Dallas Landscaping Ideas

Naturalistic

• According to Sally Wasowski in her book "Native Texas Gardens," naturalistic landscapes offer a relaxed appearance with shrubs and trees allowed to grow broadly, often intersecting over the landscape. Do not severely prune or shape the plants in a naturalistic landscape. Create landscape areas around trees and shrubs using curved or serpentine shapes rather than geometric landscape design. Fill areas beneath trees and shrubs with low-growing perennial flowers and colorful foliage instead of turf grasses. Vary the mature height and texture of the plants to create visually interesting areas. Select Texas native, adapted or Texas Superstar plants to ensure survival in Dallas landscapes.

Wildscape

• A wildscape design provides food, shelter and water for birds, butterflies and small mammals according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Office. Because Dallas is an urban area, wildscapes need to meet all local and county ordinances. Within code constraints, select native plants or well-adapted plants. You can also find plant types appropriate for your wildscape by carefully studying plants in undeveloped areas of Dallas or at the Trinity River Audubon Center. In addition to plants, your wildscape may include bird-feeding stations and houses as well as hummingbird feeders. Be sure to provide water through ponds or birdbaths.

Structure-Based

• In your Dallas backyard landscape, add a fixed structure such as a cooking and eating area. With cover and an overhead fan, the temperate climate in Dallas allows outdoor cooking and eating most of the year. Use natural stone such as limestone available from Central Texas to build a cooking and seating area. Surround the area with native plants such as crape myrtle, butterfly bush---and Texas Superstar hibiscus varieties including flare, Lord Baltimore and Moy Grande. Add a partial wall to hold decorative pots filled with flowering annuals or fragrant herbs.