Here’s how to work with those tricky spots in your North Texas landscape

As people who care about the looks of our landscapes, we find ourselves stuck in some unusual places. Spots where it’s hard to find just the right plant — where conditions are too challenging or space is too limited. I thought I’d highlight a few of those and give you some means of escape. Let’s see if any of these sounds familiar.

The parkway. That’s the narrow parcel of land between your neighborhood sidewalk and the front curb. It’s generally 3 to 4 feet wide, and it runs the width of your property.

Personal opinion: The best way to cope with that hateful little space that’s almost impossible to maintain is simply to let it stay as part of your lawn. Don’t do anything gimmicky.

First of all the city has jurisdiction over that property. If they have a utility line buried beneath it, and if they decide they need to work on their line, they don’t have to ask your permission to tear up your fancy garden. They just do what they must.

Second, if you start planting trees in the parkway, their roots are going to tear into the sidewalk and curbing. Their limbs will grow out and over the street so they’ll probably interfere with traffic. They may even get into overhead power lines. Your lovely trees may grow to get chopped, topped, and V-cropped. Leave the trees for the main part of your landscape.

Third, your goal with your landscape is to use it as a frame to the artwork of your life: your home. You don’t want that frame sticking out like a wall blocking the view. Let the trees blend in to the sides so folks will see the beauty of your home. That’s it. We’re done here.

“Half-day” sun. Oh, that can be treacherous! If you plant something that prefers shady locations where it’s going to get hot afternoon sun in the summer, that baby’s gonna fry. In that camp: hostas, ferns, hydrangeas, Japanese maples, and many types of impatiens, coleus, and caladiums, among others.

Then you compare those plants to types that thumb their leaves at summer, standing up to almost anything Texas can offer. If you give plants like lantanas, moss roses, vincas, crape myrtles, and roses-of-Sharon, among others, anything less than 8 or 10 hours of sunlight, they may not flower at all.

The problem then comes in finding plants that can hit that middle ground. What plants will tolerate sun, yet hold up to several hours of shade? Maybe think first of foliage. Many coleus varieties have been bred for use in sunnier sites. Crotons, of all things, can be very pretty. Many of the caladium varieties are equally well suited to sun, but you’ll want to do your homework ahead of time. It always helps to buy from a Texas Certified Nursery Professional who brings a wealth of experience to the job to advise you.

Some flowering plants are more tolerant of a bit of shade than others. I’ve had success with pentas, angelonias, and mandevillas that received full sun until mid-afternoon, then shade during the hottest day parts.

If you’re looking for the hero plants for these odd sun/shade spots, few plants are more adaptable than wax begonias. Bronze-leafed types hold up to sun better than the green-leafed ones, and flower colors include red, pink, and white. Try the showy Dragon Wing begonias as well. But, since they’re green-leafed, limit their sun exposure to mornings only.

Wet spots in the landscape. It’s not like we live in a southeastern swampland, but even here in North Central Texas we can have the occasional wet spot in a landscape. Gardeners want to plant around it, and they’re wondering what tree will help soak up the excessive water.

Obviously, water-loving trees like willows or bald cypress would be the honest answer to that question, but they’re not answers I’m willing to endorse. Those are two trees that I personally don’t think should be planted in Metroplex landscapes. Willows have short life expectancies (five to 10 years), and bald cypress trees shoot up those awful root appendages (“knees”) that tear up our lawnmowers. Bald cypresses are also highly vulnerable to iron deficiency, so there’s great probability that your tree will turn yellow every year from late spring until frost.

Rather than trying to plant trees to use up the water, I would recommend finding the water’s origin, then taking the best possible steps to change the flow of that water. It may involve use of French drains, or a grate and drain tile might be in order. Your goal will be to exit it off your property and into the stormwater runoff system. Berms might be appropriate to redirect the flow of water from uphill locations but take care not to send it into homes or garages. Of course, you do want to plant trees and shrubs that can tolerate the wet soils, but again, don’t rely on them to dry out the bog. And, most especially, if you find yourself up to your nostrils in runoff, there are professionals who work in drainage solutions full time. Landscape contractors work with them almost daily, as do foundation repair companies. Ask around and you’ll find the good ones who work in your neighborhood.