When I say "beautiful flowers and thorns" what comes to mind? Roses? Most likely. But how about cactus?

Currently, many Austinites are concerned about landscapes and gardens that have low water needs. A lot of people want highly drought tolerant lawns, but feel depressed about having cactus or yuccas and the like. All they can conjure up is images of barren deserts full of dangerously spiky succulents.

But things are never what they seem. Many drought tolerant succulent plants (such as cactus, yuccas, and sedums) have beautiful, down right stunning, blooms. Roses and gardenias, blue bonnets and wine cups, these plants are expected to produce color! I rarely am impressed ... but cactus on the other hand, if I see a blooming cactus it stops me right in my tracks.

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Everyone and everything is a biological resource. How we appropriately use our resourses is the key. Resources can be used to the detriment of your landscape or to encourage a healthy landscape.

"Bugs" are a biological resource and most of the time we see them as pests (especially if you have a vegetable garden). The key to proper management of a garden would be to attract the good guys! Everyone knows that lady bugs are important and so are earth worms. We want to attract them to the garden to help with the pests (lady bugs) as well as the proper breakdown of soil (worms). 

Also attracting bees is very important! Bees are crucial to our environment and food supply and yet they are disappearing.  You might not want to attract them to areas close to the house, but you can plant colorful and bee loving plants around your perimeter to encourage these vital garden workers.

Birds are another fantastic resource that can help keep your garden free and clear of pests. To attract a bird we need good understory (plants under trees) that ranges from 2-13 feet off the ground so that the birds can perch and see their prey.

To attract healthy, helpful biological resources and encourage the activity of important bugs and birds you need to provide them with the resources they need - food, shelter, and water. Also avoid chemcials as these natural garden workers are very sensitive to toxixc chemicals.

For more information look into the city of Austin's website about wildscapes.

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Over the Labor Day weekend fires broke out all around the Austin, Texas area. These fires wiped out large areas of Bastrop and Spicewood and lots of clean up was needed to remove burned out trees and brush.
Employees from Perfect Lawns and Landworks generously donated their time and efforts to assist with the Spicewood fire clean up. They chipped burned trees, cleaned up concrete, and removed stumps.



Brent and Bruce Wiltshire (owners of Perfect Lawns) also donated trucks, fuel, trailers, wood chippers, Bobcats, chainsaws, and various other materials and equipment to assist with the clean up.

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Austin has been hot and dry. Lawns, plants, even people are suffering from this unusually bad drought.  So what's working in the landscape despite the wacky weather?

In my yard the following plants are doing just fine with little water and record breaking heat:

1. Plumbago - it's getting a little droopy in the late afternoon but still blooming and chugging along.     

2. Yellow bells - lots of blooms, not too droopy....actually quite lovely!

3. Salvias - my herbal sages as well as flowering sages are doing ok. The pineapple sage, not so much, but Salvia greggii and the heat loving culinary sage are just fine.

4. Dwarf yaupon holly

5. Retama aka Palo verde - bright green and upright in the heat

6. Agaves, yuccas - these are desert plants so of course they are doing just fine

7. Fig tree

Which plants are doing well at your house?

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All this heat has kept me out of my garden and left me dreaming of future planting ventures. The reality is that February is the perfect time to plant trees in Central Texas, but I’m thinking about it right now! Is there a tree you’ve seen around town that you love? Let us know your favorites.

Here are a few of mine:

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Diversity of species (both plant and animal) is gaining awareness. Many countries, fearful that they will lose native plants, are collecting heirloom seeds in massive seed vaults. Seed saving classes are popular for home gardeners who wish to not only save money by harvesting seeds, but also protect the species. Diversity of plants and animals, as well as age and purpose, is an important principle for permaculture.

We all know that doing the same thing over and over again gets boring, so does looking at a mass of only one plant (monoculture farming). Humans generally prefer to look at a garden filled with multiple types of plants rather than just one. Plants and animals are also nourished by diversity making it crucial. If you kill off one type of animal or insect this will effect it’s predators as they will no longer have food. Also if we only eat one type of vegetable then we will lack nutrients.

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 Permaculture is all about efficient use of space. For instance, a forest garden is a popular design - it involves creating spaces that use the vertical and horizontal elements. One plants trees, shrubs, and groundcovers all in one space.

Also, one plants densely (pack it in!) - no amount of ground is left open.  Another great example of this would be companion planting which involves not only pairing plants that help each other out, but also using plants to act as mulch. If plants are densely packed, then this not only uses up all the space but also leaves no space for undesirable plants to poke through.

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