Well, we finally broke down and started landscaping the yard in our new home. We're just starting, but we went with two live oaks in the front yard (one in the main part of the front yard and one beside the driveway) and two Crepe Myrtles ( A white and a Queen purple). Now we're looking for a front hedge and a driveway hedge. We're considering Orange Jasmine(white flower) for the front hedge, but we need something with a little more color to line the driveway. Does anyone have any ideas? BTW...I gave in and allowed Tara to pay for someone to put up the privacy fence... Now I have to convince myself to let her spring for an irrigation system.
Live Oaks are slow growing and have tons of pollen. I like broad leaf trees like the Silverleaf Maple. Crepe Mertles will do well, and I recommend Bradford Pears around the edges of the yard...they are a great decorative tree. Good job on the fence......believe me it is the smarter move. DD
Like I have energy for anything else...oh wait...I do!!! TAAA RAAAAA!!! Seriously though, we decided on August Beauty Gardenias to hedge the porch and walkway. Now we just colorful low perennials to line the driveway.
i was getting a little concerned about the phrases "privacy fence" and "let her spring for an irrigation system" used so closely together in a sentence.
Good choices on the trees. As you may recall, I think live oaks are just about the best things in the world. I'm jealous you have two (I haven't planted my tree yet, which will be a sawtoothed oak or a live oak when I get to it). I'm reluctant to get a crepe myrtle because there are already about 8 billion in the Houston area. Too much conformity for me. But then, I think it's really too bad because it is also a great tree/shrub. Interesting form, good bark, nice flowers, winter interest, it has just about everything you can want in a tree. But there are so many of them! I have no advice for the rest of it. Once we're not talking about trees, I get bored pretty quick.
For low maintenence flowering perrenials there are no better choices than Lantana or Pentas and Mexican Heather. Watch your gardenias, they need acidic soil and are extremly subject to white flies. Parsley Hawthorn and Mexican Plums are good small flowering trees in place of Crepes but nothing else is as dramatic or long flowering as a Crepe. I second the ornamental pear choices too, their Fall color is a the best. Purple leaf plums grow well but the color of the foliage can be a positive or a negative.
