What to plant in Austin, Texas

12 × 6 ft · Zone 9a · 6+ hours of sun · Modern

• Indian hawthorn

  × 2

  Rhaphiolepis indica

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–5 ft tall · Mar–May

  Can't find it? Use Dwarf pittosporum 'Wheeler's Dwarf' or Upright rosemary 'Tuscan Blue'.

• Red yucca

  × 3

  Hesperaloe parviflora

  Grass · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 3 ft apart · grows 3–5 ft tall · May–Sep

  Can't find it? Use Little bluestem 'Standing Ovation' or Switchgrass 'Shenandoah'.

• Lily of the Nile

  × 3

  Agapanthus africanus

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Jun–Aug

  Can't find it? Use Mexican bush sage or Arkansas bluestar.

• African iris

  × 3

  Dietes iridioides

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Mar–Oct

  Can't find it? Use Mexican bush sage or Arkansas bluestar.

• Daylily 'Stella de Oro'

  × 5

  Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro'

  Edge · Edge of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · May–Sep

  Can't find it? Use Lilyturf 'Big Blue' (invasive in North Carolina: don't plant it there).

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 95% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 9a · 2–4 hours of sun · Classic

• Bigleaf hydrangea 'Endless Summer'

  × 2

  Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmer'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–5 ft tall · Jun–Sep

  Can't find it? Use Smooth hydrangea 'Annabelle' or Oakleaf hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers'.

• Autumn fern

  × 7

  Dryopteris erythrosora

  Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1.5–2 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Japanese sedge 'Evergold' or Lilyturf 'Big Blue' (invasive in North Carolina: don't plant it there).

• Southern shield fern

  × 5

  Thelypteris kunthii

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Christmas fern.

• Stokes' aster

  × 10

  Stokesia laevis

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 1–2 ft tall · Jun–Aug

  Can't find it? Use Christmas fern.

• Dwarf mondo grass 'Nana'

  × 16

  Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'

  Edge · Edge of bed · 4-inch pot · 0.5 ft apart · grows 2–4 in tall · Foliage plant

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 87% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 9a · Under 2 hours of sun · Classic

• Gold dust aucuba 'Variegata'

  × 1

  Aucuba japonica 'Variegata'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 4.5 ft apart · grows 4–6 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Dwarf yaupon holly 'Nana' or Soft Caress mahonia 'Soft Caress'.

• Japanese sedge 'Evergold'

  × 14

  Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'

  Grass · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1 ft apart · grows 0.75–1 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Lilyturf 'Big Blue' (invasive in North Carolina: don't plant it there) or Japanese sedge 'Ice Dance'.

• Cast iron plant

  × 5

  Aspidistra elatior

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Bush lily or Southern shield fern.

• Autumn fern

  × 7

  Dryopteris erythrosora

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1.5–2 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Bush lily or Southern shield fern.

• Mondo grass

  × 16

  Ophiopogon japonicus

  Edge · Edge of bed · quart pot · 0.8 ft apart · grows 6–9 in tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Black mondo grass 'Nigrescens'.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 86% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.