Garden Galleries

Corners and edges of your landscape are areas that are rarely walked upon. Begin your transformation there with a variety of WaterSaver plants and a focal point like this arbor topped with Queen’s crown.

Place pathways where you actually walk, like to the garage, toolshed or back gate. Fill in bare spots with perennials. A terra cotta pot acts as a focal point and can be changed out with the season, or completely replaced if you change your mind. Excellent.

This front yard uses mulch in patterns and colors to reflect the intricate brickwork of the historic home. A variety of perennials complete the look. No grass, no problem. How excellent.

This yard started out dominated by grass. Now it sports a covered deck and shady pervious patio near the back of the yard. Look closely at the blue screen door. If you stood in front of it, what would you see?

With a splash or color from the papel picado flags, this verdant yard is filled with dry tropical shade plants such as Turk’s cap, split-leaf philodendron, giant liriope and segos under a canopy of live oaks.

One size does not fit all as we look around San Antonio for excellent landscapes. This wonderful country fence is featured, enclosing a botanical garden of cacti and succulents with a sprinkle of perennials. Breaking all the classic rules of repeating plants and focal points, this landscape reflects the interests of its owner. Just don’t add water – excellent!

This expansive backyard started as a typical slab of grass and trees. It’s been transformed into a space prime for relaxation or entertainment. Ready for a garden party? That’s excellent!

If you are moving to the Texas Hill Country because you love it, don’t love it to death. Just leave it. Keep as much of the existing natural area as possible. Remember: junipers are evergreen and drought-tolerant, and the female junipers with berries don’t produce dreaded pollen. Where you do remove existing natives, replace with more native.

Shade is a premium and should be cherished in San Antonio. Shade means trees and trees prefer mulched beds to grass under their boughs. Take a cue from nature: there is no grass in the forest or trees on the grasslands. Mulched beds lightly planted are best for the health of those precious trees. This is an excellent way to treat a tree.

This house was built on one of those forgotten lots in the middle of town that was still awash with natives. Care was taken to keep as many of the existing plants as possible. Where plants couldn’t be saved, more were added to the final landscape. Especially excellent.

Joyous excellence is a phrase I use to describe this yard. Featured in the 2013 WaterSaver Landscape Tour, you can't walk into this yard without smiling. Details abound and everywhere you look there is a little surprise waiting for you.

This 2014 WaterSaver Tour showstopper featured dozens of hardy plant species interspersed with design elements like this jar fountain. This large corner lot was made intimate with a walled courtyard, small rooms and, you= guessed it, no grass. decomposed granite is used as inorganic mulch. the plant roots hold it in place so won’t wash away with a heavy rain.

This backyard is actually quite narrow, but you’d never know it with this excellent design. Turning the yard design on its side, this WaterSaver tour winner created a larger than life shady backyard retreat.

This home is a French-inspired charmer with a white picket fence lined with European classically hedged boxwoods and new world datura or jimson weed.

This traditional red brick home in a traditional San Antonio neighborhood breaks tradition with a no-grass yard. The trees will thank him for it and so will his water bill. And no one seems to miss it.

Encore please. This yard is too much fun not to be featured again. The homeowner avoids the feeling of clutter with careful, but casual placement of classic and not-so-classic yard art.