Texas Landscaping Ideas

Xeriscape

• Xeriscaping is a landscape design style that requires very little watering or maintenance once established. The arid climate of Texas is well-suited to xeriscape design ideas employing a combination of native plants, sand, rock and gravel. While you can add a great number of native wild plants to a Texas xeriscape, you might also enjoy a minimalist approach to create a calming space. Use natural boulders and gravel from sources in your local area to complement a raised garden bed with Texas sage, chickasaw plum and a Texas mulberry tree, all of which require minimal water to thrive.

Stone, Tile and Retaining Walls with Pool

• Create a stone and tile hardscape with Texas river rocks and natural Texas stones to surround a large swimming pool with natural-looking waterfalls that pour into the pool, coursing over boulders from Texas wild lands. Include space for black patio furniture atop large, flat stones raised an inch or two above the rest of the hardscape. Incorporate sage, mesquite, cedar, chaparral and other Texas native flora to add a southwestern scent to your landscape. Chaparral absorbs moisture in the air and gives off a powerful scent to enhance the Texas ambience around your pool. Finish the landscape with a small brick fireplace to add firelight for nights around the pool.

Vegetable and Fruit Garden

• The warm Texas climate makes it easy to grow a high-yielding fruit and vegetable garden that will produce food from your landscape year-round. Select plants that do well in full sunlight in well-drained soils to get the maximum yield for minimal effort and watering. Use as many native vegetable and fruit plant selections as possible to reduce the effort required even further. A small Texas garden can support vegetables such as beets, broccolli, lettuce, onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, carrots and eggplants. Larger garden designs can incorporate cantaloupes, potatoes, pumpkins, watermelon, mustard greens, cucumbers, okra, collards, sweet corn and cauliflower. Add native fruit trees in areas where they will not overshadow your garden plots. Careful research and planning will make your garden more productive and enjoyable.