With its hot summers, mild winters, and pleasant falls and springs, Austin, TX, is the perfect place to enjoy beautiful landscaping year-round.

In Austin, you can find a variety of plant life thriving in Austin yards. Some sport tropical plants, long native grasses, and exotic flowers. Other yards offer a low-maintenance modern-feel with minimal plants, plenty of rock gardens, or artificial sod.

With so many ideas available, learning about the different landscaping types in Austin will help you find the right landscaping to fit your home and lifestyle.

The best part is landscaping in Austin doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive. Even with the help of a landscaping professional, you can enjoy a beautiful, low-maintenance yard.

Are you looking for ways to spruce up your Texas front yard? Here’s what you need to know about landscaping in Austin! 

Low-Maintenance Landscaping in Austin

If you’re like most families or working adults, you don’t have time to care for immense gardens and finicky grasses constantly. You want plants and landscaping that are pleasant looking yet easy to care for.

The two most needy plants in landscaping are lawn grass and flowers. Both can offer lush vibrance to your home but with a great deal of work.

If you want your landscaping to look great all year with minimal effort, you need to look for durable grass and flower species. Yes, durable, low-maintenance grasses exist!

Grass

One of the hardest parts of landscaping is maintaining the grass. It seems to always require mowing and can easily turn brown due to high traffic or harsh weather. Is there a durable grass that doesn’t require so much attention?

Yes, you can mix species to create a highly durable lawn that looks green and healthy all year long. A few low-maintenance types of grass include:

• St. Augustine grass for its resistance to drought
• Bermuda grass thrives in the sun
• Ryegrass withstands high traffic
• Buffalo grass grows slow but thrives in the sun
• Bentgrass for its resilience

Try mixing two or three grass seeds to cover your lawn in both species. If one species doesn’t do well, the second or third species will keep your lawn covered with a few lush green types of grass.

You can maintain your grass even easier with local professional mowing services. They’ll help you maintain your grass and may offer advice or services on how to improve it.

Flowers

Adding flowers is a wonderful way to add a splash of color and personality to your Texas front yard. However, the trouble with flowers is they can be needy, constantly requiring care to stay lush and vibrant.

Fortunately, several hardy flower species require little to no maintenance. A few hardy flowers worth adding to your landscaping include:

• Begonias thrive in the sun or shade, and baskets or garden beds
• Rosemary doubles as a lush flower bush and a delightful herb
• Hardy plumbago is a sun-loving flower requiring little care
• Mexican Oregano is a flowering herb offering lush color all year round
• Marigolds love the bright sun and are easy to grow
• English lavender is a tough Mediterranean herb that’s both beautiful and fragrant
• Blanket flower is a sun-loving native wildflower that also attracts butterflies

You can plant and forget most of these flowers, and they’ll continue to thrive all on their own. The only maintenance these flowers need is a weekly shower of water, a little plant food, and quality soil.

Texas Native Landscaping

Some of the best landscaping in Austin takes advantage of the natural beauty and durability of native plants. Unfortunately, many plants native to central Texas are disappearing due to urban development and agriculture. Incorporating native plants into your landscaping will also conserve water and preserve the presence of natural insects and some wildlife.

Once established, native plants require very little maintenance. Planting and establishing them will require some effort and work.

You can add native plants to your current landscaping or redesign your entire yard to suit these plants better. For best results, choose plants based on the type of soil you have in your yard.

If you live in a wetter area of Austin or have a lot of shade in your yard, look for plants that thrive in wetter soil and shade. If you live in a drier area with lots of sun, choose plants that prefer dryer soil. Doing so will result in lush plants requiring little to no maintenance from you.

Modern Texas Landscaping With Xeriscaping 

Make your landscaping more modern and easy to care for by adding a few contemporary design elements and native plants. This can include anything from rock gardens and walkways to decks and xeriscape. You can incorporate a few plants, trees, and grassy areas to complement your yard’s overall look and feel.

Xeriscape landscaping is a modern form of landscaping specifically designed for dryer areas susceptible to drought and places that practice conservation. Don’t let the sound of the name mislead you. Xeriscaping is a type of landscaping full of design, plants, and other natural elements.

This doesn’t mean xeriscaping is exclusive to desert climates. This landscaping style is a great choice for anyone living in Austin or on the eastern side of Texas.

Many green homes and environmentally conscious individuals love xeriscaping because it requires few resources and incorporates native plants.

Xeriscaping encourages the practice of using native plants and landscaping elements that require little to no water. Most xeriscaped yards have little to no lawn grass as the grass is often one of the major culprits of water consumption. You’ll save money and energy while keeping your native plants lush and vibrant. 

Today’s xeriscape designs often incorporate clean, chic lines and a contemporary style. This type of landscaping matches well with many modern-style homes. It will often feature spacious rock or gravel gardens, large rock accents, desert plants, and terraces.

You can xeriscape your lawn on your own or request the help of professionals to redesign your entire yard.

Enjoy Beautiful Landscaping Today

Knowing your options about landscaping in Austin will help you create a gorgeous yard with minimal maintenance. With the right selection of plants and elements, you can enjoy an eco-friendly yard that will boost curb appeal and increase the value of your home.

Are you looking for more helpful tips on how to improve your home? Check out our latest articles offering Advice for Home Sellers to learn more!