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Advice on plants in your landscape by area experts.  Look for their care checklist in each season's section.

	Trees by Mark Peterson
	Anyone who has spent a summer in South Texas appreciates trees. They are beautiful, provide welcome cooling shade, and add to property value. Because trees provide so many benefits, they are well worth the investment of careful selection, planting and long-term care. Following expert advice in selection, in planting and in care will make the difference between having a potential nuisance tree and a majestic beauty that lasts a lifetime.
	Grasses by Dr. Calvin Finch
	The preference to have a “sea of grass” dominate the landscape has changed. Instead people are enjoying areas of lawn only where they intend to play. The rest of the landscape is planted with less labor and water intensive choices like perennials, trees, shrubs, herbs and old-fashioned roses. This is an important conservation measure because even drought tolerant grasses require regular irrigation to keep them green in the summer. Turfgrass varieties most appropriate to San Antonio include: Zoysia, Bermuda and Buffalo. St. Augustine grass is still used in very shady areas, receiving under six hours of indirect or dappled sunlight a day, that will not support other turf. However, Zoysia, Bermuda, and Buffalo are better selections for our region because they can be allowed to go dormant in summer months and they will recover without permanent damage.
	Herbs by Lynn Rawe
	Herbs are easy care plants that are used to flavor our foods, heal our wounds, soothe our pain and sweeten our air with fragrance. They can be very attractive and useful, so it is worth learning to grow them. Herbs hate having wet roots or leaves for even a few days at a time. They do best in sunny, well-drained areas. Popular herbs like rosemary, lavender, santolina and sage thrive on very little water. Other herbs like mint, basil and thyme need some supplemental water to survive. Nearly all herbs will have the added benefit of being unappealing to deer and insects.
	Perennials by Charles Bartlett
	Perennials add flash, color and variety to your landscape. They are a great value because they live on from year to year. Most freeze to the ground in the winter, but return from their roots each spring. Perennials that are adapted for our area are nearly “set and forget” plants. They provide a long blooming season, endure pests and diseases and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Whether your planting area is sunny, shady, dry or rocky, there is a perennial that can thrive there. The trick is selecting a variety of perennials to provide color in every area and in all seasons.
	Roses by Paul Cox
	Everyone loves roses. There is something timeless about the flowers and fragrance. What most people don’t know is that roses don’t have to be difficult to care for. Oldfashioned roses are ones that can survive and bloom in native soils with minimum irrigation, pesticides, and pruning. They are a diverse bunch of plants that can serve as a source of cut flowers, wildlife habitat, groundcover, vine coverage, or blooming shrubs. Some newly introduced varieties look amazingly similar to pampered floral store cut roses.
	Annuals by Dr. Jerry Parsons
	Annuals are plants that are usually replaced each season. They require higher amounts of water than perennials because the new plants must get established. This means they are also expensive. The value annuals provide is a flash of steady color in a high-profile place. Well-prepared soil with plenty of organic matter is critical for having maximum eye-popping color and lush growth. Good drainage is also important to prevent rotting during rainy periods. Watch each season for advice about what to plant, and when, in order to maximize your investment in annual beds.
	Wildscape by Judit Green
	Do you enjoy birds, butterflies, and other wildlife and the beauty of the Texas wilderness? If so, you may be one of many who choose Wildscape as their style of landscape. At new home sites, this trend in landscaping means preserving native trees and their understory plants over much of the lot. These native areas require almost no maintenance because they are intended to look natural. To add wildscape characteristics to existing landscapes, include many native plants, layers of plants for wildlife cover, and good sources of food and water. Your landscape may qualify for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Wildlife Certification program. Check with the local Texas Parks and Wildlife Office at (210) 348-6350 or visit their Web site for more information.
	Water by Karen Guz
	A big challenge is knowing how much water to use on Xeriscape plants. Roses and other blooming perennials look so lush and pretty that it would be easy to assume they drink up a lot of water. Most need less than you’d think despite our hot weather. Seasonal Water Guidelines are in each Seasonal Section of this book to help you use only the amount of water needed. Over-watering actually kills many drought-tolerant plants. Xeriscapes need very little water once the plants have well-established root systems. The advice given in this book will provide enough water to keep plants blooming. Watering advice is the maximum amount landscapes will need. Your well-adapted and native plants can go dormant and then recover when rains occur. Drought-tolerant turfgrasses can turn completely brown and then recover beautiful color quickly. When cool fall weather and autumn rains arrive, your grass and Xeriscape plants will be at their best naturally. Over-watering during cooler weather can result in root rot that will weaken or kill plants.
	Pruning
	Plants need pruning for a variety of reasons: Pruning to remove dead branches or foilage Shaping shrubs or trees for ornamental appeal Reducing size Thinning for improved air circulation. Whether your job is large or small, our seasonal advice will improve the health and look of your landscape.