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Writer's pictureMark Bentsen

Jen and Chris Know What They Want...kinda

Updated: Jan 3



They have done their research and have a pretty good idea what they want to do, which is to add some privacy to their yard. But, there's more to it than that. So, they wanted to make sure their ideas are on track. Here are some of the plants that might make their ideas become a reality.


Southern Waxmyrtle is one of the best shrubs to use to add privacy to your yard. Depending on the amount of sun and water the landscape gets, some plants have a tendency to get bare at the bottom. For that reason you might consider adding some other plants that will retain their foliage down low.


If the area is shady, you might consider these plants

-Variegated Flax Lily is evergreen and the variegation will catch you eye from a distance.

-Oakleaf Hydrangea will tolerate our alkaline soil and bloom in the spring.

-Giant Leopard Plant is unique with its round leaves.



A few other shrubs that will work for a hedge when screening are

-Primrose Jasmine- will get about 6' tall and have yellow flowers in the spring.

-Dwarf Burford Holly has shiny green leaves. This plant will get 6' tall if you let it, but it's also easy to keep it 4' tall if you shear it once a year.

-Green Pittosporum has a lush, dark green luster and it can handle a little shade and still stay full.


If you have a sunny spot, you might consider adding Butterfly Bushes. There are many that will grow over 8' tall, so read the labels before you buy. Here are three that stay under 5':

-Nanho Purple, Lo and Behold, and Tutti Fruiti. Also, there are many shades of pink and purple. So, you might even let them bloom before you buy them so you know what color the flowers are going to be.




For a sunny area Drift Roses are winners. These low growing roses are disease and carefree.

Here we have

-Red Drift

-Pink Drift

-Coral Drift



Adding perennials for color in the landscape.

-Purple Skullcap blooms on and off all summer

-Blackfoot Daisy is a native that seems to be always blooming

-Purpleheart Wandering Jew is actually a root hardy annual. It's an old fashioned plant that deserves to be in every garden


Everyone loves Indian Hawthorne in the spring. There are quite a few varieties. Here are three:

-Pink Lady

-Dwarf Pink

-Pinkie


-Gregg's Mistflower attracts more butterflies than any other plant you can find.

-Mexican Feather Grass sways in the breeze

-Blue Plumbago blooms the entire growing season


-Pride of Houston Yaupon Holly is a native that will be loaded with red berries in the winter. It can be a big bush or small tree.

-Cherry Blast Loropetalum has burgundy foliage and hot pink blooms in the spring.

-Yew Podocarpus is more of an upright grower. It's not real fast growing and that means it's easy to maintain the size you want it




Here are probably the three most popular plants in Central Texas landscapes

-New Gold Lantana

-Bicolor Iris

-Purple Trailing Lantana


A few perennials for summer color

-Mystic Spires Salvia blooms from spring until we get a good freeze

-Society Garlic blooms from spring to winter

-Salvia greggii starts blooming in the spring and does it's best in the Fall.


Crapemyrlte make a great screen. There are over 100 varieties so you have many choices. Here we have

-Natchez is one of the most popular white bloomers. It will get about 15' tall.

-Potomac blooms pink and has beautiful fall color as you can see in this photo

-And the biggest of all is Basham's Party Pink. It will grow over 30 feet tall and wide, and it has huge blooms.



The last three screening plants are

-Compact Cherry Laurel will get about 10'-12' tall.

-Yew Podocarpus will grow upright and full.

-Pride of Houston Yaupon Holly will load up with red berries for winter and the birds love them.


Well folks- that's about it for this morning. If you have any questions or comments please let me know. My contact info is on the previous page.



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