Need landscaping ideas

[Kristie]

Hello all, I am looking once again for some ideas for my tree in the front yard, I have tried planting several different things here and never seem to have any luck, it gets little sun. Some in the morning and a little more in the late afternoon. We live in south Texas and it gets super hot during the summer which is coming fast it seems, any suggestions? We also have chickens so I plan on putting rock down instead of mulch to keep the girls from destroying any kind of pretty I decide to plant I have fount that's the only thing that will keep them out of my flower beds.

 

[thistlebloom]

I have no clue about what would work in your situation and climate.
If I were in your shoes I would locate a few locally owned nurseries and go pick their brains. Take notes, research their suggestions at home and come up with a good plan. You will learn a lot from people who know your climate and also know plants. Good luck and have fun, I hope you are able to find what you need.

 

[ninnymary]

Drive around in neighborhoods that have nice landscaping and see what they are growing. If you see something you like, take a picture to take to the nursery. I remember in my sister's neighborhood there were a lot of caladiums planted in masses.

Mary

 

[so lucky]

Also, I have found that even a short 2 ft wire fence will keep chickens out. You know, that kind of loopy wire fence that comes in abut a 10 ft. roll, cheap. At least it did the job for my chickens. I don't think it would keep chickens IN, but when they are moseying along pecking and scratching at the ground, they come up against the fence and don't look up to see how tall it is. They just change direction. Your results may be different, of course.
@baymule might have some ideas for you for blooming plants for hot Texas summers. Maybe Lantana?

 

[baymule]

Petunias, hostas, ginger lily, begonia, monkey grass. But with chickens helping out, nothing will survive. You'll have to fence them out. I goofed and planted daylilies around a light pole that also has a security light. The Looney Gooney Guineas have scratched them up because of the June bugs attracted to the light.

 

[ducks4you]

On a local PBS Program, "Mid American Gardener," some of the panelists are landscapers. They have 3 rules:
1) perennials
2) easy to maintain
3) nothing invasive
The easiest plants to maintain are natives that grow naturally in YOUR climate. It all seems great to see what they grow in France, or China, or South America. I even tried a gardenia, which might have survived If I lived in Florida, but not IL--one the panelists killed one of those, too. It is money down the drain to plant landscape plants that will struggle and die. People in Northern IL often plant Crepe Myrtle, native in the south, but not likely to do well, and then they watch them die. Nursery trees are REALLY EXPENSIVE! I bought MY gardenia on clearance (at a box store!) for $16.00. The tag said, $75.00, btw.
We also watch Blue Spruce die here, but out west they thrive. Aspen do great in CO, and even better in IL. They send their runners underground and then make a quick forest, hard to eradicate, in other words, they are INVASIVE in IL.
Chinese Wisteria will climb your fence or house and it's sheer weight will destroy both. American Wisteria has to be pruned, too, but is manageable, but you will HAVE to prune it.
Lily of the Valley is easy peasy INVASIVE.
Some people have a big problem with mint, me, not so much.
If you do it yourself, you really need to study up before you buy.
Start with a great lawn. Research the best grasses to grow in your lawn. If you have flower beds, start with annuals, and buy cheap at WM or another box store. Then, as you research, start adding a couple of native perennials.
Hope this helps!

 

[flowerbug]

Hello all, I am looking once again for some ideas for my tree in the front yard, I have tried planting several different things here and never seem to have any luck, it gets little sun. Some in the morning and a little more in the late afternoon. We live in south Texas and it gets super hot during the summer which is coming fast it seems, any suggestions? We also have chickens so I plan on putting rock down instead of mulch to keep the girls from destroying any kind of pretty I decide to plant I have fount that's the only thing that will keep them out of my flower beds.

if you were local you could come and dig up all the plants you wanted. we have so many we can never really take the time to divide them up.

people say plants are expensive, but that's only if you don't have gardner friends.

p.s. daffodils are easy as long as they get enough light.

p.p.s. there's nothing wrong with mixing a few veggies in the flower beds. some veggies have pretty flowers or foliage themselves.

 

[Beekissed]

You don't even need a fence to keep the chickens out...lay down deer netting on top of your mulch or fabric and plant right into it like you would landscape fabric. They cannot scratch the netting and they HATE to get tangled in it, so that's what we use around here.