Gardening in the Dallas Metroplex can be challenging. Winter storms can injure perennials, while high summer temperatures burn up others. Some years, there may be too much rain while during others, Dallas and Fort Worth gardeners pray for ten drops of rainfall. Despite all the problems, it is possible to have beautiful flowerbeds using environmentally friendly gardening techniques.
Start with Native Dallas Plants & Flowers
Plants and trees that are native to our Dallas metroplex are better suited for gardening than imported options. They require less moisture and are generally healthier. Before contacting a landscaping company, spend some time deciding what plants you want in your landscape during the cooler months.
Beautiful native plant options for flowerbeds include American beauty berry, Azure-blue sage, black-eyed Susans, cardinal flowers, and common yarrow.
Select Plants Based on Moisture Needs
When researching plants, pay special attention to their light and water requirements. Then, think about your landscaping in micro-zones that offer different choices because only some areas are suitable for some plants.
For instance, if you have a consistently moist area in your yard, you need to choose plants that do well in a boggy environment. More often in the Dallas area, there is a limited amount of moisture, so you must choose drought-resistant plants.
Plant in Clusters
Traditionally, people have planted flowerbeds in rows, but that takes much more water than cluster planting. When deciding which plants to grow together, think about their water needs.
You will use less water if you group plants with similar needs. Furthermore, incorporating taller plants into your cluster allows them to shade shorter plants, so they need even less water. Make the most of every drop by watering in the cool of the day.
Mulch Around Plants
Adding mulch around your plants helps retain any rainfall that does occur. Furthermore, it helps to retain soil moisture so that you can water less. As a bonus, weeds find it harder to grow, so your flowerbeds will look better.
Cedar mulch is often an excellent choice for North Texas flowerbeds because it naturally repels insects.
Use Native Grasses
Native grasses are a beautiful addition to many landscapes. Buffalograss handles the temperature swings seen in the Dallas area exceptionally well. Furthermore, ground covers often use less water than Bermuda and other grasses. Therefore, you may want to consider using bare strawberries, Japanese forest grass and Asian jasmine.
Employ Eco-friendly, Organic Fertilizers
Organic fertilizer options are much healthier for the environment than chemical options. Organic fertilizers improve soil conditions so that it holds water better. Therefore, you will use even less water. Furthermore, they break down slower, so your plants always get the nutrients they need, including trace elements and other nutrients that are missing in chemical fertilizers. Finally, the runoff from chemical fertilizers can be very harmful to the environment.
Make a Statement with Decorative Water Features
One of the reasons that many people love a beautiful landscape is that they want to attract wildlife to their homes. While using native plants and grasses is an excellent starting point, you will also want to add water features so that wildlife can get a drink.
Consider adding a water fountain with places where birds, insects and animals can rest while getting a drink. If you have the space, moving water will attract more wildlife than still water, so add a waterfall or a small stream. Consider adding a bog garden to your landscaping.
It requires a lot of care to have an incredible-looking landscape. Therefore, you should contact Executive Lawn Care for the ultimate environmentally-friendly landscape. Our experts can help you with everything from weed pulling to lawn mowing.
Learn more about our lawn care services today, and remember your first lawn mow is free!
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