Ed said the landscape used to be beautiful. But after 30 years it's not the same. It's time for a change. And changes start with a plan.
Ed said they had a Magnolia tree for years but it recently died. Their back yard isn't big enough for a Southern Magnolia but here are a couple of other options:
-Teddy Bear Magnolia is a newcomer to the market. It only gets about 25' tall and 10' wide (under ideal conditions, and San Antonio isn't exactly idea...but in their soil it should do fine.
-Little Gem Magnolia is a compact version of Southern Magnolia. It will get big but it will take a long time.
Both of these have big blooms just like the Southern Magnolia.
-Also, for a screen here's Bright and Tight Cherry Cherry Laurel. It get about 8' tall and maybe 5' wide.
How about ground covers:
-Asiatic Jasmine works in sun or shade and doesn't require a lot of water.
-Silver Ponyfoot might is a colorful ground cover. If it gets below about 22° it will freeze back but it comes back strong in the spring
-English Ivy is a great low water user for the shade
-Pink Lady Indian Hawthorn is a great mid-sized shrub that is loaded with pink flowers in the spring.
-Kaleidoscope Abelia has golden variegation that takes on an orangish hue when weather gets cool. It's easy to keep about 3' tall and does pretty good in partial shade.
-Pringles Dwarf Podocarpus can be kept low and narrow.
If you want a border on a flower bed here are three common choices
-Big Blue Liriope is also known as Green Liriope. Great for sun or shade.
-Variegated Liriope also likes sun or shade.
-Purple Heart Wandering Jew will also work just about anywhere.
Other great shade plants include
-Japanese Aralia has huge leaves and will get about 6' tall in about 5-7 years.
-Giant Leopard Plant has round leaves and will get about 2' tall. And it blooms in the winter with sunflower-like flowers
-Loropetalum isn't known as much for being shade tolerant, but in bright shade it thrives. There are lots of different varieties.
Before we leave the shade here are a few more:
-Cast Iron Plant (aka Aspidistra) has been used for many years. Your grandmother probably had it in her yard.
There are some new varieties out there now like these two:
-Milky Way Aspidistra has white specs all over the leaves
-Tiny Tank Aspidistra's leaves are wider and it too stays about 18"
For a low growing perennial that is evergreen here's Autumn Sage (aka Salvia greggii). There are many different selections. Here are Red, White and Purple. They bloom from spring though fall.
-Gold Dust Aucuba has big leaves with yellow specs on them. It will get about 4' tall in about 5 years
-Prostrate Rosemary stays low and will trail over the edge of flower beds.
-Variegated Ginger has huge leaves with yellow variegation. It will get about 4' tall in 3-5 years.
For plants to use as a screen, here are:
-Waxleaf Ligustrum- this plant has been around for years and is indestructable. It will get 10' tall and 8' wide.
-Bay Laurel also will get 8' tall and 6' wide.
-Japanese Blueberry can get 15' tall and wide, but with a little shearing it is easy to keep smaller.
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