Rock and Stone ~ Beautiful and Low Maintenance

Landscaping with rock and stone to accompany plants and trees, or to use as stand-alone elements can be a refreshing way to add texture, color, and interest to your lawn in Hill Country, Texas. With common drought conditions, this is a great low maintenance, permanent, attractive solution.

There is a difference between stone and rock. Technically a stone has been exposed to weather or water near the earth's surface for a long period of time, while rocks come freshly broken from a larger mass below ground, most typically by blasting them out at a quarry.

Stonescapes need not be enormous. Planters and large containers that combine attractive stones with succulents are always stunning. Use specimen stones to reflect light from solar lanterns on your deck or patio.

Stone can have a strong unifying influence on the landscape year-round, a powerful and practical element in any scene. Take time to envision what you want the area to look like in two to three years, mindful that the stone will become visually dominant in winter. Ideally, you want to create scenes in which you cannot tell which came first, the garden or the stone. It should look and feel as if the stone emerged from the ground, and all you did was collect the best pieces and put them in order, as humans have been doing for thousands of years. Landscaping with stone and rock can make your lawn or patio a beautiful creation. 

So if you are ready to dress up your lawn or patio, let Burroughs Landscaping help you make your visions and ideas come true.

By Peggy Cunningham

Deer Resistant Plants and Flowers – 102

When thinking deer resistant plants and flowers, several come to mind. None are guaranteed, as a hungry deer will eat whatever is available. However, there are options that are they are less likely to try. Deer tend to stay away from more fragrant and prickly plants and their instinct keeps them away from poisonous.

Growing up to 6 feet tall, Agaves add beautiful, ornamental drama to your yard, taking heat and drought well, meaning low maintenance. Despite agaves looking similar to cacti, or even aloe, they are not related. The plants are perennial but after blooming, the flowers die. Some species are known by the name century plant. A favorite type is the Queen Victoria selection. Some varieties have sharp edges, so choose carefully.

Blanket Flowers grow up to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Perennial blooms brighten up your garden all summer long, lasting into fall. Blanket flowers are low maintenance, loving full sun and well drained soil. The bright orange, yellow or red flowers will bring even more color into your yard as butterflies are attracted to the bright blooms.

Lavender is also a great choice for our area as it requires full sun and well drained soil. A perennial shrub, up to three feet tall and four feet wide, lavender is not only beautiful, but smells heavenly too. Placing lavender along a walkway or in a garden with a seating area allows the most benefit from this beautiful multi-purpose plant. Dried lavender blooms can be used as a seasoning in the kitchen, edible garnishments and brewing teas. The darker the blooms, the more fragrant and intense in flavor it becomes.

Purple coneflower is as lovely as it is tough. This perennial is so easy to grow in any sunny spot. It will bloom through summer into the fall, drawing butterflies and birds. It is low maintenance, spreading easily and is not bothered by pests. Its daisy looking flowers make it a great choice if you enjoy cut flowers brightening your home.

These are a few ideas to start with. Burroughs Landscaping in Kerrville, Texas has an endless list of choices that are perfect, both beautiful and low maintenance, for our hot summers.