Low-maintenance  NO CARE yards are just that, simple and low-maintenance. They save you time and deliver that beauty and curb appeal you desire, with very little effort on your part.   It sounds so great in theory, but you and I both know, it is not always that simple. A recent call from a prospective client made me chuckle. We were talking about his need to replace the shrubs and all the front yard landscaping in Sugar Land.  I told him that, sure, Todd could come and look at things and design something fresh and new.

He said to me:

“Will it be easy to care for? I need some no-care plants…honestly, I need a just need a low-maintenance life! ”

I assured him that, yes, the plantings would be drought-tolerant and easy-to-care-for and that we would try to help be a small part of creating his new low-maintenance life 🙌.  No-care is where it’s at!

Creating a low-maintenance landscape for your home is what Todd does every day.  Todd and I sometimes talk about why folks hire him and we think it’s his plant knowledge that seals the deal.  Maybe the beard too, but I am partial 💕 … Back on topic, Todd does know his plants. He knows what will grow here in the Houston-area and what will struggle. He’s got the goods on the actual names of the ‘No-Care Plants for Killer Curb Appeal !’ 

If you are not looking to hire us right now but really want to create that curb appeal for your home, keep reading.  LANDSCAPING SECRETS REVEALED below.

You can go off on a wild goose chase on the world wide web (lol 😂) for landscaping ideas and it gets overwhelming very fast.   Here are some low-maintenance landscaping topics and teasers I found that sound great:

• 25 Plants That Survive With or Without You  (that’s kinda funny !)

• 50 Incredible Low Maintenance Front Yard Landscaping Ideas   (fifty!! that’s just too many!!)

• 45 Easy And Low Maintenance Front Yard Landscaping Ideas   (45? that’s still too many)

• 8 No-Care Plants for Killer Curb Appeal in Every Season (this one I like! But it’s not accurate, sadly 😢)

After looking through these Pinterest-generated articles, I found one common problem: geography.  These articles are well done and the plants are indeed low-maintenance, but for whom and for where?

HONEST TRUTH: What will grow nicely in Sioux City, Iowa will not serve you in landscaping your Sugar Land, Texas home.   And I am sorry, ladies, but just because you LOVE a flower or shrub on Pinterest does not mean it will grow here.  No one likes to be told NO but, the pretty hydrangeas that flourish on the gulf coast of Alabama do not do well here in landscaping Missouri City.  Sigh * 😢* If they did, I would have 100 of them in my yard! I love hydrangeas….❤ Todd always tells me no 😐

So here for your Sugar Land gardening and low-maintenance lifestyle planning purposes  AND for all you DIY LANDSCAPING folks, are the best foundation shrubs for our area from your Sugar Land landscaping expert, Todd Farber- Garden Guy 😊. Disclaimer: We buy from a special wholesale grower and I have poked around on the internet to get these links to the varieties that are the closest to the actual varieties that Todd buys. So these are the best links I can find for a diy landscaper like you!! — You’re welcome 😊

Abelia Kaleidoscope – a low-growing, compact shrub with variegated leaves

Indian Hawthorn ‘Clara’ – evergreen, dark green, with leathery foliage that remains on the branches all year, taking on a purplish color in winter.

Cleyera ‘bronze beauty‘– a broadleaf evergreen shrub that makes an excellent border, hedge, screen, or foundation plant.

Lorapetalum ‘Chinese fringe flower shrub’ –  leaves are oval and glossy green, turning a pretty purple or maroon color

This narrows down for you the foundation shrubs you should choose to plan and plant in your new home landscaping.  I’ve only shared  4 because you need simplicity to be successful!  

I hope this is helpful to you.   Let me know if you have any residential landscaping questions for Todd by emailing me at  hello@garden-guy.com.

Now, get out there now and start creating your new low-maintenance life 🙌

xoxo,

💕Sabrina, wife of Garden Guy