Dig Into These Low-Maintenance Landscaping Ideas
The thoughtful landscaping at 521 West 13th Street provides additional character to the stunning bungalow.
Sprucing up your yard can boost your property’s value, but it’s no secret that landscaping in Houston can come with some challenges. The hot, humid summers aren’t friendly to all plants, flooding can drown roots, and several species fail to thrive in thick clay soil. Despite all this, you can still have a beautiful yard! These low-maintenance landscaping ideas will make your property stand out and leave you with plenty of energy to spare for your other home projects.
Artificial Grass
If you don’t have time to care for a lawn, artificial grass might be the solution you’re looking for. You won’t ever have to worry about mowing, watering, or tending to patchy spots. Flooding and excessive heat become non-issues too. Artificial grass is resilient enough to handle just about any situation, including frequent foot traffic and play.
The downside to artificial grass is that it can be expensive to install. However, think of all that time and energy you’ll save by shaving lawn work off your busy schedule!
Rethink “Weeds”
Some plants that are traditionally thought of as weeds can be used to bring color or texture to a dull lawn. Ground covers like bugleweed, periwinkle, and mondo grass grow particularly well in Houston. If you don’t love the idea of artificial landscaping but don’t want to endure mowing a lawn during hot Texas summers, think about mixing and matching ground covers when possible.
Go Native
For gorgeous low-maintenance plants, think native species. Shrubs, flowers, trees, and other plants that are native to Texas will require less TLC than non-native species. These plants have evolved the hardiness to handle floods, heatwaves, and local pests, so you don’t have to spend as much time worrying about keeping them alive. Texas paintbrush, beautyberry, and Texas lantana are just a few to consider.
Evergreens
If falling leaves and expired blooms bring you to tears each year, you might want to consider adding evergreens to your property. These vibrant trees, vines, and ground covers stay green and keep their leaves all throughout the year, adding life to your yard. Certain varieties of palm trees, cherry laurel, and American holly are a few evergreens to think about including in your landscape.
Perennial Magic
Everybody loves a good perennial. Why? Because they come back year after year without any additional work from you. Plant them once and watch them sprout the following year! Perennial blooms are a fabulous way to add pops of color to your property without having to purchase and plant new flowers every year. Daffodils, yarrow, Texas bluebonnet, and butterfly weed are a few that you’ve likely seen gracing Houston yards.
Concerned about watering the greenery in your yard? Hire a professional to install an irrigation system if you can. A self-watering system will save you a ton of time!
Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping isn’t a term that’s familiar to everyone, but it should be. This type of landscaping requires little to no irrigation, making it perfect for Texans who can’t keep to a watering schedule. Succulents, drought-resistant plants, and thoughtfully placed stones define the art of xeriscaping. Red yucca, desert willows, and gulf muhly are some of the more popular plant selections.
Invest in Yourself by Building a Rain Garden
Rain gardens may take a little work to perfect, but they are certainly worth the effort! By strategically designing your garden in such a way that it collects stormwater runoff, you can enjoy a garden that essentially waters itself. Creatives love building this type of garden since there’s no end to the possibilities of how one can arrange various flowers, grasses, and shrubs to create something that caters to unique personalities and preferences. Since rain gardens filter out pollutants from the local environment, you’ll also be promoting sustainable landscaping practices.
Who Needs the Garden Bed? Use Pots Instead
Container gardens are ideal for those who don’t care to tend to a big in-ground garden. You can also get just as creative as you would with any other type of garden. Think about all the things you could place a plant in – boxes, pots, basins… Your options are endless, and you can be just as quirky as you want to be without worrying about the permanence of your installation. If you tire of your pots, simply swap them out.
Place your pots anywhere to capture the right light! These plants at 521 West 13th Street add curb appeal to an already beautiful home.
Container gardens also offer a unique benefit: you can bring the pots inside. This enables homeowners to choose more tropical plants that can easily be moved indoors when the temperatures drop. No more covering up plants and just hoping for the best! If practical plants are more your thing, start an herb container garden and bring it indoors as needed.
Rock Gardens
Fill in the dull spots in your yard with gravel, boulders, and stones to create a visual pop. You can even paint them if you’d like! As beautiful and rewarding as blooming gardens can be, the fact of the matter is that all the issues that disturb greenery won’t affect a rock garden. Mild flooding, heatwaves, and poor soil don’t worry a bunch of rocks. You can get as creative as you’d like with placement and care is extremely low maintenance. Simply check your rocks every now and then to ensure they don’t need a good scrub.
Go Multi-purpose with Mulch
Mulch provides more than just a nice base for shrubs and flowers. Mulch suppresses weeds, adds color, and prevents the evaporation of moisture so that your plants flourish. Organic mulch such as wood chips will eventually break down and nourish your plants with nutrients – however, this does mean that you will need to replace it. Use landscaping fabric beneath your mulch to extend its benefits.
Hardscapes
You don’t necessarily need a garden to add some intrigue to your property. Hardscapes like patios, gazebos, decks, retaining walls, and paths can increase the value of your property and create more functional spaces. Aside from occasional cleaning, hardscapes don’t require much maintenance, making them a great potential addition to your landscaping plans. As an added bonus, they also use up square footage otherwise typically used as lawn space, meaning that you’ll spend less time mowing.
Before you dig into hardscaping, be sure to do your research. Failure to lay a proper foundation for certain types of hardscaping can be dangerous and can lead to shifting over time. Always consider hiring a professional for any kind of work you are not familiar with.
FEATURED HOME
If you love a home with impeccable landscaping, you’ve got to see 802 West Temple Street in Norhill! This 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom home retains much of its 1920s charm without sacrificing on modern amenities. The property features a fully-equipped garage apartment, recent interior and exterior paint, and refinished hardwood floors that gleam in the beautiful natural light that flows through the windows. With built-ins located all throughout, storage is never an issue here. This home’s layout is ideal for entertaining guests in the formal living room, formal dining room, and flowing den. And if you’ve ever wanted a magazine-worthy kitchen, you’ll want to know that the stylish kitchen in this home has been featured in Better Homes and Garden. This delightful property is also situated right across from Proctor Park Plaza, giving the new homeowner easy access to a great place to stretch their legs – when not enjoying their charming back and side yards, that is. Located close to restaurants, shopping, parks, and popular Houston communities, this stunning home will not remain on the market for long!
