By Debbie Roland, Master Gardener
Last week we talked about using pots and other containers in your yard and garden as a 2025 landscape trend. In researching this topic, I found several other trends that might work in the West Texas climate while making your life better in the process.
The recent pandemic got many people out of their houses and brought with it an interest in growing food. It turns out that an edible landscape can be achieved in West Texas with a little know how. I continue to sing the praises of fellow Master Gardeners John Cappadonna and Kristi Clemmer for being able to very successfully do this very thing. John’s Facebook page “West Texas Vegetable Gardening” is full of instructions relating to a successful garden from making compost to harvesting. Kristi’s Facebook page is full of pictures of a beautiful garden created at Odessa College which helps to feed the students and others. Checking out these two sites will get you further on your journey.
In years past people would dedicate a corner of their yard for a garden but now the trend seems to be to incorporate their garden into the whole landscape plan. Raised beds are popular for this and can be used for fruits and vegetables like strawberries, peppers, tomatoes and herbs. Vegetables can also be planted among your existing plants and added into flower gardens. The look can be quite stunning and can be as small or as large as you require.
Outdoor living spaces have grown quite popular. Everyone seems to love the idea of an outdoor kitchen. If you have the space, it is a beautiful and convenient way to have a place to relax with friends and family and also add space that does not require water usage.
Have you heard of biophilic landscaping? It is simply bringing nature into our living space. As we all become more concerned about our health the connection between nature and us is growing in importance. Add a peaceful place to sit, sip your tea and plan your day or your spring garden. Watching your plants mature and produce really can put a smile on your face. A similar concept is a wellness garden. This one is a retreat more specific to mental health through connecting with nature. Think aromatherapy using fragrant herbs (basil is wonderful) and fragrant flowers, as well as soothing wind chimes.
Growing in popularity is the sustainable landscape which we often talk about on this blog. It is important in our arid landscape to plant native plants especially drought tolerant ones and to conserve water and reduce the need for chemicals.
Last is the meadow inspired landscape. I am actually trying this now. We had an unused two-acre tract at the back of our property in which we planted five native trees along with native grasses and wildflowers. As of this writing, we received 2” of rain overnight which will give this area a needed boost. I am hoping for an untamed, but planned, look. Around the perimeter of this space we installed a walking track which is enjoyable even before our spring flowers bloom.
If you have questions, call the AgriLife office in Odessa at 498-4071 or in Midland at 686-4700. Additional information, and our blog for access to past articles, is available at westtexasgardening.org. Click on “Resources”.
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