What to plant on the other side of the sidewalk?

1 Lucky Texan

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I recently moved to a corner home. I have sidewalk on 2 sides and therefore streetside strips about 5 feet wide. I was wondering if Liriope Spicata might do well there or what other folks have planted as a low-maintenance alternative to turf in the south or southwest. I have no irrigation system and have to haul hoses/sprinklers around. I'd like something like a groundcover that won't get me in trouble with the city but can hold-up well against Texas summer conditions.

The soil here seems to be sandy and our water is soft - high in magnesium , so I suspect the soil is or 'trends' to lower pH. In one of the streetside strips I am fighting sandbur (Cenchrus) and they also occur in a few spots elsewhere. I was thinking about trying the lilyturf in this troublesome spot. Hoping in 2-3 seasons it would fill-in.

what other plants should I consider?
 

bigred77

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What part of Texas?
We have quite the variety of conditions across our vast state :)
 

Johnkim

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That's a nice-looking grass to consider. The space is still good enough for new plants. You can also try uniform it with what you've planted inside your lawn.
 

1 Lucky Texan

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What part of Texas?
We have quite the variety of conditions across our vast state :)

DFW - experiencing quite the heat wave at the moment so, probably wait a coupla months if planting seems appropriate.

kinda thinking about trying 3-4 plants and let them fight it out. lol!, Maybe 3 Junipers - the dwarf horizontal type, fill around them with; ice plant (Delosperma) the Liriope Spicata , and maybe a coupla geraniums?

Kinda wondering if that Liriope would just end-up choking everything else out - it has a reputation for spreading aggressively.

I also considered Texas Red Yucca but, didn't want to put someting too tall or spiky next to a street and sidewalk.....


I will try to take some pics of the area and anything I do with it. Right now, doing some interior painting and kitchen remodeling.
 

1 Lucky Texan

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That's a nice-looking grass to consider. The space is still good enough for new plants. You can also try uniform it with what you've planted inside your lawn.

It does seem like most of the neighborhood does maintain lawn turf in those spaces. And that is the norm elsewhere I guess. But, most of my neighborhood also has a little smaller yards and seem to have sprinkler systems installed. I wouldn't mind trying to 'tastefully' xeriscape 2-3 areas of my yard to reduce lawncare/watering. Even though the yard has been neglected by the previous owner - this one area is clearly the most difficult to maintain anyway.


the area in this pic from the mailbox to the stop sign is about 1/2 dirt and dead weeds now;

https://www.google.com/maps/place/1...ac00b190d9d2a0!8m2!3d32.7147269!4d-97.1525538

dunno if that will display for you - that pic is 6 years old.
 
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