorda County Economic Development Corporation at 979-245-8913.

Cheri Sicard, in addition to being the editor of FabulousTravel.com and its sister site, Fabulous Foods.com is the author of The Great American Handbook: What You Can Do For Your Country Today and Every Day and The Low Carb Restaurant Guide, and the co-author of US Citizenship for Dummies. To learn more about Cheri, click here.