General Archive

Today we are turning the spotlight on to a great native Texas plant, Mexican Feathergrass.  Nasella tenuissima commonly known as Mexican Feathergrass is a hardy ornamental grass to add to your landscape.  The soft, wispy, feathery, weeping form of this plant adds elegance and movement to a garden. This plant is a great choice for [...]

Even though it’s still February, we can tell that the heat of the summer will soon be upon us.  Texas summers are in a category all their own, the heat you will experience during a Texas summer is quite unlike anywhere else in the U.S.  What plants can survive the heat of a Texas summer?  [...]

Landscaping in Austin can be fun, but also quite challenging.  The unique setting of Austin blends the urban city with the Hill Country of Central Texas.  This mix gives the Austin landscape a look and feel unlike other parts of Texas. With nature and people living together, it is common to see deer in neighborhoods [...]

Lucky for us, winter is mild in Central Texas. This means we can enjoy the outdoors year round.  Nothing beats a cool night on a patio, fire pit blazing while taking in the clear Texas sky.  It seems like most of our clients enjoy their patio in the evenings and are thankful they decided to [...]

During the winter, people are often busy with the holidays and aren’t thinking about their landscape.  While the winter isn’t the best time for all plantings, there are several actions that can be taken to help your garden thrive in the spring and summer months. If you REALLY want to get your hands dirty and [...]

Lighting shouldn’t be considered an afterthought for your landscape. There are many different options and styles for lights.  Fixtures can range from sleek and contemporary to almost undetectable.  Colors and filters also add interest, which range from a soft amber glow to cool blues that mimic moon light. Here are a few of the most [...]

When designing master plans for our clients, we will often specify planters in the landscape.  There are many reasons to add planters in your landscape.  For one, they provide an added pop of color to the landscape.  They also create structure and character in the garden.  Certain pots can add architectural qualities into the garden.  [...]

How did GreenScapes get involved with the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in Bastrop? This started out as a roller coaster adventure. We got a phone call from EM:HE at the tail end of November, only a few weeks before the project was supposed to be done.  You can’t imagine how honored we were to be [...]

About a year ago, GreenScapes was called upon to participate in a very special and important philanthropic project in Bastrop, TX. After the devastating fires that consumed 1,691 homes, cost 2 folks their lives and caused somewhere near $325 million in property damage, Bastrop needed help. ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition heard that need. Ty [...]

  Spring is often associated with colorful plants and blooming flowers; however, winter plants have a beauty all their own.  While roses may wither at the first frost and spring flowers will have long since faded, some plants thrive during the winter season.  Winter plants may not have colorful petals, but they do have bright [...]

Thanksgiving brings forth images of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, potatoes and pumpkin pie.  If you will be attending Thanksgiving at someone else’s home, food isn’t the only contribution you can bring.  Why not surprise the host with a Thanksgiving centerpiece made from flowers or vegetables from your garden?  Flowers in fall colors such as orange, [...]

We are finally experiencing what the rest of the country might consider fall weather.  By fall weather we mean temperatures in the 80s.  One upside to our unseasonably warm Austin autumn is that we have a longer planting season.  However, Austin is also known for its unpredictable and variable weather.  You also need to be [...]

Halloween offers great opportunities to decorate your yard and the outside of your home.  Outside of Christmas this is one holiday where yard decor is a common and welcome accent.  At the very least leave a pumpkin on your porch and a light turned on to attract Trick-or-Treaters, but if you want to become the [...]

Greenscapes Landscaping will be participating in the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s 10th Annual Tour of Homes in Austin.  On October 27 and 28 from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, you will have the opportunity to tour homes remodeled by over ten different builders.  Although the interiors of these homes have been gorgeously remodeled, [...]

Baseball, Golf and Greenscapes?  How do the three relate and what are we talking about?  We are proud to be a sponsor of the 9th Annual Cavalier Golf Tournament which benefits the Lake Travis High School Baseball Team.  This is an exciting opportunity for us to engage with the Lake Travis community, while enjoying some [...]

Welcome October, welcome Fall, and welcome cooler weather!  Finally the month we have been dreaming about all summer is here.  Now you can finally make some big changes in your yard and begin planting! There are so many things you can start planting we are just going to list them: shrubs, perennials, trees, oregano, chives, [...]

You may be able to easily identify plants and flowers that are familiar to you, but what happens when you come across something new?  Waaaay back when, before smart phones with cameras and the internet, or not even a generation ago, if you wanted to identify a plant, a certain level of botanical knowledge was [...]

Have you ever worked so hard that you have given your blood, sweat and tears?  Now you can literally give your blood to a great cause and help save the lives of others!  On Saturday, September 22 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon the Blood & Tissue Center of Central Texas will be on site [...]

Increasingly cooler weather (and by cool we mean under 100 degrees) draws us outdoors and intensifies our desire to spend more time outside.  When we aren’t working in the yard, honing our landscape skills, or tending to the garden, we love when the opportunity arises to participate in community events.  The third annual Lakeway Public [...]

September is a great time to get ready for fall plantings.  The heat of summer is behind us, kids are back in school and fall is around the corner.   Cooler weather means spending more time outdoors grilling and on the patio.  Our design process is 1-2 weeks from initial consultation, design process and presentation of [...]

The beginning of September marks the one year anniversary of Austin and Hill Country area wildfires.  How can you help to protect your home by choosing the right place for the right plant?  If you have a sizable property landscaping with fire safety in mind is extremely relevant and applicable.  The first goal of firewise [...]

The final stretch of summer is upon us and we are almost through the unbearably heavy heat.  While we can envision a distant fall with cooler weather (and hopefully more rain), conserving water is still a top priority.  While saving water and keeping your yard green seem mutually exclusive, you can actually accomplish both.  Here [...]

First, what is hardscaping?  Hardscaping refers to inanimate or non-living hard surfaces or elements like wood, stone or concrete. Living plants and natural elements are what most people think of when they hear the word “landscaping”.  However, the term landscaping technically includes both the natural, soft, living elements, as well as hardscaping.  Most yards consist [...]

Adding greenery to your home or office can be extremely beneficial.  During the hot summer months it can be difficult to truly enjoy the outdoors.  Why not consider brining some greenery indoors, at least until it cools off a little.  Here are a few reasons why: Greenery can increase productivity and enhance creativity Plants can [...]

“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.”- James Dent We wish that there was a breeze or even a little cloud cover, unfortunately there is no doubt that the sun is out in full force.  Did you think [...]

If you want an eye-catching color, red is your go to hue.  An attention grabbing red garden will help you make a statement with your outdoor space.  Reds can range in color from a cool red to a true red to a warm red and light and medium variations in between.  Red looks best set [...]

Usually when planning a garden some of the more utilitarian aspects you consider include: is the plant native, is it deer repellent, will it survive in this heat, how much sun or water is required, etc.  Seldom do you only consider frivolous or decorative aspects, such as color.  Today we depart from reality and plan [...]

“Your July Landscaping Dos” may be more accurately titled “Your July Landscaping Don’ts”.  We know July is an infamously hot month and it’s only getting hotter, but hang in there!  To help you (and your yard) try and make it through the summer here are some pointers. Do not prune. Do not fertilize. Do not [...]

Sure you can put your plants in any old terra-cotta pot, but why not make your yard a little more hip?  We rounded up some quirky planters so your quirky style can branch out. Apparently these dinosaur planters are having a moment. We are seeing them everywhere.  If you had a larger plastic dinosaur toy it [...]

If you haven’t already considered drought resistant plants for your yard or garden, with the summer heat and drought restrictions you soon will. Where can you find great suggestions for drought resistant plants best-suited for Texas? We want to share some great resources with you so that you can keep your plants alive while using [...]

Summertime heralds the season of outdoor entertaining.  Whether you want to simply enjoy your garden, invite friends to eat outside on the patio, or admire your landscaped yard from the shade, mosquitoes are a threat to your enjoyment of the outdoors.  How can you stave off the “skeeters” and stay outside?  Mosquito repellent plants can [...]

As June rolls in and the heat continues to rise, you will want to spend less time outside.  Luckily, there is less to do on your monthly agenda, but this doesn’t mean you can abandon your yard!  No surprise, but just like last month, watering will continue to remain an important element to the upkeep [...]

Memorial Day unofficially signals the beginning of summer, even though we have already had several weeks of high temperatures and hot weather.  How do you keep up your yard’s appearance in the summer heat?  When is the best time of day to garden? Common sense dictates that all gardening and yard work occur at the [...]

Garden gnomes have been experiencing a resurgence in popularity over the last decade.  This kitschy garden accessory is once again hip in an ironic way.  Perhaps you would like to jazz up your yard, maybe you need help with growing or guarding your garden, or perchance you would just like to know more about the [...]

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, quite literally, as in Mother’s Day is this Saturday!  If you weren’t aware already (you’re welcome).  Alright, on to the next thing, what to get your mom for Mother’s Day?  The totally obvious choice is those flowers you order online and have delivered to your mom.  Now if [...]

“What potent blood hath modest May” observed Ralph Waldo Emerson in his poem, “May Day”.  Fittingly enough, Emerson was born in May (May 25, 1803).  Let’s celebrate this nature-enthusiast and the month of May by preparing our gardens and yards for the onslaught of the summer heat.  May is a month of intensities for your [...]

If you are from Texas then you know that walking barefoot across the grass is not an option, without shoes you will experience the searing pain caused by the burrs or stickers from the dreaded Burr Clover or Medicago Polymorpha .  This terrible weed wrecks untold amounts of havoc.  It first appears to be harmless [...]

What kinds of plants are ideal for Austin? Choosing plants that fit into the native landscape and that are naturally suited to the climate and environment of Austin will help both you and your yard.  Plants that are native to Texas and the Austin area will thrive and you will spend less time watering, fertilizing, [...]

Even though the first day of spring (March 20) technically occurred last month, April is really when the spring season begins.  The current Texas temperatures in the mid-80s hint at another unseasonably warm spring and hot summer!  Try to get some outside work done in the mornings or evenings and enjoy the pleasant cooler temperatures [...]

Join with us in celebrating one of the best holidays of the year, St. Patrick’s Day (of course)!  We love any holiday where the main objective is to wear green, our favorite color (of course)! So, here’s a little lore about the Shamrock, the official St. Patty’s day plant. Why shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day? [...]

Flowers are all well and good, but you give them every time and they only last for a week. If you are in a committed relationship, and you have dug in for the long haul, then perhaps it’s time to demonstrate that love with something that has roots and can last for years. Of course, [...]

Recently Bastrop County in Central Texas experienced a series of devastating fires that destroyed over 1,500 homes and over 40,000 acres, including large swaths of Lost Pines. Here is the deal though, Bastrop is a unique area in Central Texas when it comes to flora. Most of central Texas serves as a planting ground to [...]