The Family
Proprietors and Residents  

Bud, Mary and their daughter, Catherine live at The Purple Gate Farm, located in south-central Texas, in Burleson County, in the region called the Brazos Valley.

We are here

Members of our extended family appear below.

Leonard (Bud) Mills
Farmer, Designer, Builder, Plumber, Electrician, Auto and Farm Machinery Mechanic, Gardener, Fruit Orchard Manager, Bookkeeper, Cashier, Waiter, Tax Preparer, (to name a few).  

Retired from aerospace industry, currently farmer in residence.

My family has been involved with plants for several generations. My great-grandfather would travel to a large estate in Germany with a horse and buggy, offer his landscaping expertise to the owner, and if a contract was made, he and his family would live on the estate until he finished the job. My grandfather was a nurseryman, and my father was a tree surgeon in Minnesota.

Mary H. Mills
Owner, Farmer"s Wife, Designer, Product Developer, Writer, Researcher, Tour Guide, Photographer, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, Potter, Greenhouse Manager (You get the picture!)  

My grandfather managed to grow a garden in the harsh climate of southeastern Alaska on granite mountainsides with very thin soil. I remember with relish the vegetables and berries he grew for the family.

Mary's clan Grandfather teaching her about Alaska Medicine Plants

  Jack (in the Texas Wildflower garden) is a shy but loving fellow who melts whenever you pet him. He is a favorite with our visitors. He is Flora's faithful sidekick and helps her patrol.

Scruffy appeared one day under our porch, a tiny kitten, starved and frightened. Flora protected her and we fed her. She has become a member of our extended family.

The hawk keeps watch on the coming-and-going of everyone, especially the birds who come to drink water in the ponds.

Fisherman  
Outside my kitchen window, this heron blatantly eats the fish and frogs in our Japanese Garden pond.