From attractive alternative groundcovers to ground-hugging native plants, you’ll have a happy landscape without the need for excessive watering or maintenance.
What remains of our local turfgrass is springing to life after recent rains. You may have rushed to get it mowed for Mother’s Day and now you’re glum seeing how it’s fared after years of drought. Don’t worry: that’s what it looks like in what have been pretty perfect conditions lately.
There’s a common misconception that every American home should be accompanied by a perfectly manicured lush lawn. Unfortunately, the reality of this ideology is that our region — with its prolonged droughts, unpredictable weather and sometimes shallow soils — is simply not conducive to healthy turfgrass over the long term.
For green grass yards to thrive (or even survive) in our region, we’re forced to overcome the environmental conditions by over-fertilizing and over-watering.
So, before you start re-sodding, remember that there are no watering variances available for re-sodding in Stage 3 watering rules. But there is an alternative, one that is more proactive in water preservation and conservation. It’s as simple as trashing the turf and reimagining what a healthy, happy landscape might look like.
Perhaps that’s a central hardscape with a permeable patio out of flagstone or pavers, where you can enjoy lounging and taking in the aesthetic of your new landscape. You could surround the hardscape with ground-hugging native plants like horseherb (Calyptocarpus vialis), Gregg’s tubetongue (Justicia pilosella), snakeherb (Dyschoriste linearis), Texas sedge (Carex texensis) and frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora).
Once established, these attractive, alternative ground covers require little to no supplemental watering and can provide a lovely cover, even in shade too dense for grass to grow.
Around the perimeter of your yard, convert grass to garden beds filled with a drought-tolerant and diverse grouping of shrubs, bushes, trees and cacti. They’ll provide privacy to your yard as well as an assortment of flowers and fruits for birds, butterflies and other native wildlife.
Of course, if you must have some grass, there are several native options better suited for our region. Instead of water-guzzling Bermuda, zoysia or St. Augustine, consider Buffalo grass (Bouteloua dactyloides) or a native grass mix designed specifically for the shallow soils of the Hill Country. You’ll have the aesthetic of a pleasing grassy yard, but without the need for excessive watering or maintenance.
Not quite ready to commit to a complete change in your landscape? Simply adjust your expectations about what a grass yard should look like. Bermuda and zoysia go dormant in times of drought and extreme heat, but as soon as the rain returns they green up and look great again!
