Ashe junipers with hesperaloe parviflora, zexmenia, Manfreda 'Macho Mocha', blackfoot daisy, yucca, lantana, nepeta, and nandina are all great selections for San Antonio.
Except this is not in San Antonio or even Central Texas. Let's take a look at the wider shot.
Juniper as ground cover? Juniper ground cover would burn out in a San Antonio summer so it's pretty rare.
This landscaping is on a golf course in Plano, Texas, about 300 miles north of San Antonio. I'm pretty sure this space was planted with boring, water-guzzling annuals in past years because I don't remember noting anything special about the landscaping here before.
The drought has brought changes to landscaping in Plano and more xeric combinations like this one are popping up all over town this year as a result of water restrictions. I think it looks far more interesting too.
Oh, and the sunset we were there to watch was nice too.
Beautiful and durable...and such a good sense of place!
ReplyDeleteThese are classic combinations that work all over Texas it seems.
DeleteI don't know why I ever found red yucca ho-hum. I've come to really admire the blue-green leaves and coral-pink flowers all summer. It's a great plant. And tough too. Nice planting.
ReplyDeleteI almost pulled out my 20 year old hesperaloes and then the drought brought me to my senses. What was I thinking? They take on a great violet hue in the fall and winter for year round interest.
DeleteI agree. Planting natives, rather than boring annuals, is much more interesting. Plants help define a place. It will be a shame if we all plant the same things everywhere, like we have the same stores and restaurants everywhere,
ReplyDeleteSince Texas is so big it's fun to see natives from far south Texas migrate north and so much better than the annuals that were common here in the past.
DeleteI think more and more landscapers are heading toward perennials that can stand our heat and dry summers. Some good ideas there.
ReplyDeleteThat sunset shot is very nice, indeed.
It was good to see this in annual-loving Dallas area.
DeleteIt's just so obvious that xeric plants are the more beautiful and practical way to go for gardens. The photos are lovely--especially the sunset.
ReplyDeleteYes, and I was pleased to see this happening in the Dallas area now.
DeleteThanks, we don't get a chance to see sunsets from our house so this was a treat.
It looks great! Smart planning. I tried Juniper here last year, but they eventually died in our drought. Maybe I was to blame a little - can't remember watering that area well. Oops!
ReplyDeleteIt seems to do better in the cold, snowy north.
DeleteThose hesperaloe parviflora are spectacular!
ReplyDeleteI was looking at those in High country gardens catalog over the winter, but they didn't look as nice as your pictures...
After seeing your pictures, I'm adding them to the wish list...
yall can keep that prostrate juniper, though.
I'm not a fan of the juniper as ground cover having had a patch of it for years when I was transplanted up north. We have so many better choices available to us here.
DeleteI'm surprised you'd have to order hesperaloe, but it is a native here and very common. Extremely hardy it has survived lows in the teens and an arctic blast that had us below freezing for three days.
The Dallas area and most of what north of it have had terrible water shortages. I believe that they were only watering once every other week at one point last year. They are still on twice a week restrictions. I'm sure their landscapes will evolve to accommodate the changes in water usage.
ReplyDeleteIn Tarrant County we have a different water system and have been taken off restrictions, but you still see people being more responsible. I guess folks learned a lot last year.
Watering once a week is the standard here, when we get restrictions it goes to every other week.
DeleteIt was refreshing to see more water-wise landscaping going in all over the area.
I love looking surrounding homes for landscape ideas. It's lots of fun. You have some great plants for xeric or almost xeric gardens during this time of drought!
ReplyDeleteI'm always checking out landscapes because there are lots of great ideas out there. Around here the commercial landscapes are the best sources of ideas.
DeleteGreat ideas...I never thought of Plano as being that much cooler than San Antonio, except in winter, past the growing season. Carpet junipers seem to vary - most croak here, but a number are just fine. Much to learn
ReplyDeleteThe Dallas area has been hotter than San Antonio the last two summers. I did wonder about the juniper but it may be the location or length of days up there.
DeleteHoly Hesperaloe! Talk about bloom spikes!!!!!!!! Never seen that many before. Thanks for sharing Shirley.
ReplyDeleteThose were nice, it helps that they don't have deer.
DeleteI love seeing displays of plants that show Xeric can be beautiful. These plants are stunning, especially considering how water-wise they are. This just highlights that xeric doesn't have to mean cactus and gravel! I'd absolutely put this in my front yard, and I love the foliage contrasts too!
ReplyDeleteMany of the plants are native to Texas as well which makes it work even better. We do have some great cactus and gravel gardens here in town, but these photos are good ideas for those who just can't see that in their own yards.
DeleteIt is good to see landscaping changing along with climate and water restrictions. Up here, it takes convincing to get clients to think smarter. I trial many plants to see how they will perform and it is challenging to get people to think differently and use more appropriate plants. Sometimes a fine is what it takes.
ReplyDelete