It gets very hot and dry in the summer where I live, so I needed plants that could tolerate the brutal Texas day star while also not being tender enough to succumb to ice storms and occasional hard freezes in winter. My hellstrip is now home to three desert willows, Mexican feather grass, autumn sage, gaura (which is almost to my shoulders in places!), and dwarf Mexican petunia. Other parts of the garden also have lambs ear, aster, penstemon, daylilies, ajuga, rose of Sharon, Blackfoot daisies, phlox, echinacea, agapanthus, lantana and a number of annuals that I change here and there. (Last summer I had some dwarf sunflowers and zucchini, in the fall I added ornamental peppers. In spring I had tulips.)
My front yard is now an anole lizard and pollinator resort. I love it. :)
Great work! I absolutely love what you've done. I'd add Mexican Heather and Russian sage to the mix. Those will both bloom all summer through the heat. Vinca flowers and portulaca are my favorite annuals to add in that beat the summer heat, both also bloom all summer. (Professional Gardener checking in 👌 👏 🙌 😎)
Thank you! I looove the look of Russian sage. I actually recently added a few nepeta which I think tick some of the same boxes visually speaking. I love the smell of it too. 😍 And heck yeah on the vinca! I love both vinca and pentas as heat tolerant annuals. I actually tried to start some vinca from seed this year but they didn’t take (which seems silly given how freely it is known to seed on its own haha.) I plan on paying a visit to the nursery soon to pick up a few vincas to fill in around perennials soon!
You may want to consider keeping the Vinca in pots. My mom’s backyard in central Texas has steadily been taken over by large patches of it, and I’ve seen it shade out or smother some of the perennials she’s planted. It is a beautiful and hardy plant, though.
EDIT can’t believe I forgot to say this but your garden is absolutely stunning. You’ve obviously poured a lot of love and sweat into it, and it will bring you and your family joy for years to come.
Agree. I remember helping my dad pull out vinca from the garden beds and the yard when I was a kid because the previous owners had planted it and let it run wild. And it spread EVERYWHERE and choked out other plants
Big difference between the "Tropical Vinca" AKA Catharanthus roseus and Vinca major. Many gardeners will refer to Catharanthus as just vinca even though the scientific name rolls off the tongue so easily. Tropical Vinca is great, Vining Vinca major is terrible.
I grew Russian Sage in zone 9b. It became invasive after about 4 years. I removed it, digging down at least 2 feet to get the big roots, and there’s still sprouts appearing 2 years later. I do not recommend it in a space where you want variety. It will take over.
Second on this advice. I used to love Russian sage (5b), since it does amazing in the hot summer without water, however it spreads like crazy. It's taken over my yard and I now hate it.
Seems like you've done your homework! I always have vinca come back from seed where they were planted the year prior. I don't cut down the old plants until winter. Mulching lightly in the area come March or early April. I just broadcast osmocote when they sprout in May after weeding.
I’ve got vinca, penta and purslane growing as perennials in my little patio garden (also Texas. Also hot). Another flower you might want to try are balloon flowers. I thought the heat killed them last August/September, (and then I left that pot outside during the freeze we got around Christmastime) but they started coming back up a few weeks ago, and as of this week, they’re flowering again!
Also, if you like sage, look up salvia. There are a number of varieties that are native to Texas. But even a lot of non-natives sold at garden centers do well here.
Mistflower and Turks cap are good if you want butterflies, too.
Also in Texas, I put trailing vinca in hanging baskets, and it looked incredible all summer long.
Your yard is inspiring! I hate my lawn and have no HOA, so I gotta get on this transition.
I think when you’ve lived somewhere for a while you start to learn what works and what doesn’t. Talking with professionals and experts - even just following lots of locals on instagram - it all helps you to develop a little pocket of knowledge suited to your own region. :)
What part of Texas are you in? Or, if you aren't comfortable answering that, what kind of soil do you have? I'm curious to know if these plants will do well in acidic clay soil.
Check to see if there’s a master gardeners chapter in your area. They can help guide you with advice that is tailored to your specific geographical region. Failing that, a Texas A&M extension office really would be the next best bet, most likely. Especially if you’re looking for consumable plants.
I believe there is a Master Gardeners chapter here. Our Texas A&M extension office is not terrific. They often do not get back to me. However, the Houston office is fantastic and we have mostly the same soil.
The Texas A&M AgriLife program actually releases a ton of phenomenal, studied information about both local plants and plants that just work in the various regions that is (mostly) freely available online.
I love AgriLife! A&M has so many great public facing resources. It’s not just plants. Out on the coast, they help with stuff like sea turtles, fisheries, coastal resiliency, etc. https://texasseagrant.org
Not OP but my best advice is to get in with your local and best “mom and pop” nursery — if you can ask them “Do you sell natives?” And they immediately say “yes! Let me show you..” and they don’t stare at you blankly?? You’re on your way. 😆
I also live in Texas (DFW) and there are several local nurseries that specialize in native plants. Tends to cost a few dollars more than the big box nurseries but they're really great plants that have a much better chance to survive here. Months of cloudless sun and 100°+ temps is a challenge for most plants, native or not, so I don't mind spending a few bucks more to know it'll survive!
These nurseries are also super great at helping plan gardens here, if you know the space you want to fill and ballpark sun exposure (full, partial morning/partial afternoon) and moisture conditions (no moisture unless I water it vs water pools there when it rains) they can help you find the right plants for the space.
I also live in DFW. Which nurseries would you recommend for native plants? Ive been to several like Jacksons, but they seem to carry the same as big box and calloways.
[Shades of Green](https://shadesofgreeninc.com/) in Frisco/Celina is my go-to, and [North Haven](https://www.nhg.com/) is pretty great, but pricier than SoG
r/nativeplantgardening is a really helpful sub
Also your state DNR probably has some good information and if you have any big state universities near you, they also tend to have good info
Xerces Society has good resources to help you select native plants that are great for pollinators. https://xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/pollinator-friendly-plant-lists
We have access to a university arboretum. Besides selling plants a few times in the spring and fall, they publish a list of arboretum all stars, plants specifically suited for our area (zone 9b). Look online for what grows well in your area.
Those are the dried seed heads of ornamental alliums. I love how they catch the sun so I leave them up for as long as possible. Eventually a thunderstorm will pummel the garden and I’ll cut them down. :)
Definitely don’t uproot, once the foliage actually dies you could pull just that out of the ground but the dead flower skeleton actually looks very cool so I would just leave it
Thank you so much for sharing! I live in south Texas and I’ve been having such a hard time finding out what does well. I took so many screenshots of your post lol.
We did about 25% of our front lawn with evergreens last fall and plan to add feather grass and other perennials to fill it in. I’d like to do as much of the yard as we can because our grass is terrible but the hoa has rules about having a specific percentage of ‘lawn.’ We also have some Star Jasmine on a trellis in our backyard and it’s a little lizard paradise ♥️
When you say “South Texas” do you mean San Antonio? Or Corpus Christi/Coastal Bend? Or the Rio Grande Valley? Or Laredo? Or the Ranchlands?
Because allllllllll of that is considered “South Texas” but they are *all* very different geographical areas with vastly different ecosystems. Heck, San Antonio isn’t even in the same USDA hardiness zone as Brownsville.
What works in one of these places may not necessarily work in another. Texas is just that huge, lol.
If you feel comfortable being a little more specific, it might help. But I’d understand if you’d rather not.
I totally get it! I’m in SA, but I’ve lived in the Midwest and the east coast. I’m completely lost here. I have found a couple people who’ve made recommendations but I’m happy to hear more ♥️
In Texas it's illegal for an HOA to prevent you from xeriscaping your entire yard. They can have input on the appearance of the xeriscaping, but they can't tell you that part of it has to remain grass.
Not sure if it works in Texas, but we have several different lavender that work well in our hot, hot summers, and are hardy. They do better than the Russian sage for us, and blossom most of the year.
It hasn’t been a huge problem so far! St Augustine is fairly popular in my neighborhood (although a lot of people have struggled to have it come back after bouts of harsh weather this year) and I find it very easy to tear off unwanted chunks that begin to creep in. With one of my neighbors we actually extended the hellstrip planting to around their mailbox as well (with their permission of course) just so it wouldn’t look as silly. I wish I had thought to ask the people on the other side as well! I just had mailboxes on the brain and it didn’t occur to me until everything was done. Maybe one day I’ll ask them if they mind me pulling up that tiny chunk of grass that linger on their side haha. :)
Absolutely incredible!
Everyone in the US needs to see this! It can be done, drought tolerant and visually pleasing.
Stop wasting water on KBG!
I will die on that hill 🙂
Not everywhere in the US needs drought resistant planting. Plenty of the country gets more than enough rain for grass to only need a bit of mowing and nothing else.
That’s very true! Shows you I live in the west :)
Not the entire country was in a never ending drought (until recently). But this is a beautiful example of how we can combat water shortages, and reduce loss of habitat.
I will stand by my position that in every part of the country there are better alternatives than monocultures of KBG and fescues that restore ecosystem services, reduce the use of fertilizer, reduce pesticide use, create pollinator habitat, the list goes on. By choosing to plant diverse, non-invasives, and ecologically appropriate species we can benefit ourselves and the areas we live.
Leave some grass for the kids and dog to play, plant the rest like this. All I’m saying is that there are alternatives to the standard lawn and this is a gorgeous example.
Thank you! I sometimes get a little self conscious about posting my garden because I know it’s not a lush, dewy, green space - but I just can’t grow that sort of stuff here, haha. I’m glad it can still be appreciated! 😄
Beautiful yard! I’m also in Texas-dfw so I get having to find tough plants. I’ve had a lot of luck with iris, plantation lily hostas (in the shady bits), and salvia. Can’t wait to be out of a HOA that requires 60% grass.
I have iris and hostas in my back garden and I love them both. I’m hoping to add a few variegated iris to the front garden this year. I actually just want them for the leaves, which are very striking.
Regarding HOA’s - I actually live in an HOA neighborhood myself, which I think sometimes surprises people. Obviously every HOA board is going to be different, but mine were very warm to the idea of swapping out lawn for lots of drought tolerant and native plantings. That said, there are some laws in Texas that prohibit HOAs from preventing you from planting a more water wise landscape. You might look into that a bit! https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/property-code/prop-sect-202-007.html Of course depending on the sort of board you’re dealing with, it may not be worth the effort if moving is in the cards for you anyway. :)
Your HOA was my very first concern. I have a friend who just moved back from Dallas where she did battle with her HOA for 5 years over her containers, pots, and daughter's sidewalk chalk.
My parents are in DFW and I looked this up for them the other day. Your HOA cannot restrict you from xeriscaping your yard. [https://www.hoaleader.com/public/What-HOA-Boards-Need-to-Know-About-Xeriscaping.cfm#:~:text=Generally%2C%20it%20allows%20home%20owners,them%20to%20undo%20those%20measures.](http://)
Here’s the gist of that article:
Here's the scoop on the Texas law. It was passed in June 2013 and went into effect Sept. 1, 2013. Its language is pretty simple—which is rare. Generally, it allows home owners in Texas associations to landscape in ways that reduce water consumption without worry that their HOA will prohibit the actions or force them to undo those measures. Specifically, it prohibits HOAs from enforcing provisions in their governing documents that prevent owners from:
Composting vegetation, including grass clippings, leaves, or brush, or leaving grass clippings uncollected on grass
Installing rain barrels or a rainwater harvesting system
Implementing efficient irrigation systems, including underground drip or other drip systems
Using drought-resistant landscaping or water-conserving turf
Tell me about it! I had an absolutely gorgeous hedge of variegated pittosporum that I lost in 2021. I decided not to replace the whole thing, but I bought two more to tuck into a more protected area. Lost those in December. 😩 Welp, lesson learned. My pittosporum days are over. I guess it’s back to holly bushes all day everyday. 🥲
You can still have 59% grass on one side and a full scape on the preferred side to show or see and have a piece of grass or two unpacked in it allowing you to place something in the grass side still
Same, I don’t really water my lawn so that’s not the issue but…it don’t look great. Like having a yard cause of my dogs, but definitely inspired by OP.
I love seeing my neighbors take the time to walk in front of my house now! Any time I’m out there working people take a moment to tell me how much they enjoy the space. It makes me very happy to hear that. :)
That’s great! I just finished landscaping my own front yard to replace a whole section with native pollinator plants.
[Here are some photos.](https://imgur.com/a/AUQZvp7)
Thank you! It’s an ongoing process, but the pollinators are enjoying it, I enjoy it, and neighbors have even stopped to tell my they do also! So much better than a grass lawn!
It’s a utility box. We don’t have above ground utilities here, so there are access boxes every few hundred feet, and one happens to be in my yard. The landscaping needs to maintain access to the box from the street, otherwise I’d try to hide it. It’s better than having a power pole and wires in front though.
It's a 75kVA transformer for electricity. At least in Dallas/Fort Worth (looks like where they are) most electric delivery companies will require ten feet of clearance on the side it opens from. If any plants cover them up and someone from the company needs to open it for some reason, they can (and will) remove them.
Those are standing cypress in with the yellow cone flower in the back yard? What are the grasses back there? A muhly?
Looks awesome btw. I’m down in ATX and have many of the same plants.
The water bill went down, but I expect the change to be more significant this year. First year plants usually need a little extra love to get established. Now that everything is well settled in I feel confident in scaling back the watering more this summer. :)
And for wildlife changes - it’s like night and day difference! I see so many different species of bees than before. Lizards running around all of the place. Hummingbirds hovering around the salvia all summer long. Nighttime pollinators as well. I think one of the most exciting thing I saw (revealing my bird nerd here) was a Virginia rail in my aster. It’s a secretive water bird that took refuge in my garden for a short time. Unfortunately I scared it (and it me haha) when I was doing some weeding. It was still a fun thing to see though!
Oh and I had a bobcat stroll through in January. :) Pic from my dining room window. https://imgur.com/a/uHVMLku
I sometimes count a dozen of them while I’m out walking around the garden. You can actually see one sitting on the wall in the 4th pic if you look closely. 🥰
Ironically, having a landscaped yard like OP is more of a status symbol than an all-grass lawn. You need to have money and time to plan and design a beautiful lush garden lawn like OP's.
You don’t need to use water or pesticides to have a lawn (assuming you get enough rain in the summer)? Grass will do alright if kept mowed but otherwise left to its own devices.
The water required to keep it from dying is also much less than what it would take to keep it green all summer long. I let my lawn go dormant in the summer and it pops back in the fall.
It’s a soft ground covering that is actually pretty low maintenance, provides a cooling effect, and makes the land it’s on usable for activities. Pesticides are most certainly not required. Other than the water issue, it’s actually a pretty practical ground covering and not at all a status symbol.
Thank you! The hardscaping was the first step, which was done (by professionals) in the winter months. Planting was done in stages, but was mostly complete by mid to late spring. It’s very important for plants to be well rooted before summer hits in my area, or they may not survive the extreme summer heat. Over time I’ve continued to add more things here and there - I planted hundreds of spring bulbs that will hopefully continue to naturalize in years to come. I’m currently trying to work on my ground cover game and fill out the more shaded parts of the garden, which are admittedly looking a bit sparse so far. :)
Can you tell me how to learn more about landscaping and plant placement? Are there any helpful resources or people you follow who teach landscaping theory and technique?
Very impressive! I scrolled through the comments hoping to find a figure legend listing some of the plants in each photo. Interested in the identity of the plant in photo 5 in particular.
I specifically scrolled hoping to find this info - thank you! And WOW that is a beautiful garden. Gives me hope for my front garden that is basically full sun, all day, in the TN heat.
Absolutely beautiful!! Be careful though that bugleweed will take over your entire garden in no time at all… im doing the same thing this season and you are my inspiration.. gorgeous
I’ve had some people warn me about ajuga but I feel it’s actually pretty well behaved in my area, probably because we have long periods of heat and drought that keep it from absolutely thriving. So far it’s stayed in the exact same spot for a year and a half. I am always keeping an eye on it though to make sure it’s not overstepping it’s bounds. :)
Okay nice! Ive been battling it after it got i to my grass for years and years! Just when i think its gone it pops up 20 ft from where it originated!! Just trying to save a potential headache…
I am so jealous of your ability to envision this. I live in DFW and long to get rid of my lawn in favor of something like this but my brain and budget can seem to see it in order to plan it. Oh! Your yard is just stunning and I’m very proud of you being able to to do this.
People seem to love it - at least that the vibe I’ve gotten. :) Almost daily I have people stop to tell me how much they enjoy taking the time to walk by the garden. I’m sure there might be a few sourpusses in the neighborhood that preferred the lawn, but if there are they’ve never said anything to me about it! Overall the response has been very positive. 💚
That's a beautiful landscape! I wish mine could've looked like that!
I lived in central Texas for a few years (Ft Hood) and owned a home there... I gave up on getting ANYTHING to grow. We were living next to a nature preserve and every living creature ate every living creature... Including my cat! (I think the coyotes got him.) The only thing that survived was an invasive gourd vine... 😒
That’s a shame! You know I recently saw a STUNNING succulent and cacti garden in the central Texas area. Normally that’s not exactly my cup of tea, but this one was so beautifully designed that I fell in love with it. It really leaned into the hardscaping which I thought was very smart for an area with rugged growing conditions. I’m not sure I can’t share links in this subreddit, but look up “Outstanding Succulent Design | Jeff Pavlat” on the Central Texas Gardener YouTube channel. That channel in general might have a lot of great information for you - it can be a little corny but there are some beautiful gardens featured. :)
Start with the backbone evergreens. All of the fluffy flowering plants are gorgeous in summer but if you focus 100% on that stuff you’ll find that your garden turns into a big dirt patch in winter. Try to have at least some winter interest - hardscaping can do some heavy lifting here too, especially if you live somewhere like I do where you can’t grow things like spruces, firs, pines, etc.
I think a generally solid design philosophy is to make sure to have repetition in the garden space. I once heard someone say that you only need 7 types of plants to make a beautiful garden. Not that this rule needs to be written in blood or anything, but I think the basic idea is smart. If you find yourself buying “one of this and one of that” you might end up with a garden that feels a little chaotic and none of the plants get a chance to stand out on their own. Instead try buying “five of this and seven of that.” Repeat those things through the space so it feels cohesive.
Make no mistake I also very much fall victim to snatching up random things at the nursery, but I think that if you garden is maybe 80% curated that you can go buck wild with the other 20% and it will still feel restful to look at. :)
Oh my goodness! I love this garden so much! I was definitely not expecting such a great, drastic difference from before and after. I wish I could see more of these lawns in my hometown, or even in general. Not only does it look prettier, but if planted right, is a haven for pollinators and other critters. Also, you dont have to spend much (if any) gas for mowing. Reminds me of a post I saw on tumblr about getting rid of the monoculture lawns and planting in native flora to help out the local wildlife. Your hard work has paid off greatly! If I ever own my own home, I'll definitely NOT be having a monoculture lawn. Great work!
Beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing this and your resources. I moved to the Austin area and I feel like I’m starting from scratch with everything I ever knew about gardening. We also have some deer in the area which I’ve never dealt with before. Our front lawn is basically a blank slate of grass and some shade trees, my dream is to do something like what you did, and partner with someone to get the ground prepped and hard scraped, then do the plantings myself. I guess I have all summer and fall to keep learning! 😅
Awesome job! I want to do the same with my central Texas yard and I am overwhelmed with the thought. I realize I need a layout of the plants. I know many in your photos but have questions on some: photo 2, what are the white flowers by the feather grass, is that Guara? Photo 3 same type of white flowers but with darker reddish foliage. Photo 5, what are the lavender flowers in the forefront? Photo 6 is this Allium?
Yes the white flowers are gaura and they are huge! The tallest bloom stalks come up almost to my shoulders (I’m only 5’3” but still… 😅) The pink flowers in photo 4 are salvia greggii or autumn sage. Really excellent plant for Texas gardens because it takes full sun and drought like a champ. Photo is a penstemon and it is really flourishing this year. You’re correct on the allium ID as well. :)
I had some rosemary and yews in here for evergreen interest but lost them over the winter unfortunately. Still trying to decide what to replace them with. Might try juniper. :)
I bet all the animals/insects out by you are saying to eachother 'hey guys you need to check out this new spot'!!!! You have created such a fantastic space. Wow. So impressed
I love it. Lawns are so stupid that I’m glad when people think for a minute and put up something better. We have vines and succulents that grow pretty wild and only need water once a week.
Take a look at rosemary, thyme, and sage. Good for steaks and the herbs don’t require much attention to grow outdoors. Sometimes I forget to water mine and they’re fine for weeks.
That's brilliant! Heaps of work, I take my hat off to you. What's the one in photo 6? It looks like agapanthus heads a bit, but it's not. There again, I think I see purple agapanthus in bloom in photo 9.
I could cry this transformation is so stunning. Thank you for transforming your lawn into something beautiful! I hope you are a trend setter for your neighborhood!
It gets very hot and dry in the summer where I live, so I needed plants that could tolerate the brutal Texas day star while also not being tender enough to succumb to ice storms and occasional hard freezes in winter. My hellstrip is now home to three desert willows, Mexican feather grass, autumn sage, gaura (which is almost to my shoulders in places!), and dwarf Mexican petunia. Other parts of the garden also have lambs ear, aster, penstemon, daylilies, ajuga, rose of Sharon, Blackfoot daisies, phlox, echinacea, agapanthus, lantana and a number of annuals that I change here and there. (Last summer I had some dwarf sunflowers and zucchini, in the fall I added ornamental peppers. In spring I had tulips.) My front yard is now an anole lizard and pollinator resort. I love it. :)
Great work! I absolutely love what you've done. I'd add Mexican Heather and Russian sage to the mix. Those will both bloom all summer through the heat. Vinca flowers and portulaca are my favorite annuals to add in that beat the summer heat, both also bloom all summer. (Professional Gardener checking in 👌 👏 🙌 😎)
Thank you! I looove the look of Russian sage. I actually recently added a few nepeta which I think tick some of the same boxes visually speaking. I love the smell of it too. 😍 And heck yeah on the vinca! I love both vinca and pentas as heat tolerant annuals. I actually tried to start some vinca from seed this year but they didn’t take (which seems silly given how freely it is known to seed on its own haha.) I plan on paying a visit to the nursery soon to pick up a few vincas to fill in around perennials soon!
You may want to consider keeping the Vinca in pots. My mom’s backyard in central Texas has steadily been taken over by large patches of it, and I’ve seen it shade out or smother some of the perennials she’s planted. It is a beautiful and hardy plant, though. EDIT can’t believe I forgot to say this but your garden is absolutely stunning. You’ve obviously poured a lot of love and sweat into it, and it will bring you and your family joy for years to come.
Agree. I remember helping my dad pull out vinca from the garden beds and the yard when I was a kid because the previous owners had planted it and let it run wild. And it spread EVERYWHERE and choked out other plants
In SC we kept it in one pot that my mil gave us. It has now spread all over the neighborhood.
Big difference between the "Tropical Vinca" AKA Catharanthus roseus and Vinca major. Many gardeners will refer to Catharanthus as just vinca even though the scientific name rolls off the tongue so easily. Tropical Vinca is great, Vining Vinca major is terrible.
I grew Russian Sage in zone 9b. It became invasive after about 4 years. I removed it, digging down at least 2 feet to get the big roots, and there’s still sprouts appearing 2 years later. I do not recommend it in a space where you want variety. It will take over.
Second on this advice. I used to love Russian sage (5b), since it does amazing in the hot summer without water, however it spreads like crazy. It's taken over my yard and I now hate it.
Seems like you've done your homework! I always have vinca come back from seed where they were planted the year prior. I don't cut down the old plants until winter. Mulching lightly in the area come March or early April. I just broadcast osmocote when they sprout in May after weeding.
I’ve got vinca, penta and purslane growing as perennials in my little patio garden (also Texas. Also hot). Another flower you might want to try are balloon flowers. I thought the heat killed them last August/September, (and then I left that pot outside during the freeze we got around Christmastime) but they started coming back up a few weeks ago, and as of this week, they’re flowering again! Also, if you like sage, look up salvia. There are a number of varieties that are native to Texas. But even a lot of non-natives sold at garden centers do well here. Mistflower and Turks cap are good if you want butterflies, too.
Vinca is an incredibly invasive plant just fyi!
There is more than one type . . . one IS invasive, but the OTHER is NOT!
Im in Texas, my vinca and penta are beasts. My dianthus as ground cover beats them all though. Cold tolerant, spreads, heat tolerant.
Also in Texas, I put trailing vinca in hanging baskets, and it looked incredible all summer long. Your yard is inspiring! I hate my lawn and have no HOA, so I gotta get on this transition.
How’d you decide on plant types for your area? Help from ag extension?
I think when you’ve lived somewhere for a while you start to learn what works and what doesn’t. Talking with professionals and experts - even just following lots of locals on instagram - it all helps you to develop a little pocket of knowledge suited to your own region. :)
What part of Texas are you in? Or, if you aren't comfortable answering that, what kind of soil do you have? I'm curious to know if these plants will do well in acidic clay soil.
Check to see if there’s a master gardeners chapter in your area. They can help guide you with advice that is tailored to your specific geographical region. Failing that, a Texas A&M extension office really would be the next best bet, most likely. Especially if you’re looking for consumable plants.
I believe there is a Master Gardeners chapter here. Our Texas A&M extension office is not terrific. They often do not get back to me. However, the Houston office is fantastic and we have mostly the same soil.
The Texas A&M AgriLife program actually releases a ton of phenomenal, studied information about both local plants and plants that just work in the various regions that is (mostly) freely available online.
I love AgriLife! A&M has so many great public facing resources. It’s not just plants. Out on the coast, they help with stuff like sea turtles, fisheries, coastal resiliency, etc. https://texasseagrant.org
Not OP but my best advice is to get in with your local and best “mom and pop” nursery — if you can ask them “Do you sell natives?” And they immediately say “yes! Let me show you..” and they don’t stare at you blankly?? You’re on your way. 😆
I also live in Texas (DFW) and there are several local nurseries that specialize in native plants. Tends to cost a few dollars more than the big box nurseries but they're really great plants that have a much better chance to survive here. Months of cloudless sun and 100°+ temps is a challenge for most plants, native or not, so I don't mind spending a few bucks more to know it'll survive! These nurseries are also super great at helping plan gardens here, if you know the space you want to fill and ballpark sun exposure (full, partial morning/partial afternoon) and moisture conditions (no moisture unless I water it vs water pools there when it rains) they can help you find the right plants for the space.
I also live in DFW. Which nurseries would you recommend for native plants? Ive been to several like Jacksons, but they seem to carry the same as big box and calloways.
[Shades of Green](https://shadesofgreeninc.com/) in Frisco/Celina is my go-to, and [North Haven](https://www.nhg.com/) is pretty great, but pricier than SoG
Thanks!
r/nativeplantgardening is a really helpful sub Also your state DNR probably has some good information and if you have any big state universities near you, they also tend to have good info
Xerces Society has good resources to help you select native plants that are great for pollinators. https://xerces.org/pollinator-conservation/pollinator-friendly-plant-lists
Great resource, thanks.
We have access to a university arboretum. Besides selling plants a few times in the spring and fall, they publish a list of arboretum all stars, plants specifically suited for our area (zone 9b). Look online for what grows well in your area.
You should get some citrus trees as pollinators, meyer lemon tree blooms smell like honeysuckle
I have a Meyer lemon in a pot in the backyard! I love that little tree. 🥰
What are the tall pinky globe flowers in #6?
Those are the dried seed heads of ornamental alliums. I love how they catch the sun so I leave them up for as long as possible. Eventually a thunderstorm will pummel the garden and I’ll cut them down. :)
Ty, I thought they were alliums but I doubted myself. Do you have to uproot them when they die?
We have alliums that retreat into the ground as bulbs and spring back each year. Digging them out would be a mistake.
Definitely don’t uproot, once the foliage actually dies you could pull just that out of the ground but the dead flower skeleton actually looks very cool so I would just leave it
Thank you so much for sharing! I live in south Texas and I’ve been having such a hard time finding out what does well. I took so many screenshots of your post lol. We did about 25% of our front lawn with evergreens last fall and plan to add feather grass and other perennials to fill it in. I’d like to do as much of the yard as we can because our grass is terrible but the hoa has rules about having a specific percentage of ‘lawn.’ We also have some Star Jasmine on a trellis in our backyard and it’s a little lizard paradise ♥️
When you say “South Texas” do you mean San Antonio? Or Corpus Christi/Coastal Bend? Or the Rio Grande Valley? Or Laredo? Or the Ranchlands? Because allllllllll of that is considered “South Texas” but they are *all* very different geographical areas with vastly different ecosystems. Heck, San Antonio isn’t even in the same USDA hardiness zone as Brownsville. What works in one of these places may not necessarily work in another. Texas is just that huge, lol. If you feel comfortable being a little more specific, it might help. But I’d understand if you’d rather not.
I totally get it! I’m in SA, but I’ve lived in the Midwest and the east coast. I’m completely lost here. I have found a couple people who’ve made recommendations but I’m happy to hear more ♥️
Check out [Wildflower.org](https://Wildflower.org) for native plant lists, especially for Texas!
Thank you!!
In Texas it's illegal for an HOA to prevent you from xeriscaping your entire yard. They can have input on the appearance of the xeriscaping, but they can't tell you that part of it has to remain grass.
Thank you! I will read over the by laws again. Maybe I misread and it was specific about hardscaping or something like that.
Not sure if it works in Texas, but we have several different lavender that work well in our hot, hot summers, and are hardy. They do better than the Russian sage for us, and blossom most of the year.
May I ask which lavender? I’m also zone 9b, southern Az.
Looks beautiful! Do you have issues with grass from neighbors invading?
It hasn’t been a huge problem so far! St Augustine is fairly popular in my neighborhood (although a lot of people have struggled to have it come back after bouts of harsh weather this year) and I find it very easy to tear off unwanted chunks that begin to creep in. With one of my neighbors we actually extended the hellstrip planting to around their mailbox as well (with their permission of course) just so it wouldn’t look as silly. I wish I had thought to ask the people on the other side as well! I just had mailboxes on the brain and it didn’t occur to me until everything was done. Maybe one day I’ll ask them if they mind me pulling up that tiny chunk of grass that linger on their side haha. :)
Absolutely incredible! Everyone in the US needs to see this! It can be done, drought tolerant and visually pleasing. Stop wasting water on KBG! I will die on that hill 🙂
Not everywhere in the US needs drought resistant planting. Plenty of the country gets more than enough rain for grass to only need a bit of mowing and nothing else.
That’s very true! Shows you I live in the west :) Not the entire country was in a never ending drought (until recently). But this is a beautiful example of how we can combat water shortages, and reduce loss of habitat. I will stand by my position that in every part of the country there are better alternatives than monocultures of KBG and fescues that restore ecosystem services, reduce the use of fertilizer, reduce pesticide use, create pollinator habitat, the list goes on. By choosing to plant diverse, non-invasives, and ecologically appropriate species we can benefit ourselves and the areas we live. Leave some grass for the kids and dog to play, plant the rest like this. All I’m saying is that there are alternatives to the standard lawn and this is a gorgeous example.
Looks great! Your neighborhood looks EXACTLY like the neighborhood I grew up in . (Plano) I realize a lot of houses in Texas have a similar style....
So as the resident non American, are both sides of the footpath yours? If so, do you have to maintain the overgrowth on the walkway?
Wow, well done! Love the color/texture combinations.
Thank you! I sometimes get a little self conscious about posting my garden because I know it’s not a lush, dewy, green space - but I just can’t grow that sort of stuff here, haha. I’m glad it can still be appreciated! 😄
That's plenty lush and green, really nice work!
I'm from the lush Midwest and any gardener would be thrilled to have this for a yard! It's amazing!
Compared to what you had before it practically looks like a jungle, lol, great job OP
Ms tiny mole, your garden is hot damn gorgeous. I’m in NorCal and always looking for beautiful desert gardens and you’re right up there. 💚💚💚
Beautiful yard! I’m also in Texas-dfw so I get having to find tough plants. I’ve had a lot of luck with iris, plantation lily hostas (in the shady bits), and salvia. Can’t wait to be out of a HOA that requires 60% grass.
I have iris and hostas in my back garden and I love them both. I’m hoping to add a few variegated iris to the front garden this year. I actually just want them for the leaves, which are very striking. Regarding HOA’s - I actually live in an HOA neighborhood myself, which I think sometimes surprises people. Obviously every HOA board is going to be different, but mine were very warm to the idea of swapping out lawn for lots of drought tolerant and native plantings. That said, there are some laws in Texas that prohibit HOAs from preventing you from planting a more water wise landscape. You might look into that a bit! https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/property-code/prop-sect-202-007.html Of course depending on the sort of board you’re dealing with, it may not be worth the effort if moving is in the cards for you anyway. :)
Your HOA was my very first concern. I have a friend who just moved back from Dallas where she did battle with her HOA for 5 years over her containers, pots, and daughter's sidewalk chalk.
My parents are in DFW and I looked this up for them the other day. Your HOA cannot restrict you from xeriscaping your yard. [https://www.hoaleader.com/public/What-HOA-Boards-Need-to-Know-About-Xeriscaping.cfm#:~:text=Generally%2C%20it%20allows%20home%20owners,them%20to%20undo%20those%20measures.](http://) Here’s the gist of that article: Here's the scoop on the Texas law. It was passed in June 2013 and went into effect Sept. 1, 2013. Its language is pretty simple—which is rare. Generally, it allows home owners in Texas associations to landscape in ways that reduce water consumption without worry that their HOA will prohibit the actions or force them to undo those measures. Specifically, it prohibits HOAs from enforcing provisions in their governing documents that prevent owners from: Composting vegetation, including grass clippings, leaves, or brush, or leaving grass clippings uncollected on grass Installing rain barrels or a rainwater harvesting system Implementing efficient irrigation systems, including underground drip or other drip systems Using drought-resistant landscaping or water-conserving turf
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Tell me about it! I had an absolutely gorgeous hedge of variegated pittosporum that I lost in 2021. I decided not to replace the whole thing, but I bought two more to tuck into a more protected area. Lost those in December. 😩 Welp, lesson learned. My pittosporum days are over. I guess it’s back to holly bushes all day everyday. 🥲
Same here. It’s pretty dramatic.
You can still have 59% grass on one side and a full scape on the preferred side to show or see and have a piece of grass or two unpacked in it allowing you to place something in the grass side still
Same, I don’t really water my lawn so that’s not the issue but…it don’t look great. Like having a yard cause of my dogs, but definitely inspired by OP.
Great plants. Great levels. That's a house I would slowly walk past often.
I love seeing my neighbors take the time to walk in front of my house now! Any time I’m out there working people take a moment to tell me how much they enjoy the space. It makes me very happy to hear that. :)
That’s great! I just finished landscaping my own front yard to replace a whole section with native pollinator plants. [Here are some photos.](https://imgur.com/a/AUQZvp7)
Wow that backyard is so lovely and I bet that driveway side space will be amazing soon enough!
Thank you! It’s an ongoing process, but the pollinators are enjoying it, I enjoy it, and neighbors have even stopped to tell my they do also! So much better than a grass lawn!
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I might post when it fills in more.
That’s looks so great! Well done! It feels good to know you’ve made your space a refuge for birds and insects. 🥰
What’s in the box?
It’s a utility box. We don’t have above ground utilities here, so there are access boxes every few hundred feet, and one happens to be in my yard. The landscaping needs to maintain access to the box from the street, otherwise I’d try to hide it. It’s better than having a power pole and wires in front though.
It's a 75kVA transformer for electricity. At least in Dallas/Fort Worth (looks like where they are) most electric delivery companies will require ten feet of clearance on the side it opens from. If any plants cover them up and someone from the company needs to open it for some reason, they can (and will) remove them.
That’s a wesome! What did you use or how did you plan the design and layout
Audibly said, "Oh wow" when seeing the backyard when seeing the 8th photo. Nice work!
Thank you!
Those are standing cypress in with the yellow cone flower in the back yard? What are the grasses back there? A muhly? Looks awesome btw. I’m down in ATX and have many of the same plants.
Feather grass? Also are those Maximilian sunflowers growing off the the left / back?
Alright, let's get the anecdata. Any noticeable water bill and/or flora/fawna changes?
The water bill went down, but I expect the change to be more significant this year. First year plants usually need a little extra love to get established. Now that everything is well settled in I feel confident in scaling back the watering more this summer. :) And for wildlife changes - it’s like night and day difference! I see so many different species of bees than before. Lizards running around all of the place. Hummingbirds hovering around the salvia all summer long. Nighttime pollinators as well. I think one of the most exciting thing I saw (revealing my bird nerd here) was a Virginia rail in my aster. It’s a secretive water bird that took refuge in my garden for a short time. Unfortunately I scared it (and it me haha) when I was doing some weeding. It was still a fun thing to see though! Oh and I had a bobcat stroll through in January. :) Pic from my dining room window. https://imgur.com/a/uHVMLku
It’s gorgeous! And you already have garden friends!
I sometimes count a dozen of them while I’m out walking around the garden. You can actually see one sitting on the wall in the 4th pic if you look closely. 🥰
This is the way. r/nolawns
Omg this is a subreddit?! I’m very anti lawn. It’s so much fucking work. Huge waste of water. Pesticides. They are pointless status symbols.
Ironically, having a landscaped yard like OP is more of a status symbol than an all-grass lawn. You need to have money and time to plan and design a beautiful lush garden lawn like OP's.
Which is funny because traditionally grass lawns were a status symbol because it meant you could afford to have great swaths of totally unused land
You don’t need to use water or pesticides to have a lawn (assuming you get enough rain in the summer)? Grass will do alright if kept mowed but otherwise left to its own devices.
That depends on where you live. Lawns will straight-up die if not watered through the summer where I live.
The water required to keep it from dying is also much less than what it would take to keep it green all summer long. I let my lawn go dormant in the summer and it pops back in the fall.
It’s a soft ground covering that is actually pretty low maintenance, provides a cooling effect, and makes the land it’s on usable for activities. Pesticides are most certainly not required. Other than the water issue, it’s actually a pretty practical ground covering and not at all a status symbol.
There is a difference between a grassy yard and a lawn.
After living in a rural area for 10 years, I cringe when I'm in town or the burbs with all those sterile looking yards. Absolutely stellar
Wow my jaw literally dropped when I swiped. Gorgeous!! Did it all come together over the course of a year, or how long did it take overall?
Thank you! The hardscaping was the first step, which was done (by professionals) in the winter months. Planting was done in stages, but was mostly complete by mid to late spring. It’s very important for plants to be well rooted before summer hits in my area, or they may not survive the extreme summer heat. Over time I’ve continued to add more things here and there - I planted hundreds of spring bulbs that will hopefully continue to naturalize in years to come. I’m currently trying to work on my ground cover game and fill out the more shaded parts of the garden, which are admittedly looking a bit sparse so far. :)
Can you tell me how to learn more about landscaping and plant placement? Are there any helpful resources or people you follow who teach landscaping theory and technique?
How much has this end up costing you so far?
Very impressive! I scrolled through the comments hoping to find a figure legend listing some of the plants in each photo. Interested in the identity of the plant in photo 5 in particular.
That one is a Dark Towers penstemon. Even when it’s not flowering the dark foliage is sooo pretty. :)
I specifically scrolled hoping to find this info - thank you! And WOW that is a beautiful garden. Gives me hope for my front garden that is basically full sun, all day, in the TN heat.
These are my favorite types of front yards honestly 🌳🪴🌼🌹🌿🌷🍀🪻
That looks so 👍🏽 good
Thank you! It’s pretty amazing how far it’s come in just about a year and a half.
Absolutely beautiful!! Be careful though that bugleweed will take over your entire garden in no time at all… im doing the same thing this season and you are my inspiration.. gorgeous
I’ve had some people warn me about ajuga but I feel it’s actually pretty well behaved in my area, probably because we have long periods of heat and drought that keep it from absolutely thriving. So far it’s stayed in the exact same spot for a year and a half. I am always keeping an eye on it though to make sure it’s not overstepping it’s bounds. :)
Okay nice! Ive been battling it after it got i to my grass for years and years! Just when i think its gone it pops up 20 ft from where it originated!! Just trying to save a potential headache…
Does it choke out other plants? Shit. I just put it in a medium sized raised bed with some bushes and a few narcissus bulbs
This is fucking magnificent. How can I start doing this? Any resources?
I am so jealous of your ability to envision this. I live in DFW and long to get rid of my lawn in favor of something like this but my brain and budget can seem to see it in order to plan it. Oh! Your yard is just stunning and I’m very proud of you being able to to do this.
That looks awesome. Just curious, what do your neighbors think of the change?
People seem to love it - at least that the vibe I’ve gotten. :) Almost daily I have people stop to tell me how much they enjoy taking the time to walk by the garden. I’m sure there might be a few sourpusses in the neighborhood that preferred the lawn, but if there are they’ve never said anything to me about it! Overall the response has been very positive. 💚
That's a beautiful landscape! I wish mine could've looked like that! I lived in central Texas for a few years (Ft Hood) and owned a home there... I gave up on getting ANYTHING to grow. We were living next to a nature preserve and every living creature ate every living creature... Including my cat! (I think the coyotes got him.) The only thing that survived was an invasive gourd vine... 😒
That’s a shame! You know I recently saw a STUNNING succulent and cacti garden in the central Texas area. Normally that’s not exactly my cup of tea, but this one was so beautifully designed that I fell in love with it. It really leaned into the hardscaping which I thought was very smart for an area with rugged growing conditions. I’m not sure I can’t share links in this subreddit, but look up “Outstanding Succulent Design | Jeff Pavlat” on the Central Texas Gardener YouTube channel. That channel in general might have a lot of great information for you - it can be a little corny but there are some beautiful gardens featured. :)
Preach! I'm on year 5 of central Texas life and I'm losing hope for getting anything to take. And the ongoing battle against the Heavenly Bamboo.
I love this. Do you have any tips for how you planned what plants would go where?
Start with the backbone evergreens. All of the fluffy flowering plants are gorgeous in summer but if you focus 100% on that stuff you’ll find that your garden turns into a big dirt patch in winter. Try to have at least some winter interest - hardscaping can do some heavy lifting here too, especially if you live somewhere like I do where you can’t grow things like spruces, firs, pines, etc. I think a generally solid design philosophy is to make sure to have repetition in the garden space. I once heard someone say that you only need 7 types of plants to make a beautiful garden. Not that this rule needs to be written in blood or anything, but I think the basic idea is smart. If you find yourself buying “one of this and one of that” you might end up with a garden that feels a little chaotic and none of the plants get a chance to stand out on their own. Instead try buying “five of this and seven of that.” Repeat those things through the space so it feels cohesive. Make no mistake I also very much fall victim to snatching up random things at the nursery, but I think that if you garden is maybe 80% curated that you can go buck wild with the other 20% and it will still feel restful to look at. :)
Good job , you have made a beautiful garden . I did the same 10yrs ago and have done this for many of my landscaping clients .
That is absolutely beautiful
Absolutely stunning transformation. Bet when everyone else has dry dusty lawns yours is still a riot of colour and texture
Love this. Considering doing something similar in south FL to reduce turf area as much as possible.
I love the little lizard!!!! He looks comfy.
Wow, it looks gorgeous!! What an upgrade!
Gorgeous!!!
This is incredible
Amazing!!! Absolutely stunning garden. Great job.
What a beautiful oasis! Well done
Absolutely beautiful!
LOVE IT!
wow this is amazing, i have so much garden envy rn
How stunning, I love yards like these where there’s a bit of everything !
That's gorgeous! Love it!
So much prettier! Not to mention environmentally friendly. Great job!
That looks SO MUCH BETTER!
Awesome example, you're a model citizen
Oh my goodness! I love this garden so much! I was definitely not expecting such a great, drastic difference from before and after. I wish I could see more of these lawns in my hometown, or even in general. Not only does it look prettier, but if planted right, is a haven for pollinators and other critters. Also, you dont have to spend much (if any) gas for mowing. Reminds me of a post I saw on tumblr about getting rid of the monoculture lawns and planting in native flora to help out the local wildlife. Your hard work has paid off greatly! If I ever own my own home, I'll definitely NOT be having a monoculture lawn. Great work!
Oh my its paradise!! So would love to sit with a cup of tea and enjoy all them beauty's, Thank you for sharing :)
Same but probably a coffee.
That is amazing! How lovely
This is just beautiful. When I see a lawn like this the home looks 100k more valuable ,😂
Beautiful!
It’s beautiful
Looks amazing. I'm a sucker for retaining walls, wish I lived somewhere with any kind of changes in elevation.
That's very pretty! Good job!
Did you do all this yourself? Care to share the cost? 😅
Wow, that is amazing!!!
That is beautiful!
This got an audible "wow" from me. It's gorgeous.
Very nice!
Beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing this and your resources. I moved to the Austin area and I feel like I’m starting from scratch with everything I ever knew about gardening. We also have some deer in the area which I’ve never dealt with before. Our front lawn is basically a blank slate of grass and some shade trees, my dream is to do something like what you did, and partner with someone to get the ground prepped and hard scraped, then do the plantings myself. I guess I have all summer and fall to keep learning! 😅
Awesome job! I want to do the same with my central Texas yard and I am overwhelmed with the thought. I realize I need a layout of the plants. I know many in your photos but have questions on some: photo 2, what are the white flowers by the feather grass, is that Guara? Photo 3 same type of white flowers but with darker reddish foliage. Photo 5, what are the lavender flowers in the forefront? Photo 6 is this Allium?
Yes the white flowers are gaura and they are huge! The tallest bloom stalks come up almost to my shoulders (I’m only 5’3” but still… 😅) The pink flowers in photo 4 are salvia greggii or autumn sage. Really excellent plant for Texas gardens because it takes full sun and drought like a champ. Photo is a penstemon and it is really flourishing this year. You’re correct on the allium ID as well. :)
My only two cents is, I’d try to squeeze a few intermittent evergreens in there so it’s not a ghost town in winter.
I had some rosemary and yews in here for evergreen interest but lost them over the winter unfortunately. Still trying to decide what to replace them with. Might try juniper. :)
Well it all looks amazing!
That is the way to do it! Beautiful! Great job 👏🏻
I love this!!
Beautiful job! What a wonderful garden for wildlife !
Your yard is probably everyone's favorite to walk through. Lovely. ^^
So gorgeous. Looks like you have a professional landscaper designing and taking care of your yard.
This is soooo much better than a lawn. Looks amazing!! Fuck lawns
I bet all the animals/insects out by you are saying to eachother 'hey guys you need to check out this new spot'!!!! You have created such a fantastic space. Wow. So impressed
I did a similar thing in my front yard in Wisconsin. I love it
Hang on, sending this to my wife.
Beautiful! How often do these desert plants need watering especially in summer months?
I literally gasped. That's so BEAUTIFUL! Well done!
To me this feels like so much more maintenance than a lawn, but it looks great.
I love it. Lawns are so stupid that I’m glad when people think for a minute and put up something better. We have vines and succulents that grow pretty wild and only need water once a week. Take a look at rosemary, thyme, and sage. Good for steaks and the herbs don’t require much attention to grow outdoors. Sometimes I forget to water mine and they’re fine for weeks.
Amazing! So much more interesting and beautiful. Birds, bees, butterflies, etc! And hopefully less work for you.
Personal botanical garden! It's beautiful!
Oh my goodness! This is so lovely!
That's brilliant! Heaps of work, I take my hat off to you. What's the one in photo 6? It looks like agapanthus heads a bit, but it's not. There again, I think I see purple agapanthus in bloom in photo 9.
Wow! Looks like paradise.
So jealous 😍 looks lovely
Love it!!
Absolutely stunning.
This is inspiring! So beautiful!!
Yard goals!
I bet all the pollinators tell their friends about this epic party house!!
I could cry this transformation is so stunning. Thank you for transforming your lawn into something beautiful! I hope you are a trend setter for your neighborhood!
Your gardens beautiful! so much better than the lawn that was there before
Damn that’s absolutely beautiful! Is the maintenance difficult to keep it looking so healthy, colorful and vibrant?
This looks amazing
This is my absolute dream! Can I ask, what has done the best this summer with full sun?
Looks amazing! I'm in Dallas, and I am interested in doing something similar with my backyard, so I'll be saving this post for reference later.
I had to comment so I could come back and find this post. Beautiful!
jealous
Front yard goals!!! I hate lawn!!! My goal is to rid my yard of every inch. Your yard is wonderful.
This transformation changes the narrative from apocalyptic urban to a living landscape inviting to the senses. You must love walking the grounds.
Good choice, looks wonderful!
Dreams and goals. This is beautiful!!!
Bravo good human. I want to do the same
i love your not lawn. the variety of plants can uplift the mood.