Design TipS of the Month
September, 2024
TOP 5 PERFORMERS FOR THE "SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST" LAST THREE SUMMERS
(And they all happen to be natives!)
(And they all happen to be natives!)
BEST PERENNIAL: Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii) is famed for its shade tolerance but does well in sun, too. It can look slightly wilted in sun and heat, but rebounds very quickly and with vigor at the slightest drop of rain. A great tall groundcover, particularly under trees where grass won't grow.
BEST LARGE SHRUB: Texas Sage or Cenizo ( Leucophyllum spp. ) With all the new cultivars and hybrids, there is something for everyone. This shrub is evergreen (or gray), can usually exist on rainfall alone, and flowers very reliably prior to rainfall. What an exciting shrub! It celebrates a rain event! Depending on the grower and where you get them, the mature size of the plant may be slightly unpredictable-a small price to pay. The worst that can happen is you might need to prune a little occasionally. Another very underutilized evergreen screen.
BEST SMALL ORNAMENTAL TREE:
Texas Mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora)
Always evergreen, putting up with 100+ degrees for months at a time, it laughs at a week of snow as well. Its glossy leaves never look wilted and it has striking purple flowers every spring, whose fragrance make us glad to live in Texas. these are underutilized as evergreen screens and can be pruned as shrubs if needed or left to their natural form. Irrigation:optional!
Texas Mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora)
Always evergreen, putting up with 100+ degrees for months at a time, it laughs at a week of snow as well. Its glossy leaves never look wilted and it has striking purple flowers every spring, whose fragrance make us glad to live in Texas. these are underutilized as evergreen screens and can be pruned as shrubs if needed or left to their natural form. Irrigation:optional!
BEST SMALL SHRUB: Dwarf Barbados Cherry (Malpighia glabra 'Nana') This 3'-5' shrub looks dainty but is extremely tough. It is constantly blooming and setting fruit throughout the growing season. It produces the Acerola berry, the highest source of Vitamin C on earth, used to make Vitamin C tablets. Bees, birds and other pollinators LOVE this plant. Perfect for a Wildscape.
Or just a pretty shrub or hedge. It may die back in winter, but comes back quickly and stronger than ever. Doesn't wilt when blasted by late afternoon sun. This shrub is more entertaining and pretty when it gets a fair amount of sun. It does not seem to need supplemental water once established.
Or just a pretty shrub or hedge. It may die back in winter, but comes back quickly and stronger than ever. Doesn't wilt when blasted by late afternoon sun. This shrub is more entertaining and pretty when it gets a fair amount of sun. It does not seem to need supplemental water once established.
BEST SHADE TREE: Bigtooth Maple (Acer grandidentatum)
My Bigtooth Maple, planted 22 years ago, has survived for twenty years on rainfall alone, and it looks extremely happy. It is in an out of the way spot, and I didn't think to give it water because it always looked so healthy. I started watering it last summer and my maple has only grown faster and more bushy since then. It may not always get the fall color we like, due to prevailing weather conditions, but it is a very handsome and extremely tough tree.
July, 2023
As a designer, I certainly do not consider it cheating to add color to the landscape through good house colors. It all counts! And it's something that doesn't have to be watered! And it looks good at the end of a week of snow or a summer of no rain and daily 100 degree temperatures. Very convenient! Why put up with default neutrals when you can add color that actually contributes something to your landscape?
Strong colors stand up to our bright sun, adding style and a sense of place to your property. In general, a minimum of three colors (besides white) are good, and can produce a very satisfying effect. You can always experiment on the back of your house before you call the painter!
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May, 2020
Less interesting
When planning your space, consider using varying heights of plants: large shade trees, smaller ornamental trees, shrubs, perennials, and ground covers (such as grass) at different distances from the structure, rather than a single border. This approach adds visual interest and depth, invites wildlife such as birds, and provides privacy for your residence.
More interesting
June, 2020
From both a design and horticultural point of view, it is a good idea to group plants together in "islands". This provides an inviting contrast with the lawn or other ground cover, and makes maintenance easier (such as mowing and watering). Young trees should always be planted in a mulched bed, not in a lawn, because grass will absorb all the nutrients from the soil and greatly slow the growth of the new tree. Your islands can reflect the style of your yard by plant selection and choice of edging (such as rocks, steel edging, or recycled tire rubber edging). Stepping stones, fountains, benches or sculpture could also be included in the island.
July, 2020
Consider pervious pavement for your home or business. This usually consists of pavers that have been set in sand and not mortared, thereby allowing rainwater to be absorbed into the ground instead of running off. Storm water runoff causes flooding and erosion as well as carrying pollutants, such as lawn fertilizer, pet waste and oil from vehicles, often unfiltered, into waterways.
Advantages to the home or business owner are:
-a more beautiful, interesting surface
-no cracking, as with a concrete slab, because it flexes with tree roots and the expansion and contraction of soils due to drought and flooding
-local rebates for pervious surfaces
-retaining rainwater on your property, reducing the need for irrigation
This method costs about 20% more to install due to the skill required to lay it, but pays for itself in superior stability, longevity and good looks, as well as better ecology.
Advantages to the home or business owner are:
-a more beautiful, interesting surface
-no cracking, as with a concrete slab, because it flexes with tree roots and the expansion and contraction of soils due to drought and flooding
-local rebates for pervious surfaces
-retaining rainwater on your property, reducing the need for irrigation
This method costs about 20% more to install due to the skill required to lay it, but pays for itself in superior stability, longevity and good looks, as well as better ecology.
August, 2020
What often prevents us from enjoying our outdoor spaces this time of year? Mosquitos! A very effective and otherwise pleasant deterrent are outdoor, battery powered fans. Most last for hours on one charge. Some have misting features using a garden hose, which bring down the ambient temperature even more. They are available on Amazon and elsewhere. Their effectiveness is due not so much to the wind and resistance they create, but to the dispersal of the carbon dioxide from our breath and the lactic acid from our sweat, which attract the mosquitos and alert them to our presence. I have discovered that two fans are much better than one, placed opposite each other, causing more confusion for the mosquitos. The more confusion the better, and the breeze isn't bad either!
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September, 2020
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Less inviting
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More inviting
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Which feature of our yards usually looks the worst at the end of a Texas summer? The lawn! Fall is a good time to evaluate our lawns. Who actually uses it? For what purpose? Is it enjoyed passively by anyone either? Unless a large lawn is needed specifically for some pursuit, it might be a very good idea to consider a smaller one. As a designer, I notice that small lawns often seem inherently more inviting, perhaps because they contrast more noticeably with planting beds and other features, such as hardscapes, around them. Visually, the negative space (calm, passive space) they provide is very important, and a small lawn can become a focal point of its own, that beckons the viewer to interact with it. Smaller lawns are relatively easy to maintain looking good as well, even in a Texas summer. All you need is a hose and a little bit of time.
October, 2020
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The best time to plant in San Antonio is right now! This is the time with the greatest distance from the most stressful time for plants in Texas, which is Summer. Especially trees and larger shrubs benefit from the longer time to establish themselves before it becomes hot. If they are deciduous and have already lost their leaves, that will only help them to adjust to their new site faster, because they will not have foliage to feed and maintain.
Perennials would also benefit from being planted now, but are often hard to find in the nurseries at this time. This is not horticulturally driven, but consumer driven, simply because while plants are going dormant and looking less attractive, people are not thinking of planting. But it would be good if we did!
Perennials would also benefit from being planted now, but are often hard to find in the nurseries at this time. This is not horticulturally driven, but consumer driven, simply because while plants are going dormant and looking less attractive, people are not thinking of planting. But it would be good if we did!
November, 2020
Lazy gardening is good gardening because it means you're working with nature instead of against it.
Don't bag leaves! That is counterproductive. You can make use of them yourself! They are an attractive layer of mulch that protects your plants, and feeds them as they decompose. Live Oak leaves are my favorite because they are both dense (stay in place) and uniform (neat looking). But any leaf is good. If their appearance is not what you like, you can add an inch or so of commercial mulch on top of several inches of leaves and no one will know the difference.
Another very easy option for leaves on the lawn, is to simply mow over them. If they are not too thick, mowing will shred them, making them unnoticeable, and allowing them to decompose quickly and provide food for the grass. Leaves are nature's mulch, and it's hard to do better.
Don't bag leaves! That is counterproductive. You can make use of them yourself! They are an attractive layer of mulch that protects your plants, and feeds them as they decompose. Live Oak leaves are my favorite because they are both dense (stay in place) and uniform (neat looking). But any leaf is good. If their appearance is not what you like, you can add an inch or so of commercial mulch on top of several inches of leaves and no one will know the difference.
Another very easy option for leaves on the lawn, is to simply mow over them. If they are not too thick, mowing will shred them, making them unnoticeable, and allowing them to decompose quickly and provide food for the grass. Leaves are nature's mulch, and it's hard to do better.
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January, 2021
This is the time of year we are really glad to have planted a citrus tree! They look good all year with their glossy, evergreen foliage and don't require a lot of care, but right now is when we reap the benefits of growing them with all the tasty, colorful fruit they produce. Winter temperatures are the limiting factor with citrus, but we have options! Probably the toughest citrus of all is the Satsuma 'Arctic Frost' (Citrus reticulata 'Arctic Frost') and the Satsuma 'Orange Frost' (Citrus reticulata 'Orange Frost') These hybrid Mandarins have each been designated as a 'Texas Superstar' by Texas A&M Agri-Life, meaning that they perform extremely well and require very little maintenance (or are Earth-Kind, another Aggie program designating low water, low pesticide and low fertilizer plants).
A favorite of mine is the Calamondin Orange, which is the only citrus I know of to produce fruit throughout the year. It will keep you in fruity cocktails year round! The fruit is as tart as a lemon, but has a very pleasing citrus flavor all its own. It can be used in any recipe calling for citrus. This tree is almost as hardy as the Satsumas.
All citrus require at least two or three years to reach their optimal cold hardiness, but after that the Satsumas can withstand 10 degrees and Calamondins 20 degrees. They need full sun and despite their cold hardiness, appreciate some protection, such as a south -facing exposure. Other extremely worthwhile citrus for here are Mexican Limes and Meyer Lemons, but they are less cold hardy and require protection in freezing temperatures.
All citrus require at least two or three years to reach their optimal cold hardiness, but after that the Satsumas can withstand 10 degrees and Calamondins 20 degrees. They need full sun and despite their cold hardiness, appreciate some protection, such as a south -facing exposure. Other extremely worthwhile citrus for here are Mexican Limes and Meyer Lemons, but they are less cold hardy and require protection in freezing temperatures.
August, 2021
Something that is critical to attracting any pollinator: butterflies, hummingbirds and dragonflies alike-not to mention birds!- is water. It should be shallow and preferably moving. A good way to achieve this easily is to add a solar "bubbler" to your birdbath. You can locate your birdbath or any shallow bowl in the sun, add the bubbler, and it will operate as long as the sun is on it, creating a gentle fountain. Most pollinator plants need full sun, so this is convenient, and will make your garden irresistible. What is also convenient is that the movement of the water discourages mosquitos and their larva, so that the water need not necessarily be changed daily. This is a very entertaining cheap thrill!
July, 2022
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Less effective
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More effective
As a very general design rule, group plants together. This creates a positive space, which can then be surrounded by the negative space of mulch or ground cover. This is the basic format of a landscape design.
Single plants punctuating an open space create neither positive nor negative space, and look ineffective. I see a lot of this. If you come home with plants , don't have a design, and just want to put them in the ground, find a place with the right amount of sun or shade and group the plants together according to their mature sizes, as indicated on the labels. Something good will likely happen if you do this. Your planting will create its own design. If you space the plants out singly, evenly, and farther apart than their mature sizes, nothing will happen in a design sense, I guarantee it.
An exception to this would be a single plant or tree intended as a focal point, but the plant must have sufficient presence to carry off being alone, and its placement must look intentional. In general, even focal point plantings benefit from companion plants.
Single plants punctuating an open space create neither positive nor negative space, and look ineffective. I see a lot of this. If you come home with plants , don't have a design, and just want to put them in the ground, find a place with the right amount of sun or shade and group the plants together according to their mature sizes, as indicated on the labels. Something good will likely happen if you do this. Your planting will create its own design. If you space the plants out singly, evenly, and farther apart than their mature sizes, nothing will happen in a design sense, I guarantee it.
An exception to this would be a single plant or tree intended as a focal point, but the plant must have sufficient presence to carry off being alone, and its placement must look intentional. In general, even focal point plantings benefit from companion plants.
August, 2022
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Here are some examples of rocks being used as ground cover, and it's not good. Of all the clients I have seen who already had such installations, not a single one has liked the look or function of it once they had it.
Rocks are inorganic, they raise soil temperature instead of lower it, they look desert-like and uninviting, they are hard to walk on, look unnatural as a ground cover, and are not at all free of maintenance, as claimed by the individuals who sell them at considerable cost. When leaves fall on them, they have to be removed somehow. When weeds grow between them, they must be laboriously removed.
In each case above, including the example showing good design, a more pleasing, natural, horticulturally sound and maintenance-free choice would have been mulch (wood chips, shredded wood or simply leaves). Rock garden plants are known as those that are able to tolerate high soil temperatures and low soil fertility, and this illustrates the point that rocks are a stresser for most plants. Mulch lowers soil temperatures, and as for leaves falling on mulch- that is just more mulch! Leaves are nature's mulch and increase soil fertility, feeding the plants around them as they decompose. When weeds grow in mulch, they are just more plant material growing in the mulch and may be a welcome addition. If not, at least they are accessible to remove.
The selling point for rocks as ground cover, I imagine, is that it is a one-time application. But that is not very helpful if it is something you soon realize you don't want! Because they are organic materials, wood or leaves require renewal- yearly or so. It is not a bad thing to interact with your landscape now and then- you might find out you like it.
Rocks are inorganic, they raise soil temperature instead of lower it, they look desert-like and uninviting, they are hard to walk on, look unnatural as a ground cover, and are not at all free of maintenance, as claimed by the individuals who sell them at considerable cost. When leaves fall on them, they have to be removed somehow. When weeds grow between them, they must be laboriously removed.
In each case above, including the example showing good design, a more pleasing, natural, horticulturally sound and maintenance-free choice would have been mulch (wood chips, shredded wood or simply leaves). Rock garden plants are known as those that are able to tolerate high soil temperatures and low soil fertility, and this illustrates the point that rocks are a stresser for most plants. Mulch lowers soil temperatures, and as for leaves falling on mulch- that is just more mulch! Leaves are nature's mulch and increase soil fertility, feeding the plants around them as they decompose. When weeds grow in mulch, they are just more plant material growing in the mulch and may be a welcome addition. If not, at least they are accessible to remove.
The selling point for rocks as ground cover, I imagine, is that it is a one-time application. But that is not very helpful if it is something you soon realize you don't want! Because they are organic materials, wood or leaves require renewal- yearly or so. It is not a bad thing to interact with your landscape now and then- you might find out you like it.
