With a New Agave Garden, Donald Judd’s Love of Marfa Continues to Benefit the Community

American artist Donald Judd’s impact on the city of Marfa is undeniable. From the Chinati Foundation to the towering, concrete icons he created in the desert, the master of minimalism continues to influence the Texas artist town. The latest evidence of Judd’s influence: a charming agave garden for the community.

“Our hope is that this garden is a place for those visiting and living in Marfa to better understand the region we are in,” says Rainer Judd, president of the Judd Foundation. “The species selected for the garden provide a link to the land outside of Marfa and help to tell the story of how these plants have held a place of importance within the region.”

The Judd Foundation was established to preserve the artist’s working and living spaces in both Marfa and New York City. The new agave garden, made possible through a longstanding partnership with Casa Dragones tequila and designed with Jim Martinez, highlights Judd’s passion for nature. More than 20 agave species, all of which are native to the Chihuahuan Desert, were chosen for the space to reflect the region’s history and represent the beauty of the indigenous tribes of the surrounding regions. And with two new benches originally designed by Judd, the garden, which situated outside of the artist’s Cobb House, offers a lovely spot to sit and reflect as well.

“We are so pleased to be supporting the Judd Foundation Agave Garden as part of our ongoing commitment to agave education initiatives,” says Bertha González Nieves, CEO and co-founder of Tequila Casa Dragones. “In the past, we’ve supported such initiatives in Mexico City at the Jardins de Chapultapec, and we are honored to be part of agave education and community building in Marfa, Texas.”

The community garden opens to the public just in time for the annual Agave Festival Marfa — Rainer Judd, Jim Martinez, and Bertha González Nieves will host a talk and a celebration in tandem with the event this Friday, June 25. A guide to the plants of the garden is available on juddfoundation.org.