From wasted space to a Monarch waystation! Love that this client wanted to incorporate an area of her property to support the Monarch migration (and loads of other species in turn!) 🐛🦋🐝 I incorporated a rock path to direct drainage, and utilized TONS of different plants in this area to get as much bloom time and diversity as possible🌻 This garden is 100% Texas native and will undoubtedly support hundreds of different species as it grows up and in. Obviously the staple here is *native* milkweed (NOT tropical) — Antelope Horns, Swamp, and Showy milkweed seeds are all hiding in the soil and we’ll track their progress here over the next few years as they get established. I use @nativeamericanseed for any seed sowing! Other fun plants include Goldenrod, Aster, Blanketflower, Blue Mistflower, Salvia farinacea, Coneflower, Liatris, Lindheiemer Muhly, and Little Bluestem, amongst many others 🌾🌿 And good news! You can see this garden in person on May 21st as part of the White Rock East Garden Tour 🥳 follow @whiterockeastgardentour to keep up with the deets and snag tickets when they’re available! #blueribbonlady #dallas #dallastx #eastdallas #dallaslandscapedesigner #nativelandscapedesign #texasnativeplants #nativetexasplants #texasgarden #dallasgarden #northtexasgardening #plantnative #nativeplantsofnorthamerica #gardendesign #landscapedesign #gardensofinstagram #dallashomes #dallaslove #greendallas #plantnatives #dallasbusiness #womanowned #gardeninspo #butterflygarden #butterfly
Happy patio season! 🌿 Here’s a beautiful example of how to make the most of a small space. We transformed what was previously a gross strip of Asian Jasmine into a clean, usable garden area — complete with these badass planters 🌿 Not only do the planters provide a lush backdrop, they also serve to create some privacy from the street. I used Fatsia japonica, purple Oxalis, and Lamb’s Ear for these (mostly) shady spots ☁️ Our homeowner is thrilled (obviously 💁🏼♀️) and already planning out his next project! We’re thinking hanging baskets and an herb wall ☺️ What’s next on your garden project list?
Look who decided to show up to the party! 🌿 Mexican Plum & Eastern Redbud —> the best pairing in Texas if you ask me. These small trees are the first to bloom in early Spring, don’t need much water, and can tolerate a decent amount of sun or shade 🌳 Together, they create a beautiful pink and white palette of flowers on their bare branches ☺️ If that doesn’t scream Spring, I don’t know what does. And just your annual reminder: DO NOT plant Bradford Pears 🚫 Always go with Mexican Plum — it is a far better choice, gives the same flowers, and doesn’t smell like rotten fish 🤢 Not to mention it’s native to Texas, has better pollinator benefits, and doesn’t split right down the middle over time. Happy Spring!
✨CHAMPS✨As anyone in Texas is well aware, things got a tad chilly a few weeks ago. There has been extensive plant loss all across the region, and we won’t know the extent of the damage for a few more months. It has been a mad house over here at Blue Ribbon Lady as we’re checking on gardens, trying to catch up on projects that got put on hold, and determining how to move forward after the freeze. Will we experience this again in our lifetime? Will these temperature swings become regular occurrences? We don’t know. And that makes it difficult to operate our business with integrity — using plants we KNOW thrive in our region. We’re asking a lot of our plants: survive and look beautiful in temperatures that range from -2 to 115. How absurd a thing to expect! And yet — here we have some examples of just that. These photos were taken less than a week after the freeze — yes, that Four Nerve Daisy has bloomed every day since we put it in the ground. Agave Parryi and Sotol both looking like nothing even happened. Granted, these plants have loving parents who watered before the freeze, covered them during, and let them breathe when temperatures got above freezing during the day. But I was so worried about this garden given that it’s been in the ground less than a year. Obviously there was no need — these guys are true champs and passed this ridiculous test our climate has put them through ✨
Officially completed this Hill Country inspired beauty! 🌅 To be fully truthful, this was a tough one when we first set out. Looking at the before photos (swipe) left us all scratching our heads a bit, trying to figure out how to position everything in this space. We knew we wanted to take some concrete out and reconfigure the space to obscure the French doors a bit from the street, create a living space, and include plants that tied together with the rest of the front yard (and were pollinator friendly!) Then there was an added request for a fountain, which took this design to the next level! After much staring, thinking, and drawing — it all came together, culminating in this beautiful end product! I couldn’t be happier with how this turned out — the stonework, Palo Verde tree, rock fountain, etc. all work together beautifully. I can’t wait to come see it this summer when all the native perennials are in bloom, grasses are bushy, and word spreads amongst local wildlife about this new watering hole 🦋🐝🐦🦉Plants used: Grey Santolina, Salvia greggii, Palo Verde, Gulf Muhly, Seep Muhly, Winecup, Gregg’s Blue Mistflower, Salvia Azure, Rock Rose, Agave parryi, Vanzie Agave 🌸🌾🌵
Custom trellis is up in Casa Linda 🖤 True to form, Felix helped destroy all the packaging (great little helper he’s turning out to be) and husband lent a hand with drilling the 30 holes necessary for holding this beast up. Thrilled with how it turned out! Next are those cement bowl planters... 😉 Lastly, huge thanks to @coastalmetalartdesign for working with me on the trellis — couldn’t be happier!
Tree planting season is upon us! 🌳 Did y’all know that now (winter) is the best time to plant trees in Texas? Heavier rainfall and cooler temps give tree roots a chance to establish themselves before the brutality of summer hits 🔥 I’d also like to quickly explain what is happening at the house pictured. Problem: bright lights from shopping center + bamboo taking over + rotting tree + wires over the fence line 😬 so many obstacles! But it’s ok — we developed a plan that will pan out in a few phases. First, we got narrow, evergreen trees in the ground that will eventually create a screen. They need TIME! 🕰 Second, we’ll remove all the bamboo, cut down the dying tree, and clean up the fence line once the trees get big enough to help ease the transition. Screening can be tricky when you have old/dying bits and want to update it to something more attractive. My method is to create a new line (in front of behind), give it time to grow, and then cut down the old once you’re happy with the size of the new trees. It takes a few years, but in my opinion, it is the most prudent, long lasting option 👍🏼
Always so fun seeing a project go from concept to completed! 🏡 This one is another East Dallas home that needed a major refresh. The homeowners wanted a “contemporary cali-style” garden (speaking my language) 🏄♀️🌾 While I can’t give you an olive tree, I can do a Desert Willow; I can sub a salvia & skullcap for a lavender; and we have tons of great grasses to choose from here in Texas! 🌾 The point I want to make is this: Texas has a plethora of different plant material to work with — inspiration from other gardens is great, and a good landscape designer should be able to take that inspiration and give you a garden with plants that actually work where you live 🌱 Far too often I see landscapers just try to carbon copy gardens from different ecosystems. I’m often approached by other landscapers who shove a phone in my face to ask the type of plant in a photo that’s clearly from a completely different state or country. So instead (don’t ever do that FYI) let’s take ALL the inspiration from beautiful gardens around the world, and then turn to our native plants here in Texas to see how they can be used in a design that speaks to us while honoring our space and environment 🌻 It’s possible, y’all. Get creative, or hire someone who is.
Celebrating the beauty of the winter landscape in Dallas 🌾 Flowers and green are certainly pretty, but I’ve come to enjoy the earthy tones that force our focus onto the textures and shapes that our native plants have to offer 🍂
B E F O R E // A F T E R • I don’t think there’s any doubt about how beautiful this house is — the landscaping on the other hand? Questionable. Actually, quite horrible. It always amazes me how much of an afterthought landscaping can be in the home remodeling industry. It’s the first thing people see, and having curb appeal has a huge return on investment. Yet, there is a tendency to hire inexperienced, non-designers to throw in whatever shrubs happen to be available at Home Depot 🤦🏼♀️ Fortunately for this project, we came along and designed a lush and colorful landscape that does justice to the streamlined beauty of the house 🌻 Come Springtime, the Japanese Maples and Beautyberries will leaf out, perennials will pop up, and this garden will be buzzing with life.
🖤 Casa Linda 🖤 Where do I even begin on this one? I already know I’m not going to fit it into one, so I’m going to space out my ramblings across a few posts this week ☺️ • Some of you may know this, but Blue Ribbon Lady was born in Casa Linda 🏡 Dione has lived here for 30 years, and I (Evo) was born and raised here 🌳 It’s always a little more special when we get to do a project so close to home. This one in particular was a ton of fun — so I want to unpack it a bit more in detail. Hold tight as I’ll be posting more photos and videos in the coming days! Here’s a peak at the (mostly) final product 👀
🐆 🌱 Leopard Plant 🐆 🌱 Do y’all attribute personality traits to plants? Or is that just me? Regardless, all hail the MOST dramatic plant I have yet to encounter 💁🏼♀️ You know that friend that will tell you exactly how they’re feeling at all times — that’s the Leopard Plant 🌱 Too cold? Withered. Too dry? Droopy. Too much sun? Pale. While they might seem high maintenance, I value that they’ll let you know if they’re not happy well before they’re in any actual danger ☺️ Shade loving, heat loving, water loving — when put in the right conditions, these guys THRIVE in our Dallas climate 💧 Humidity is their middle name. And added bonus: the bloom during the winter! 🌼 providing a much needed pollen source for our little bee friends 🐝
Let’s talk about grasses for a moment 🌾 Dallas sits in the ecological region known as Blackland Prairie — which means we have a LOT of grasses that call this city home 🖤 There are four species referred to as “the big four” and they make up a significant portion of our native land (that’s still intact, which isn’t much) 🌅 While they’re incredibly rare in the home landscape, they’re all quite beautiful and very low maintenance. Pictured is the most widely available, Little Bluestem 💙 Icy blue in spring and summer, he turns this beautiful coppery color in Fall with seed heads persisting through most of the winter. They prefer to live in full sun ☀️on rain water💧only. The only maintenance piece is cutting them back in February. Sitting at about 3 ft. tall and wide, he is perfect for the native home garden! 🏠🌾
Japanese Maples are quite popular here in Dallas, and with good reason 🍁 Just take a look at this Crimson Queen with her fiery red foliage! 👑 Although they aren’t native (obviously), they typically perform quite well if given the right conditions. Shade ☂️ water 💧 space ↔️ and slightly acidic soils 🧪will do them well. Popular varieties include Bloodgood, Coral Bark, and Crimson Queen — tell me your favorites!
🌿 Evergreens 🌿 One element of garden design that I often see overlooked is the winter state of the garden. Of course it’s all down to preference, but most of us would rather have something present for the winter months ❄️ Personally, I almost always start designs with evergreens and work my way out to ensure that I won’t be stranding the garden to barrenness for 4 months ☠️ This garden is made up of about 90% evergreens and the contrast in shape and texture is a year round stunner 🥰 I want to hear from y’all on this one — drop your favorite go-to evergreens below! 🌿
🌺 Hardy Hibiscus 🌺 I snapped this photo a few weeks ago at a client’s house, amazed to still be getting blooms in November. Hibiscus continues to surprise me in its versatility — it has officially broken out of the “plants that go next to a pool” category in my mind 🌴 Here in North Texas, they perform surprisingly well in part shade 🌥 while making themselves feel right at home in non-tropical themed gardens. This beauty was planted this past Spring and managed to grow well over 6 ft. in her first year 🌿 What a showstopper 😉
Howdy everyone! I’ve been MIA on here for a bit, but hopefully we’ll be back the regularly scheduled programming 📺🌿 — Now that winter annuals are all planted, I’m back to putting in new gardens 😊 We’ve got some fun ones in the works this winter that I’m excited to share! — First up, we dodged the rain today and got to make this little front yard transformation happen — swipe through to see the before pics 😬 Not shown in the photos are the massive amounts of Crepe Myrtle roots that were lining the front of the house. They are ruthless, and took about half the day to remove, but I’d say the final product is well worth it! 🌾🌸🌾
Angelonia striking a pose 😘 it’s that time of year where we’re changing out annuals at the speed of light ⚡️ Beauties like this have reached their peak, and in their place will be pansies, greens, and cyclamen 🌺 Posts have been sparse as we’re trying to keep up! But I wanted to pop in and give a huge shoutout to our awesome team 😊 We’re operating more crews than ever and they’ve been so patient with me as I attempt to coordinate and manage all the insanity. Cheers to the work fam! 🖤
Check out the completion of our Sunnyvale project! 🖤 This space underwent quite the transformation from its former life as a giant patch of Bermuda grass 😌 I can’t even express how happy I am with how this came together, and I’m looking forward to coming back regularly to see everything GROW and fill in! 🌸 —— I created a berm in the middle of the garden, which works as a focal point for the space by bringing height to an otherwise flat plane 🌾 Pea gravel pathways wind in and around the garden, lined with moss rock boulders ⛰ And then of course, TREES 🌳🌲🌳 We planted EIGHT of them to (one day) give this space some added height! ⬆️ —— And naturally, I planted natives galore! Native grasses, perennials, and trees combined beautifully with some good natured foreigners (adapted plants) to merge the residential landscape with the pasture behind 🌾 —— Spot some plants you like? Name ‘em if you know ‘em! 🌿🌾🌼
Amy’s pumpkin game still going strong 🎃 Adding a Fall doorscape service to our repertoire this year has brought me so much joy! 🥰 So, so thankful for the wonderful clients who have let us dress up their entry — I feel it brings so much warmth to not only the homeowners, but all the passersby to soak up the Fall season 🍂
Hardy Hibiscus 🌺 Sadly had to chop this one back to the ground to transplant it to a client’s new home — but fortunately resulted in this beauty! 🌸 We’ve been going 100 mph trying to knock out these color change outs 🥵 I haven’t had much time to put towards photos or ig, but we’re still here doing our thing! 🌿 Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather and ushering in Fall with (insert fav Fall activity) 🍁
🍁FALL IS HERE🍁 which means it’s time for pumpkins! 🎃 And I can’t talk about pumpkins or Fall decor without doing a heartfelt shoutout to Amy 🧡 Back in March I got connected to Amy because COVID had wrecked her floral design business. Through that misfortune, she came on staff here at Blue Ribbon Lady and started learning the landscape business. Lo and behold, her floral design skills have come in handy! 🍂 We’re so excited to be offering Fall doorscapes this year with Amy leading up the designs 🖤 She has done beautiful work for a number of our clients already, and we’re taking orders! @floralintegration
Late summer into Fall has to be one of the best times for Texas gardens 🌸 Temps have cooled off a bit and summer bloomers are giving us one last show while Fall bloomers make their appearance. Here is a peek into Dione’s personal garden, a showcase of English style gardening. I want to hear from y’all — what are your favorite fall bloomers? What’s still blooming in your garden?
A beautiful example of native prairie land that I have the pleasure of visiting — this time it’s covered in purple liatris 💜 here’s to a little bit more of this, and a little bit less lawn 🌾
In response to my lamentations over the use of Bermuda grass, I thought I’d share my absolute favorite alternative — 🌾 BUFFALO GRASS 🌾 This is from a project I did back in May, and it was the first time I’ve installed a buffalo grass lawn ☝️ First requirement: awesome, open-minded homeowners. ✌️Second, appreciation for native landscapes and a bit of patience. Also you’ll need sun ☀️ But man, I’m so thrilled with how it’s turned out! I’ll take this over a traditional lawn any day. This has never been mowed and only watered supplementally through its first summer. Starting now, it will require ZERO irrigation, ZERO fertilizer, and mowing only 1-2x per YEAR. Talk about low maintenance 💁🏼♀️ Plus it’s native and gorgeous — ready, set, convert your lawns! • (For those who are concerned, the neighbors all LOVE it and compliment my clients regularly)
Someone had a really big first day on the job! 🌿 I’d like everyone to meet the newest member of our crew — Felix! 🐶 He’s about 2 months old and already getting the hang of things. I haven’t quite figured out what his job title is... or what his responsibilities will be... but we’re all glad he’s here! 🖤
I had the pleasure of revisiting one of our Lake Highlands projects from earlier this year 💚 We installed these gardens in March, and you can already see how much growth they’ve experienced! 🌱 I combined quite a few natives with some adapted shrubs and annual color to create this bright, fun, Texas garden 🌼 Some of my plant choices include: Agave americana, Gulf Muhly, Texas Sage, Henry Duelberg Salvia, Blackfoot Daisy, and Colorguard Yucca 💛
This is Bermuda grass removal — potentially the most arduous part of our job. I don’t hate many things, but Bermuda grass is a special exception 😡 I don’t blame homeowners at all for having it (it’s widely used and cheap), but this is going to be my call for us as a community to STOP 🛑 It’s highly invasive, gets into our wild areas, and is incredibly difficult to remove. And before anyone says it — tillers, layered cardboard, or not watering don’t get rid of it 🌾 Even bobcats have a difficult time getting it up correctly. The roots go down 3-6in and you have to get everly last bit for it not to keep popping up 🥴 But in good news, our crew is thorough and this beautiful area is going to turn into one huge garden! 🌻 I couldn’t be more excited! 🌿 Tell me all your Bermuda horror stories below 🙃
I may or may not have let slip some exciting information in my stories today 😬 Also exciting is how gorgeous this American Beautyberry is in the Fall! 💜 These are quite large shrubs and perform very well in the shade ☁️ They’re also native, low water, and a fantastic food source for birds 🐦 Highly recommend for those shady areas of the garden! 🌿 And drop me a line if you manage to find the exciting news in my stories! 📝 If you’re completely uninterested in me rambling on about shade gardens you can skip to the end 😉
👆Very in love with this combo right here! 💕 Salvia greggii, Zexmenia, and Gregg’s Blue Mistflower make quite the showstopper in late summer/Fall 🌼 and guess what? THEY’RE ALL TEXAS NATIVES 🤠🌿 One of the reasons (among many) that I love these plants is that they all have very long bloom times. You’ll easily get 6+ months of color from these hardy, low-water perennials 🌸 check out my recent story to hear a bit more about them and how I’ve used them in my personal test garden at home!
Check out these #blueribbonlady Red Spider lilies!
Minimalism 🌵 In complete and utter contrast to my last few posts, here is an example of a modern garden that highlights negative space ⬜️▫️◽️ The homeowners requested we use cacti, agave, and grasses in a more natural pattern (ie not in straight rows) while still spacing everything in such a way that it didn’t feel crowded 🌾 🌵 🌾 We set the whole thing in Black Tejas and softened it up a tad with some ground cover sedum. Completely different, yet still beautiful 🖤
One of the challenges (in a good way!) of being a residential landscape designer is understanding people when they don’t know how to say what they want 🤷🏼♀️ You certainly have to have a knack for it if you’re going to design anything for anyone, but I find it hilarious how many opinions people (do or don’t) have about plants 🌱 • One of the words that gets thrown around when I talk to people is “messy.” To some, the image of overflowing flowers and grasses is a dream! 🌼🌸 While to others, I can see the panic/dislike start to bubble up. Then it comes out — “that’s too messy” 🌾 As a designer, I get it. I can absolutely create a streamlined, everything in its place garden. Evenly spaced agaves? I got you 🌵🌵🌵 • But left to my own devices, you will end up with what I call, “a mess of flowers” 🌻🌺🌷 I’m all about a natural look that replicates the wild with things fighting over each other for sunlight. Just say the word, and I’ll turn your front yard into a prairie ☺️ Here, I didn’t go full on prairie, but I did plant things tightly to stabilize the soil and create a bit of a wilder look 🌾
I can always count on Salvia greggii to give a little pop of brightness to the garden 💖 Paired here with Colorguard Yucca, Mexican Feather Grass, and Blackfoot Daisy — a true match made in... Texas 🤠
My windowbox love story in picture form 🖤 Swipe through to see the magic unfold! ✨ Back in March, we got the request to amp up the charm on this beautiful home in Lakewood. Two window boxes, an herb garden, and countless flowers later — I think we’ve hit the mark! 🌸
My reminders that summer is drawing to a close — Maximillian Sunflower starting to bud 🌻, Flame Acanthus beginning to bloom 🔥, and Echinacea going to seed 🌸 There are numerous factors to consider when designing a garden — soil, light, water requirements — but another aspect I find incredibly important is bloom time 🌼 In Texas, we can have something flowering almost year round! Keep this in mind and challenge yourself to incorporate plants so that your space has year-round interest 😊
A micro glimpse into a recent design 🔬 While I love being out on job sites, I do have to allocate some of my days to drawing 🖊🌸 I’ve always been partial to hand drawings over digital for a few reasons — the main one being that technology tends to squelch all creativity out of my being 😬 What do y’all prefer? Hand drawn or 3D rendering?
Ta-da! ✨The final product of our latest Lake Highlands project! This was an incredibly fun one to do — lots of stonework paired with soft plantings 🌿 We used an interesting mix of plants to accommodate the unusual lighting ☀️(south-facing + partial tree cover 🌳) The stars of the show being the Limelight Hydrangea tree and the Jasmine trellis ⭐️⭐️ Another one in the books!
Ask me how much I love pentas 🥰 They’re my go-to for annuals for so many reasons! The ones pictured here were planted in early April, and photographed at 4pm on the hottest day of the year in August 🔥🌸🔥 On top of taking the heat like champs, they’re highly adaptable, long lasting, and a great nectar source for pollinators! 🐝 🦋💜
Well look at who decided to show up to the party! 🌻 Maximillian Sunflower, after reaching about 8ft tall decided it was time to pop out a bloom for all of our enjoyment ☺️ He’s another fantastic native that’s right at home in a residential garden 🏠 Just wait — once the weather cools, he’s going to be COVERED in these gorgeous yellow flowers! 🌼
💜 Fall Obedient Plant 💜 This native stunner is just starting to bloom! Difficult to find in the landscape trade, but plentiful once it’s in the ground — Fall Obedient Plant is a must have for native gardens 🌿 I like to use it in those tricky spots that get odd amounts of sunlight (ie. Northwest-facing walls) because they are so adaptable. Their flowers also point in whichever direction you ask them to 😊 Overall, it’s a splendid plant that unfortunately doesn’t get the trade recognition it deserves 🌱
We finished up another little shade garden in East Dallas today 🌿 About 90% of the time, I bump out the beds in a front garden. Typically they’re too narrow for my liking, and I really enjoy layering plants (which requires some space) 🌻🌱 In this scenario, the sidewalk made that difficult, so I had to make do with a 3-4’ bed 😝 Additionally, the water main box was buried smack dab in the middle of the bed (joy!) But guess what? You make do with what you got. 👏🏼 And it can absolutely still be beautiful! 🌿 This garden is testament to that — you don’t need a humongous budget and a perfect scenario to make a space lovely and special 🏠
Absolutely thrilled with how this garden is growing up in just a few months! ☺️ My Silver Falls Dichondra obsession is obviously on full display, but take a look at that melampodium! 💛 I may have a new favorite annual (besides pentas, of course) to use a bit more of next year. Who doesn’t love a sea of yellow flowers? 🌼🌼🌼
I am going through a Silver Falls Dichondra phase right now — I just can’t get over how pretty it is 💙 I saw it used in abundance in downtown Houston last spring and I’ve been hooked ever since! ☺️ Unfortunately it’s not as hardy here in Dallas, but I still say it’s worth using. Have y’all had luck with it coming back after a freeze?
Looking to spruce up your home’s curb appeal, but not sure where to start? We consulted the experts and shared their advice on everything from tidying up your shrubs to changing seasonal décor (link in profile). https://bit.ly/3erjGqE #southernladymag #curbappeal #landscape #landscapedesign #david_n_brush_landscape_arch #m_turner_landscapes #blueribbonlady #outdoorliving #summer #summerinthesouth
How cute is this garden we finished up a few months ago?! 🌸 Hydrangeas and abelias are blooming, and that new chop border is looking sharp 👌🏼 The homeowner leant a hand with the demo and amending the soil, which is a great way to keep costs down and move the project along faster 🏡 Also a great compromise for those who want to DIY their garden, but don’t know much about plants 🌿 Plus, can we take a second to appreciate how beautiful that variegated aralia is 😍
Happy impatiens in the front garden 🌸 We completed this project in Lake Highlands about a year ago, and it’s filling in beautifully! Who doesn’t love a good dappled shade garden? 🌤
I hope everyone has gotten to enjoy the explosion of Texas Sage flowers this past week 💜 Otherwise known as “barometer bush,” these guys are known to burst out in blooms before a rainstorm 🌧 They’re also a great plant for the home landscape here in Texas 🏡 🌿 Evergreen 💙 Silvery blue-green foliage ☀️ Full sun 💦 Low water 🐝 Pollinator friendly 💜 Blooms intermittently year-round ⬆️ Gets about 6ft tall • I do recommend planting something in front of them, as the bottoms can get leggy once they’re established 🌾
Not quite as pretty of a picture today, but V E R Y important ‼️ You see the roots that are wrapping around the larger root at the base of the tree? 🌳 These are called “girdling roots” and they can kill your tree 😬 But let’s talk about how to avoid this in the first place — you know how you’re supposed to break up the root ball of any plant when you remove in from a container? Well, this is why! If you don’t, those roots will continue growing in a circle, and down the road you’ll end up with this ☝️Just think about a time you’ve ever had a rubber band around your wrist for too long and how it eventually starts to cut off your circulation — that’s a mild version of what these roots are doing to the base of your tree. Number ✌️ — M U L C H. It’s great for the tree, but do NOT put it up against the trunk of your tree. I’m talking 0 contact 🙅♀️ Do people do it all the time? Yes. Is it horrible for your tree? Yes. A secondary roots system will pop outta that tree (and start rotting the trunk) and boom, same problem. Keep mulch a solid 6in away from the trunk and any roots that have bark on them (like here) 🌳 Here, we removed the girdling roots without damaging the trunk any further, so this baby should be good to go! 🙂
Amping up that Little Forest Hills charm with these cheery window boxes! 🌸 I absolutely love getting to add flowers closer to the street — it’s a great way to engage with neighbors and give a little joy to people passing by 🌻🚲 What are some ways y’all have brought the garden to the streets? I’m always open to new ideas ☺️
🌥 S H A D E 🌥 I still run into so many people who think they can’t grow anything in the shade. Y’all, it’s not true! This entire garden is in full shade, and if I may say so myself, it’s looking quite lovely 🌿 While there are less flower options, there are loads of options to brighten it up with foliage color and texture. Here we used Soft Caress Mahonia, Pitts, Heuchera, etc. to compliment the existing Japanese Maples and ferns. Plant some trees and embrace the shade 😎🌳
Howdy, ig fam 👋 It’s been a minute since I’ve posted, but I’m hopping back on and hope to keep sharing projects, plant recs, etc. 🌿 I haven’t been posting for a combination of reasons. We’ve been insanely busy and I’ve been stressed out from jobs not going according to plan (like, not even close) 😩 I’ve also been trying to update/rework our accounting system (boring) and implement new software that should help us stay on top of client communication as we grow (to be totally transparent, this has been a huge challenge for me — obv the goal is to have great client relationships, but I’ve gotten so slammed that some emails/texts/calls have been slipping through the cracks — not proud of that) 📬 BUT yay technology for helping alleviate that issue! 🎉 In addition to boring business stuff, it didn’t feel right to be posting about flowers when there are so many important conversations being had, resources being shared, and voices being amplified here on ig. I felt strongly to just shut up and listen 🖤🖤🖤 If you’ve made it this far down, I’ll also let you know I have some pretty huge announcements coming soon 😊 I’m having a hard time not blurting it out, but feel it would be prudent to get a few things more finalized before screaming from the rooftops 📢 Happy Friday!
❤️ Standing Cypress ❤️ (Ipomopsis rubra) is out and blooming! It belongs to that weird group of plants called biennials — meaning they live for a total of two years, from seed to end of life. Fortunately they replace themselves fairly well through reseeding 💃🏼 So why should you include this odd lifespanned plant to your garden? Let me brag — ⭐️ They’re native 🌺 Hummingbirds love them 💧They’re not picky about soil or water 🌸 They bridge that gap between Spring bloomers and Summer bloomers ⚡️ Reaching up to 6ft., they make quite the statement Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend! 🇺🇸
Another project in the books! 🏡 Even though I’m impartial to East Dallas, I also really love Oak Cliff — so this was a fun one for me! 🎉 (It’s always a happy day when I get to rid Dallas of any Red Tip Photinias.) The homeowner wanted to stick to a low-water, low-maintenance design, BUT she didn’t want to use any flowers 🤯 I focused on varying foliage colors, incorporating natives, and packing in the plants to create a lush, full garden 🌿 And I also convinced her to let me use Gregg’s Blue Mistflower and an Eve’s Necklace — so it’s not completely devoid of flowers 🌸 Some of the other plants I used include Colorguard Yucca, Spineless Prickly Pear, Soft Caress Mahonia, Little Bluestem, Kaleidoscope Abelia, and Sedum reflexum 💙💚💛 As usual, I’m pumped to see this garden grow! Swipe for before pics 👉
💜 Heartleaf Skullcap 💜 (Scutellaria ovata) I’ve been testing out this little native for the past year or so, and have come to fall in love with it! 🥰 Per usual, I test out new (to me) plants in my own garden before I incorporate them into designs — a practice I cannot recommend enough if you’re a professional. Here’s what I’ve learned about this plant and why it passed my home landscape test: 💦 Low maintenance / low water 🙂 Clumps out at a nice pace (enough to cover a large area, but easy to control) 🌿 Attractive, evergreen foliage 🌸 Spring-early summer bloom time 🐝 Pollinator magnet 🌥 Loves the shade! Mine just gets some dappled sun and loves it 🏡 Texas native As with most natives, it can be hard to find in nurseries 😕 I got mine at the @texasdiscoverygardens plant sale, and eventually found a grower I can order it from for upcoming projects. Your best bet is to find a friend who has some, as it’s very easily divided.
Pre-bloom budding on Asclepius tuberosa 🧡 Otherwise known as Butterfly Weed, this is the variety of milkweed I see most widely available in nurseries (don’t get me started on tropical) 🌿 In case you’re new to the gardening scene, milkweeds are vital to our ecosystem in North America because of our beloved monarch butterflies 🦋🧡 Female monarchs can only lay eggs on milkweed plants — widespread use of herbicides, pesticides, and “weed killers” decimated the population of this plant, and we almost eradicated the monarchs and their mysterious cross-continent migration ✈️ How sad would that have been! Fortunately, scientists plead with government and educated the public on the sadness, and we responded! We started planting milkweeds and stopped (some) use of the nasty chemicals, and last year was the first year we didn’t see a reduction in the monarch population 🙌🏼 So hop on board the bandwagon and plan to hunt down and plant some native milkweed 🌱 I even have one in a pot on my patio, so balcony gardeners can join in on the fun as well 😄
#happymothersday❤️ #floralintegration #blueribbonlady
Ended the week with this awesome little East Dallas install 🥳 Blue Ribbon Lady is based in East Dallas, and I’m forever impartial to it. I grew up in Casa Linda and now live just 5 minutes away, so getting to do houses in our neighborhood is always special 💚 Here I stuck to all native and/or low-water plants — agaves, yuccas, salvias, sedum, grasses, etc. The homeowners wanted something a bit modern, but still colorful 🌼 As always, I’m very excited to see this garden grow up 🌿 Happy weekend! (Swipe to see before pics)
I more or less use my own home as an experiment ground for all my ridiculous ideas 💁🏼♀️ Featured here is idea #? — the built in ajuga river. I have to admit, this one turned out pretty well! I love to soften hard edges whenever possible, and ajuga was the perfect plant to do that in this scenario 🌿 And yes, you can step on it 👌🏼
🌿 L A Y E R S 🌿 No matter what kind of designer you are, layering is usually a large factor when creating (be it a space, a painting, a haircut, etc.) In landscaping, there are a multitude of ways to use layers to add depth and interest to a space. How you layer plays a key role in pulling off which design style your trying to achieve — modern lines or English cottage? Traditional hedgerow or wildscaping? Here we obviously have more of a cottage style garden — contrasting flowers and colors all smashed in together. Bonus points to anyone who can name all the plants in the photo!
🌿 St. John’s Wort 🌿 Who names these plants?! 🤦🏼♀️ (My other personal favorite is Bear’s Breeches) Anyways, I’m going to ramble for a moment about how lovely this plant is. If you’ve got a spot in your garden that gets filtered or morning sun, plop one of these babies in! ☀️ They’re a small, evergreen shrub that blooms these super cool yellow flowers in the Spring 🌼 and pollinators love them! 🐝
Shade garden glory 🌿 Dione designed and installed this one about 9 months ago and it’s filling in beautifully! 😌 We’ve had a number of clients who imagine having lots of color and rambling flowers, but in reality they have a yard in full shade. While shade doesn’t accommodate lots of flowers, it can certainly still pack a punch with contrasting greens, yellows, reds, and purples 💛💜 (and a few flowers here and there). Just here to dismantle the misconception that nothing grows in shade! ☺️
A little before and after to brighten up your Monday ☀️ This patio is now officially ready for summer! 🌺 I’d also like to take this opportunity to brag on @floralintegration — having Amy on the team has been a life-saver for me this Spring 🌿 She’s been helping us knock out all 130+ color change outs we’ve been tasked with doing in a 6-7 week window, and she jumped straight into the crazy with no hesitation ☺️ Super grateful for a team that has my back and puts up with my “I’m so overwhelmed my brain isn’t functioning properly” persona that sets in this time every year 🤦🏼♀️ Happy Monday!
This combo is making its way towards becoming one of my favorites ☺️ 💜 Agastache “Blue Boa” 💛 Zexmenia 💕 Coral Salvia greggii These three are all low-water, sun loving ☀️ perennials with a long bloom time. Plus the added bonus that bees will hold you in high regard if you plant some in your space 🐝 Happy planting! (Sound on for 🚂!)
Tiny Tim Euphorbia 🥰 Such a happy plant! These guys are a great plant to add to a perennial bed in full-part sun ☀️ They’re evergreen, which helps keep some interest in the winter — and in Spring they have cute flowers and a fun, whimsical shape. Plus they’re yellow 💛 which can easily spruce up a bland row of green shrubs 💁🏼♀️ so many uses — highly recommend!
🌺 Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) 🌺 I’m hoping to attract more hummingbirds this year, and this guy has me well on my way 🤗 Native to West Texas, they are reliable bloomers from Spring-Fall. And despite their common name, they’re actually in the agave family! Between my columbines, salvia, Turk’s cap, and this beauty, the hummers should be well stocked! 🌺
Really feeling this whole Mexican tile / agave / winecup aesthetic 💕 One day I’d like to add bluebonnets to this mix 😉 But check out the pollen in these winecups! From my limited knowledge of botany, this is one of the key differences between our natives and hybridized plants 🌿 Natives tend to put out more pollen than cultivars/nativars that are bred to have bigger blooms, longer bloom time, and different colors 🌺 More pollen means more pollinators 🐝 and more pollinators means healthier ecosystems and more crop production 🥑🍅🌽 So if you’ve got a vege garden, make sure you’ve got lots of food available nearby for our flying friends 🦋 🐝 🦇
Up close and personal with a Texas Columbine bloom (Aquilegia hinkleyana) 💛 I’ve posted about my love for columbine before, and I probably will every year around this time ☺️ They’re my automatic recommendation for shade in North Texas. While usually labeled as a perennial, mine have always kept their light, herbaceous foliage year-round 🌿 Come Springtime, they don these beautiful yellow flowers for about 4-6 weeks 🌼 Shade loving, low-water, 18” tall/wide, native to the Trans-Pecos region of Texas, and a favorite of hummingbirds and other pollinators 🐝 Go get you some for that shady part of the garden 👌🏼
💛 Golden Alexanders 💛 I bought this plant on a whim at the @texasdiscoverygardens plant sale last year 🌿 I’d never heard of it, but saw that it was a native for shade ☁️ and thought I’d give it a go! One year in and I’m very pleased ☺️ if anyone knows anything about these guys, please do share! I use my home garden as an experiment ground for new plants before I use them at clients’ houses. This little guy is proving to be a top contender 👌🏼
Don’t give in to the misconception that shade has to be dull and boring, or that nothing will grow 🌿 This happy little trio disproves that beautifully 😉 I think this is the happiest Heuchera I’ve ever seen irl, and pairs well with Leopard Plant, Dusty Miller, and another lime green Heuchera (they come in loads of colors!) Also, if you’re looking to brighten up a shady area, I can’t recommend white pots enough 👌🏼
Candycorn Spirea looking rather vibrant 💛🧡❤️ I used quite a few of these last fall and have loved watching their foliage change colors and new buds start popping out 🥰 In no time these guys will be covered in pink flowers — as if they needed to be ever more colorful 💕 Sun ☀️- Part sun ⛅️ and maxes out at 2ft tall and wide.
Eve’s Necklace (Styphnolobium affine) is one of my absolute favorite trees! • 🏡 Native to North Central Texas 🌸 Spring blooms that mature into a string of black seeds (hence the name) 🌤 Part-sun 💦 Low water 🐝 Pollinator friendly 🌳 Compact size (15-20ft) • If you’re looking to add some native beauty to your space, Eve’s Necklace is an optimal choice 🌸 Works great under power lines, as an understory tree, or as a beautiful accent to a home landscape 🌿