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Drought Resistant Landscaping Tips for Frisco and North Texas

By July 26, 2023December 14th, 2023Homeowner Tips, Judi's Blog
Drought-Resistant Landscaping | The Judi Wright Team | Top Frisco Realtor

Quick Guide for Drought Resistant Landscaping Ideas in Frisco, Texas

The dry heat of summer can be harsh! That’s were drought resistant landscaping comes in. These summer heat waves are quickly becoming the norm in North Texas and the U.S. in general! This heat makes it tough on people and brutal to greenery such as lawns and landscaping.

The best landscaping designs are those that are easy to maintain, use readily available resources, and require less water.

Here is a quick planning guide to keeping beautiful, lasting landscaping resistant to our warm summer conditions in Frisco, Texas, and all surrounding areas of North Texas and beyond.

Drought Resistant Landscaping Tips

A Beautiful Landscape Starts with Great Soil

Not all soils are created equal in warm, dry climates. Try these soil ‘enhancements’ to help your drought-resistant landscaping flourish.

  • Look for soils designed for plants such as cacti, succulents, palms, or citrus. Mix this in with your current soil and all-purpose garden soil.
  • If you can plan far enough ahead, mix in old leaves from the fall with your soil to create a moist compost. If leaves are not an option until next year, plenty of other additives are available to ensure your soil can collect water well. Manure, peat moss, bark, sawdust, wood shavings, grass clippings, and kitchen vegetable trimmings are all excellent materials to mix with soil.
  • Protect with mulch. After achieving nutrient-rich dirt with the last steps, top it off with a 3-inch layer of mulch. Mulch helps keep moisture from evaporating from the soil, helps regulate temperature, and prevents weeds. Sloped areas are optimal for plants and mulching as more water will soak into the ground.

Choose Low-Water, Low Maintenance Plants

There are so many plants that can thrive in a dry environment. Being drought-resistant doesn’t mean you are stuck with a dull, colorless landscape. There are many ornamental grasses and flowering plants that make for great garden ideas. Be sure to note the water needs of each species of plant and strategically group those with similar water requirements. Here are some great drought-resistant plants to consider:

Drought-resistant Grasses

  • Little Bluestem
  • Fountain grass
  • Blue Oat grass
  • Purple Fountain grass
  • Blue Fescue
  • Pampas grass
  • Pink Muhly grass
  • Dymondia
  • Zoysia grass

Drought-resistant flowers

  • Black-eyed Susan
  • Ice Plant
  • Tickseed
  • Salvia
  • Lantana
  • Blanket flower
  • Zinnia
  • Sunflower

Quick TIP – Choose plants of varying heights to create drama.

Saving Lawns and Water Bills – One Rain Barrel at a Time

Did you know that Frisco, Texas, has an annual Rain Barrel Program? It’s typically around spring before the seasonal rains. In partnership with Rain Water Solutions, Inc., you can purchase one of these rain barrels at a discounted price. It’s just one of the many ways the City of Frisco helps residents save on water.

And why wouldn’t they, since the average roof collects 600 gallons of water for every inch of rain.

Rain barrels are an excellent way to make your landscaping sustainable and affordable. Although, there are a few specifics to consider before purchasing a rain barrel.

  • Do you want gutters to feed into your barrel?
  • Do you want a freestanding barrel?
  • Do you have a sloped yard to discreetly place a barrel at the bottom to catch water flow?
  • Do you want a spout or hose attachment from your barrel?
  • Are you okay with dipping a water pitcher into your barrel?

Along with the above feature considerations, you should also consider safety before purchasing.

  • Rain barrels should be clean and free from any harmful chemicals
  • Rain barrels need a screen over the opening to keep mosquitos out
  • Don’t use water from rain barrels for cooking
  • If the water starts to smell, you can add vinegar to help keep it clean

When to Water and How Frequently

The timing of your watering routine can make a difference in how plants perform. Lawn and garden plants do best when watered early in the morning before temperatures get high and the weather conditions are mild.

However, research shows potted plants do best if watered in the afternoon or early evening. Be sure your potted plants get shade, or you might need to water them multiple times throughout the day.

Purchase a moisture meter to prevent overuse of water resources when your soil does not need attention.

No Maintenance Landscape Designs

Perhaps taking care of grasses, flowers, and shrubbery isn’t where you want to focus your efforts. Regardless, you can create stunning, low, or no-maintenance alternatives for your front and backyard.

  • Embrace hardscaping! Concrete, decorative stone, pavers, and bricks require very little upkeep and all make beautiful rock gardens. Place irregularly shaped rocks to pave an attractive path or border to make them a focal point along with your drought tolerant plants. Together they create curb appeal when combined to make garden art. Spend time enjoying your relaxing outdoor living rather than maintaining it.
  • Manufactured gravel works best for high-traffic areas as it offers more stability for footing. Organic, natural stones are best for looks, not pathways. Leave gaps between pavers to provide spots for water to soak into the ground.
  • Think outside the box with outdoor rugs, a beach-themed area, or create a curtained cabana feel on your back deck.
  • Complement your hardscape with spots of artificial grass to keep some lush areas for play. Artificial grass has come a long way in its feel and durability. It won’t stain your children’s clothes and requires no maintenance, sun, or rain.

Make Landscaped Areas into Functional Living Spaces

There are also other ways to dress up hardscaped areas. Outdoor dining furniture, fire pits, hammocks, statues, seating areas, and outdoor lighting heighten backyard living spaces.

Also, fountains and other water features are a good choice. While a water feature may seem odd for drought-resistant landscaping, many are designed to capture and reuse water.

Plus, if you capture water in a rain barrel, you’ll have a natural water supply to keep it full. See several inspiring landscape ideas.

Final Thoughts

Moving to drought-resistant landscaping can provide significant benefits for water conservation, adding curb appeal, reducing maintenance and cutting excessive water bills during hot summers.

Do you need help with your landscape design or installation? Give us a call at 214-597-2985 — we have many fabulous landscape companies listed in our Annual Service Directory we’d love to share with you.


About the Judi Wright Team

Judi Wright, The Judi Wright Team, is a real estate group specializing in Frisco, Plano, and the surrounding areas and the suburbs of Dallas. Named the “Best Realtor in Dallas” by D Magazine 17 times and a Five Star Realtor with Texas Monthly 13 times. Judi is also a Company-Wide Top Performer with Ebby Halliday, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate.

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