Tuesday, December 29, 2015

What Does Winter Landscaping Look Like in the Texas Hill Country? ~ 102

In past weeks we have examined natural plants and flowers that are colorful, adding brightness to our yards and gardens during the winter months in the San Antonio, Kerrville and surrounding areas. There are ornamental and ground cover grasses that keep our landscapes beautiful during colder months as well. Burroughs Landscaping is in the know on the best choices for each part of your lawn and gardens. Some suggestions are:


Landscaping in Texas Hill Country, Kerrville Landscaping

  • Nimblewill - Stays green throughout winter and has a soft, beautiful texture.
  • Seep Muhly - Drought resistant, growing in clumps 6 - 8 inches high with soft seed heads that grow up to 2 feet tall.
  • Lindheimer Muhly - Pretty and popular, this grass may need a little extra water.
  • Canyon Muhly -  This grass is a hybrid between Seep Muhly and Lindheimer Muhly
  • Pine Muhly - This ornamental, drought-resistant grass retains green foliage all winter without trimming.
  • Switchgrass - Requires some extra watering and grows well in large pots, adorning patios, gardens and walkways.
  • Mexican Feather Grass - Retains green foliage and may turn gold with a lot of exposure. The fine texture blows gracefully in a breeze.
  • Grant Sacaton - Popular in West Texas, this drought-resistant grass requires no extra water and sports tall plumes in January.
  • Gulf Muhly - Retains green foliage and may require some extra water, but plumes outstretched blowing in the wind are graceful and beautiful.
  • Pampas Grass - Spectacular plumes in the winter grow large enough to be used as a screen.
  • Cedar Sedge - Slow growing, this grass flourishes well under cedar or oak trees for an evergreen lawn that you do not have to mow very often, if at all.
The knowledgeable team at Burroughs Landscaping enjoys working with you for the perfect plan for your landscape. Their friendly group will guide you in the process of determining which plants and grasses will work best for your wants and needs. Winter is the perfect time to evaluate your yard and gardens and get ready for spring!

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

What Does Winter Landscaping Look Like In the Texas Hill Country? ~ 101

Just because it is wintertime in the San Antonio, Kerrville and surrounding areas does not mean gloomy, colorless days. Burroughs Landscaping enjoys brightening homes and businesses' yards that will be inviting all winter long. Let's look a few of the plants and flowers that are natural to our beautiful area of the state, and are great choices to make your yard look amazing year round.


Texas Hill Country Landscaping in Winter,
  • Ashe Juniper - Male trees produce pollen in cones that begin to drop in January. Female trees produce dark purple berries that are important for wildlife, serving as food for birds, deer and squirrels. Younger branches have patches of silvery bark. As the branches age, the bark will begin to peel, as well as squirrels tearing pieces off strips to use in nests.
  • Varieties of Daisies - Stay green all year, blooming as early as January and into the spring with white and yellow buds.
  • Widows Tears - Evergreen foliage, growing taller in the spring with blue flowers.
  • Texas Aster - In the spring grow taller and bloom in different shades of purple and pink.
  • Salvia - Bloom in the spring with vibrant red flowers.
  • Prairie Golden Rod - Evergreen foliage that grows close to the ground and produces yellow flowers.
  • Winter Jasmine - Blooms with exotic yellow blossoms in winter.
  • Winter Honeysuckles - Flowers with an amazing fragrance in winter.
  • Golden Groundsel - Is a year-round, full, beautiful ground cover that blooms yellow daisies in spring.
  • Mealy Blue Sage - Native to the Texas Hill Country and if the dead growth is removed, it will stay green at the base throughout winter.
  • Prairie Sage - Native herb and ground cover that requires no extra watering and is deer resistant.
  • Salvia Greggii - An evergreen that is popular as it retains flowers throughout winter.
  • Thyme - Deer resistant, growing to 8" tall and one foot across, it can be used for seasoning.
  • Gray Shrub Sage - A tiny bush that is deer resistant and produces vivid blue flowers in summer.
  • Lavender - A  beautiful, low growing evergreen that is deer resistant and can last up to 20 years or longer.
  • Narcissus - A fragrant, fascinating plant that shows off yellow blooms beginning in January through the end of February.
  • Rosemary - Can stand upright or trail over walls, spreading with age and producing vivid blue flowers.
  • Heartleaf Skullcap - Bright, pretty-shaped, evergreen ground cover with elongated stems in growing season.
With the many choices of natural plants and flowers available, our landscapes will be bright and full of color throughout the winter months. Contact Burroughs Landscaping for more information on bringing your outdoor living area to life this winter.

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Colorful Leaves Everywhere but on the Trees?

Are you blessed with many colorful leaves littering your lawn this beautiful fall season? 

Fall in Texas Hill Country
For those of us in Texas Hill Country who love our trees, even though leaves are essential, they can be frustrating as they fall faster than we can decide the best method of disposing of them. Essential nutrients such as magnesium, potassium and nitrogen are supplied by leaves. Leaves supply food and energy to macro and micro organisms through the soil. 

There are some options to consider that will make the most of those pesky leaves blowing around our lawns:
  • Raking the leaves and disposing in a compost bin creates organic fertilizer. Add small amounts of fertilizer and moisture to speed up decomposition. This choice reduces adding to landfills.
  • Raking leaves and disposing in receptacle is an option to straighten your lawn and walks. If you don't have a compost pile, this is one way to allow your grass to breathe through the winter months.
  • Leave your mower out a bit longer and mow the leaves. This option leaves nutrients for your trees and lawn, and can even prevent weed growth through the winter. Depending on the kinds of trees on your property and size of leaves, mow at least once each week to keep fallen leaf population under control. 
If you choose to eliminate leaves yourself, any of the above options is good exercise for the fall months. And what better time to be outside than during cooler weather. Enjoy the break from out hot summer months. Also, Burroughs Landscaping enjoys bringing your property to life in the fall, ridding your lawn of leaves and updating your outdoor living space.  
Share your ideas for disposing of leaves and other fall tips for your lawn!

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving


There is one day a year when food and family take center stage and that day is Thanksgiving.  Families come together across many miles to spend the day eating food prepared from recipes passed down for generations.  It is a time for grateful appreciation of being together and having the comfort of being "home".   Thanksgiving is a time for traditions. The traditions vary from family to family, from city to city, from state to state, but one thing is certain food is always center stage!

A few fun facts about Thanksgiving:

  • President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving in 1863. In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt decided that the holiday should be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in order to extend the holiday shopping by a week as requested by The National Retail Dry Goods Association. This caused controversy since in 1939 there happened to be five Thursdays in November. Two years later, the House of Representatives passed a resolution making the last Thursday in November a legal holiday.  The Senate amended the resolution, setting the date as the fourth Thursday and the House eventually agreed.
  • Macy's was not the first department store to sponsor a Thanksgiving Day parade. Gimbel's, a Philadelphia department store sponsored a parade in 1920. Macy's parade began four years later and has become a Thanksgiving tradition as well as the kick-off to the Christmas shopping season.
  • Domesticated turkeys, which are the ones we traditionally eat on Thanksgiving, cannot fly.  They are also slow with females being a bit faster than the males.  Wild turkeys can fly for short distances at a speed of almost 55 mph!  They also have better vision and hearing than the domestic turkeys.  Benjamin Franklin actually suggested that turkeys be our national bird instead of the bald eagle!
  • The White House has a long history of issuing pardons for turkeys. The practice may have begun when President Lincoln granted a pardon to his son Tad's pet turkey. President Obama pardoned a turkey named courage in 2009.
  • The Pilgrims adopted the Native Americans use of cranberries.  The Native Americans used cranberries in foods such as "pemmican" which was a nourishing, high protein combination of dried deer meat, crushed berries and melted fat.  They used cranberries also as a medicine to treat wounds and as a dye for fabric.  The Pilgrims named it "craneberry" because the drooping pink blooms in the spring reminded them of a crane.
  • The first Thanksgiving was a 3-day harvest feast held by the founders of the Plymouth colony in 1621.  Attending were 53 colonists and 90 Wampanoag.  They feasted mainly on venison, swan, goose, and duck. 

There are several recipes and dishes that are required eating on Thanksgiving.  It is interesting to see how the recipes and names of dishes change depending on the Mason Dixon Line! One the most popular is "dressing" or "stuffing". Southerners call it "dressing" and most Northerners call it "stuffing", although a few Pennsylvanians have "filling" with their turkey.  There is no way to know if the Pilgrims had stuffing at the original feast, but it is likely that combinations of wild game and rice were featured in some way.  Boston cookbooks include stuffing recipes that contain oysters. Mennonite women used left-over mashed potatoes, stale bread, and butter to make their "filling" to serve as a casserole with the main dish of poultry.  

In the south, the dressing is cornbread based.  Many homes serve dressing cooked by a recipe that has been in the family for years.  Some cooks know the recipe by observing their mothers and grandmothers prepare the dish.  It is often hard to find two recipes exactly the same and sometimes a recipe isn't written down.  A grandmother may tell you to use enough broth until it "looks right" or you add a "bit" of salt and "some" stalks of celery.  Perfecting the recipe make take a couple of Thanksgiving failures to get it right!  

Many cooks used what was available to make their dressing or stuffing.  The Pacific Northwest recipes have oysters, clams, and mussels.  The American West cooks developed their own recipes by blending what they liked from the North and the South. San Franciscans took advantage of left-over sourdough bread for their dish. The recipe shared below is an updated version of a traditional stuffing recipe from San Francisco.

San Francisco Stuffing
Serves 16

1 large loaf sourdough bread cut into small cubes ( about 13 cups)
8 links chicken apple sausage
2 large white onions, chopped
5 stalks of celery, chopped
4 tablespoons of butter
6 cups peeled and diced Granny Smith apples
3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon of dried savory
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer cooled cubes to large bowl.
Cut open sausage links remove casing and finely chop meat.  Add 1 tablespoon butter to heavy skillet, heat over medium heat and add sausage.  Saute until browned. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and add to bread.  In the same pan, saute onions and celery until translucent.  Add to bread mixture.  Put remaining butter in the same skillet and saute the apples until soft.  Add apples to bread mixture along with the sage, savory, thyme, pepper, and salt. Gradually add liquid until the bread has absorbed it and the bread cubes have no crunch.  Butter a 15x10x2-inch baking dish, add the stuffing, cover with foil and bake until top is golden brown and crisp, 45 minutes to 1 hour.


This stuffing is very different from most served in this area, but maybe your family would welcome a "new" tradition!

The family of Burroughs Landscaping wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!!!





Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics, and aspirations of each client.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Hosting Little Gremlins for Halloween or Trunk or Treat?

The friendly team at Burroughs Landscaping is ready for some fall weather and celebrating with friends and family.


Ready to enjoy your outdoor living area in cooler temperatures? Taco Soup is easy and can be prepared ahead, leaving the night free to enjoy friends, family and plenty of time for filling those pumpkins that will be making rounds this weekend.



Texas Hill Country, San Antonio, TX
Taco Soup
Taco Soup
  • 1 lb ground beef or turkey
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  •  1 envelope Ranch dressing
  • 1 envelope taco seasoning
  • 2 cans pinto beans
  •  2 cans tomatoes (chopped or diced)
  • 1 can Rotel tomatoes
  • 2 cans corn
  • 1 can hominy
Brown meat and onions. Combine with all other ingredients in large pot. Simmer until warm and enjoy.
Serve with chips, sour cream and grated cheese. Add jalapeno peppers for more spice.  

Share outdoor pictures and stories of your fun with us! 

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Fall Landscaping Tips from Burroughs

Our cooler autumn weather has officially began, how does this impact our Texas Hill Country landscaping?
Texas Hill Country landscaping

Fall is the perfect time to try some new things in your yard. Grab a pencil and pad, and take a walk around your outdoor space. Envision the changes you would like to see. What fall colors do you like?  Look online for plants and trees that you fancy. Burroughs Landscaping can make it all happen! The knowledgeable team will guide you in deciding proper spacing to plant the foliage you choose. There are many beautiful options that are natural to our area. This friendly team will group plants together with the same water and sunlight needs, causing them to thrive together.

Plants such as Texas sage, rosemary, hummingbird bush, Pink Skullcap, Gregs Salvia, Turks Cap and lantanas are all fairly deer resistant and only require small amounts of water. 

Consider having trees planted in the fall. These months are the best time to plant in the Kerrville and San Antonio area, as trees concentrate on root growth and take nutrients from the soil. They will be established for spring's full, leafy, above-ground growth.

Fall is a great time to be in the habit of mulching. Burroughs Landscaping will effectively use mulch that provides the natural nutrients your plants will enjoy through the winter months. Mulch reduces the need to fertilize, helps the soil retain water, reduces weed growth, and protects plant's root systems during cold winter months.

The change of seasons is a great time to have your irrigation systems checked, confirming they are set to run the correct amount of time and are covering the needed areas. Now is the time to decrease the frequency of watering and perhaps increase the time you water your plants.

Burroughs Landscaping will enjoy meeting with you and combining your wishes and dreams with their experience to create your perfect outdoor living area for the season. 

As a nice finishing touch, perhaps adding a little color and some of your own personality, using accent pots and other yard decor. Then, sit back and enjoy your own private retreat with a cup of hot chocolate and your favorite family and friends. Happy Fall Ya'll!!

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Texas Hill Country's Two Favorite Trees...

Burroughs Landscaping guides you in choosing trees and the ideal location in your yard to plant them. 

There are things to consider when purchasing your newest addition, such as:
  • How tall will the tree be when fully grown?
  • How wide will your newest beauty grow?
  • What shape will your adornment grow into?
  • How fast will your lovely grow?
  • Will it lose it's leaves in the winter?
  • What are the requirements for soil, sun and moisture for your healthiest, most beautiful tree?
Some benefits of planting new trees on your property include:
  • Cleaning the air
  • Curbing storm water runoff
  • Raising property values
  • Sequestering carbon
  • Reducing energy costs
The experienced team at Burroughs Landscaping in Kerrville, Texas recommends hardy trees to plant in our Texas Hill Country include the Arizona cypress and California sycamore. 

Arizona Cypress' are native to the Southwestern United States, which makes them the ideal choice for areas including San Antonio, Fredericksburg and the surrounding areas. The Arizona Cypress is an evergreen tree, keeping its foliage year-round. This cypress grows to a height of 40-50' and a spread of 25-30' at maturity. The Arizona Cypress prefers full sun and grows well in acidic, alkaline, sandy and well-drained soils, displaying good drought resistance.

The Arizona Cypress works well as a Christmas tree, growing in a pyramidal shape featuring gray-green, scale-like, soft and aromatic needles. It produces wide, dark reddish-brown cones and develops rough, shredding, gray-brown bark. The seeds are consumed by squirrels, ground squirrels and other rodents.

The California Sycamore grows at a fast rate to a height of 40-100' and a spread of 40-70' at maturity. It is moderately drought-tolerant once well-established and grows well in acidic, alkaline, moist, rich, sandy, well-drained and clay soils and prefers full sun. This majestic native is considered both a shade tree and an ornamental tree, featuring a spreading canopy capable of blocking sunlight and adding beauty to landscaping. 

California Sycamores develop a massive trunk with ashy white bark that peels off to reveal mottled colors of white, tan and brown. The leaves are leathery and large, 6-12" wide, and deep green in color. The sycamore produces tiny green flowers in the spring and small seeds are encased in soft brown balls that are 3/4 - 1 1/4/' in diameter, hanging in groups of 2-7. Best suited for large landscapes, the California Sycamore provides food and nesting sites for birds. It is a food source for the larve of butterflies.

It is beneficial in any environment to add and protect trees. Contact Burroughs Landscaping for their creative ideas to add and preserve precious trees in our area.

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Burroughs Landscaping Loves Trees!

Burroughs Landscaping loves planting new trees and taking care of our existing beauties!


Trees filter our water, Burroughs Landscaping

We all know that trees need water to survive and grow. What we may not be aware of is that water quality and quantity is directly linked to trees. 

Trees filter our water. Trees remove water from the soil, traveling through the vascular system where it is cleaned and released in a fine mist into the air. The water is cleaned as it travels through the vascular system, emitting up to 400 gallons of water in a day!

Water is also filtered as it travels through tree roots and seeps into our groundwater. Research shows that some tree species break down water pollutants including metals, pesticides, and solvents. Tree roots prevent erosion of precious topsoil by stabilizing the soil and dispersing rainfall. 

Tree foliage reduces the amount of water runoff. The water retained on the leaves and stems slowly drips off or evaporates. Tree foliage means water entering the soil, helping to reduce the potential for drought problems. Shade from trees reduces the evaporation of soil moisture, which reduces the need for landscape irrigation. 

What better time than the beginning of a new season to plant new life! Milder soil and air temperatures are excellent conditions for the root systems to begin growing. Our mild Texas Hill Country winters provide the perfect environment for new roots to become established throughout winter months, allowing young trees to be established for hot summer months.

Burroughs Landscaping's friendly, knowledgeable team is happy to meet you and discuss your ideas. Combining your ideas with their experience, they will create a beautiful, natural Texas Hill Country landscape that you will enjoy for years to come.

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Fall is the Perfect Time to Mulch!!

Burroughs Landscaping says the months of September and October are the perfect times to mulch trees and gardens.

Adding mulch in the fall to trees and beds reduces water loss and encourages root growth. Even the smallest amount of mulch, an inch or so, significantly reduces soil temperatures in Texas Hill Country's hot, dry autumns.

Organic Mulch, Inorganic Mulch

Choose between organic and inorganic mulch. Woodchips, pine bark, pecan shells and leaves are a few of the organic mulches. Decomposed granite, rocks and black plastic are examples of inorganic mulch. Both types reduce our still hot soil temperature, plant competition and moisture levels in the soil. 

Organic mulch is Burroughs Landscaping's mulch of choice, with benefits such as increasing soil structure, the capacity to hold water and water infiltration.

In addition to choosing to make your gardens and trees healthier, fall is a great time to spruce up your yard in preparation for the change in the seasons and the quickly approaching holiday season!

The friendly team at Burroughs Landscaping is located in Kerrville but ready to come to you in Fredericksburg, Ingram, Bandera, Boerne and beyond! Burroughs Landscaping is ready to combine their years of experience and your dream of entertaining in your updated, renovated outdoor living area this fall. Contact them today for guidance and watch your yard be transformed!

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Enjoy Your Yard and Gardens this Fall!

Burroughs Landscaping offers tips to help you thoroughly enjoy your yard and gardens.

The knowledgeable team at Burroughs Landscaping will help you plan your yard, choosing plants that will stay hardy in our Texas Hill Country drought conditions. Those of us who love calling the San Antonio and Kerrville area home, need help occasionally choosing plants that need less water and can establish themselves in a landscape quickly. Allowing Burroughs Landscaping to combine their experience with your dreams also keeps your landscape ecologically friendly. While discouraging deer who will eat your lovelies for dinner, you can encourage our bees, butterflies and birds! Burroughs Landscaping will group your plants together, considering each one's individual watering and sunlight needs.

This group at Burroughs Landscaping can also guide you in feeding your plants to gain the most enjoyment from them, keeping them healthy. Burroughs can offer tips on compost and mulch that provide natural nutrients to your plants. Mulch reduces the need to fertilize as well as retaining water in the soil. Mulching in the fall helps protect the root systems in the cold of winter. 

Burroughs Landscaping will review watering needs for your specific lawn, confirming that plants with similar watering requirements are grouped together. In the fall, it is good to confirm the sprinklers are working properly. Are they covering the area? Are they on for the correct length of time? Confirm no water is being wasted watering paved drives or sidewalks. Use ground systems low to the ground, avoiding wasting water spraying into the air and evaporating.

Contact Burroughs today for a fall checkup. They are happy to do as much or as little, offering suggestions to prepare for fall and winter. 

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Deer and Drought Resistant Fall Beauty!

Burroughs Landscaping suggests Autumn sage for a colorful fall in Texas Hill Country!

Drought resistant, Deer resistant

Autumn sage, or Salvia greggii, is drought resistant and provides bright color throughout the fall. This is a great time to plant autumn sage in your garden to enjoy into the winter months. The colors will magically reappear in the spring, and may last throughout the summer each year. If in direct sun, it may be necessary to lightly water weekly in hot summer months for the most colorful blossoms. This vibrant plant brings even more excitement into your yard, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. Growing up to two feet tall and wide, you can be sure to enjoy the multicolored guests who will visit your outdoor living area this fall.

Plant autumn sage in an area with well drained soil. Raised beds, planters and good sized pots are all great choices also. Line a pathway or use as a backdrop to a beautiful perennial bed. After the last frost and after the blossoms fall, prune back to one foot and apply a slow-release fertilizer in the spring. The fertilizer will provide more blooms in the summer. Don't wait too late to prune, or you will be removing next year's blooms. Pruning keeps your autumn sage tidy! 

Native to Texas, autumn sage's tube shaped flowers are available in beautiful colors such as pink, red, white and shades of purple. The bright green foliage is attractive as well and resistant to rabbits and deer! If you don't have autumn sage planted in your yard yet, try one, or two! You will enjoy the low maintenance beauty!

Burroughs Landscaping is happy to meet and discuss other drought and deer resistance lovelies for your gardens. This friendly team is experienced in gardening in Texas Hill Country. Contact them to combine your dreams and their ideas to create your peaceful outdoor retreat!

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Are We Really in Drought?

Drought conditions are a part of living in Texas Hill Country.

In spite of all the rain at the beginning of summer, our normal drought conditions are upon us. If your yard and gardens seem dry, never fear. They are tougher than you may imagine. If you have grass, it may be necessary to water, but be aware of restrictions in your particular area. Once each week should suffice for most grass and plants. Give your landscape the water it needs, but there don't over water. If your gardens contain mostly native plants, there may be little need to water at all!

Adjust your irrigation system to water or plan to use the sprinkler early in the morning or late in the evening hours. Hand watering uses the least amount. This avoids areas that need less water, as well as avoids watering sidewalks and streets. Watch the weather, there may be days that unexpected showers pass through, eliminating the need to water at all. 

When planning a garden, arrange like plants together. This will avoid over watering plants that are more drought tolerant. In fact, too much water can cause pests that love overly hot, moist, dense vegetation. Fire ants, mosquitoes and pill bugs will make their home in your plants and lawns if it is too damp. Fire ants enjoy tropical conditions and can build huge mounds across your yard. Watering a minimum amount can avoid fire ants. Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water in shady and humid places. Over watering thick shrubs and tall grass will provide the perfect environment for mosquitoes to multiply. Pill bugs enjoy humid moist conditions and eat tender green vegetation in landscapes and gardens. 

Allow Burroughs Landscaping to evaluate your landscaping and update with the newest technology in irrigation. The experienced team will make your landscape healthier as well as saving you money and time.

Keep calm and water carefully!!

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Beware of Oak Wilt...

Oak Wilt is caused by a fungus that enters the tree and stops the flow of water and elements by plugging the vessels in the vascular system.


Some species of oaks are more tolerant than others, even though all are susceptible. Red Oaks are highly susceptible while oaks in the White Oak family are more tolerant of an infection. The first symptom in the Red Oak family is an oily green appearance in sections of the tree's canopy, quickly turning a tan or red color. A heavy and rapid shedding of foliage with individual leaves displaying these symptoms is another indication.  However, this may not be the case in the months of February and March, as this is the normal process of leaf shedding during these months. 

Oak Wilt spreads from tree to tree by root-to-root contact as a general rule. Overland spread is another method of possible contamination.  Sap-feeding nitidulid beetles can carry spores from fungal spore mats on a dying Red Oak to a wound on a nearby tree. The spores can infect the tree only if the wound is fresh and created in the previous 24-48 hours. 

Oak Wilt can expand 75 feet or more in a dense group of live oaks. In a rural area, trenching between infected and non-infected trees can eliminate the disease. This is more difficult in an urban area due to underground utilities and other obstructions.

The experienced team at Burroughs Landscaping is knowledgeable on how and when to prune as well as where to plant trees. If there is concern oak trees in your area may be infected, don't hesitate to call Burroughs. Let them determine if there is cause for concern. If so, they will have answers and be able to assist as quickly and easily as possible.

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Look Around You for Ideas in Your Own Yard ~ 102

Burroughs Landscaping encourages us to look at our surroundings and use nature's ideas in our own yards.

Texas Hill Country is a beautiful area to live in. We may tend to take for granted our surroundings. Day to day, trip after trip, the landscape tends to blend into our lives. Pay attention the next few weeks, and as seasons change. Use the sights you see to guide you in the transformation of your own yard and gardens.
Outdoor Living Area, Burroughs Landscaping
Recently a friend who had never been to Texas visited and was amazed at the different types of flowers and plants, and especially how incredible the landscaping can look, while remaining virtually maintenance free! She was excited to go back to her home state and immediately begin overhauling her yard, making it cheaper to maintain, less work and remaining beautiful the whole time! 

Burroughs Landscaping has solutions for every outdoor space including homes and businesses. With their materials, amazing yards can be renewed without using grass, saving expensive weed killer, watering, etc. Use what we already have plenty of ~ Rocks! Burroughs can transform your whole yard into an amazing garden. Small pebbles and rocks make interesting designs, while our larger rocks can be transformed into borders and walls. A lovely rock wall entices beautiful butterflies and our other outdoor friends to seek shelter. 

Burroughs Landscaping will evaluate the type of soil around your home. This is helpful when choosing from the many kinds of beautiful plants that will thrive in our area. Natives that enjoy the heat and drought will provide many years of beauty. 

Burroughs Landscaping loves to share their knowledge and years of experience with you to create your dream outdoor living area.

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Friday, July 17, 2015

Look Around You for Ideas in Your Own Yard ~ 101

Burroughs Landscaping reminds us to take a look around our beautiful countryside!

If you haven't taken time to stop and look around outside lately, do it now! We tend to get caught up in everyday life and take for granted the beauty that surrounds us everyday. One of my favorite places is under an umbrella at the ocean watching the waves roll in and baby seagulls make their way through the sand. But, I've often wondered if I lived there, would I get caught up in everyday life, working and running errands and miss the beauty after awhile. Would it just become background?? I would hope not, but I've asked people who live on the coast and their response is...regretfully, yes.  
Rock walls, Rock Borders, Burroughs Landscaping

With that being said, look around at the landscape that surrounds us everyday. Watch as you drive to work, or take the kids to the ballpark. Here in Texas Hill Country, we have some of the most beautiful, peaceful views there are. While you hear words that may sound negative to describe our landscapes like "drought", or "deer resistant", living in our gorgeous area of the country is definitely a far cry from negative! Take a weekend drive through some of our countryside and admire the flowering bushes, the interesting cacti, and yes, even the amazing formation of rocks. Take pictures to reflect and gain ideas. Take a picnic, or even overnight bag and enjoy the scenery. Notice the passes cut through in your daily commute and continue to be amazed how the earth is formed and how beautiful the layers of rock are.
Begin your adventure and work your way through our gorgeous region. Boerne offers hiking trails and back roads. On the way to Bandera, you will be in awe as you see rugged limestone hills and paths along river valleys. Arrive in Kerrville, there will be no disappointment in the natural scenic beauty. With parks and outdoor festivals, there is plenty to do, but be sure and remember to see as well! You may just spot the perfect new flower you've been searching for to add to your garden. Continue your scenic drive to Ingram, watching for natural plants and flowers nestled along the back roads. Ready for more panoramic views? Carry on to Hunt, TX. Observe the architecture from German immigrant stone influence to old style southern architecture. Take pictures to mimic in your own garden at home. Don't miss Fredericksburg in your exploration, as it boasts Enchanted Rock. The amazing blue Texas sky is quite a site. If you climb to the top, explore local plants, trees and flowers. Remember these when you return home, create a natural retreat right in your own backyard!

Burroughs Landscaping loves sharing their knowledge and years of experience with you to create the yard and gardens you dream about, creating lovely scenery in your own backyard!

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Landscaping with Pets

Burroughs Landscaping cares about your four legged family members too!

Xeriscaping Burroughs

When you are planning your new outdoor living area, yard and gardens, take into consideration your pets. Their needs, habits and wants are vital to their livlihood but always remember safety first. 
  • Burroughs Landscaping is pet friendly and can suggest plants, trees and flowers that not poisonous if you have a puppy romping around chewing whatever it fancies. 
  • Provide covered shelter for your four legged friend. Incorporate a lovely pergola or cheerful gazebo for him to nap in the shade, or escape from rain. Who knows? You may enjoy a quiet rain shower with him.
  • Leaving the fence area clear of plants allows your dog to be in protective mode, patrolling the perimeter. (This also allows him to be closer to the neighboring dog to put his two cents worth in when the barking begins!)
  • Pavers or stepping stones protect new plants and flowers. There is a chance Rover may actually stay on the path, avoiding trampling your new beauties! The experienced team at Burroughs Landscaping can recommend pet tolerant plants with soft foliage, such as fountain grass or plumbago, that are still sturdy enough to withstand some occasional frolicking.
  • Avoid roses and cactus, as they are thorny and prickly and can cause injuries to a pet's eyes.
  • Consider temporary fencing around new beds until the plants become established. When it seems your fur baby is avoiding the area, remove the fence. Adding a border of rock can discourage them from exploring in your flowers. 

The Burroughs Landscaping team all have pets, and want yours as safe and happy as theirs! Allow them to offer suggestions to make your outdoor living area enjoyable for all of your family members, even your furry ones!

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Time to Update Your Landscape?

If your landscape has remained unchanged for several years it may be time to contact Burroughs for some updates!

Call Burroughs Landscaping for a consultation. Knowledgeable, experienced and friendly, they offer as much or as little as you may want and need. There are several things to take into consideration, and they will guide you in your new adventure. Perhaps you want a small garden, or an area for entertaining, or are ready for a complete renovation! Consider how you have been using your yard, then decide how you want to use the space in the future. Perhaps you are interested in entertaining and using a portion of the area for outdoor living to grill, entertain or just for quiet personal space.
Depending on which part of Texas Hill Country you live in, the soils are different. Some areas have moisture-retaining, clay like soil, other areas have thin, rocky soils. This will determine which plants will thrive in your particular space. 

The team at Burroughs will help you choose plants that will thrive in the different sections of your yard. A large inventory of various plants, shrubs, flowers and trees can transform your yard. Relocating an existing plant may possibly give it a whole new look. 

Where does the sun rise and set over your yard and gardens? Many plants require full sun and thrive in the heat, others not so much. Moving or adding plants in the appropriate areas may provide a surprise! If a certain plant has been in the shade and is moved to a sunny area, it may flourish as never before!

If you have an irrigation system, it may be necessary to make changes. Watering needs may change with the addition or movement of plants. If turf has been replaced with stone or hardscaping, less irrigation will be necessary.

Contacting Burroughs Landscaping is the first step toward improving your outdoor area. You will not be disappointed in your dreams as they become reality.

Burroughs Landscaping offers outstanding service and innovative ideas with landscaping tailored to Xeriscaping in Hill Country Texas. The experienced team enjoys landscaping in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram, Fredericksburg, Boerne, Bandera, Comfort, San Antonio and Mountain Home. Burroughs works with home owners, builders and general contractors and considers the location, topography, aesthetics and aspirations of each client.