Welcome to the Texas Forum!

I *love* seeing all that grassless soil, just waiting for luscious plantings!

Texas is huge, so it has many different climates & conditions.

What will work for the San Antonio folks, for instance, often freezes & dies for those of us in the Dallas/Ft Worth area.

I see your mom has Sago Palms, which might give us a hint...but I once had neighbors in Dallas who has gorgeous Sagos.

If you'll let us know the location, we can focus on the best choices for your lucky mom!

My mom stays in Houston. I'm surprise the orchid tree survive this year. All of the citrus fruit trees are very hardy. The trumpet flower trees are doing OK but this winter hasn't been very cold. Any winter plants beside azalea?

Formally and officially, the easy-to-take-care-of plants are "native plants". Because they've always grown well when there is no one there to take care of them. You'll get a lot of help and an abundance of selections here ...
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/

Roses thrive in Houston, & a lot of the old-fashioned cottage garden plants will do well there, too.

Some of the Houston & San Antonio people will likely check in (week-ends are a toss-up on the forum-sometimes there's a lot of activity, & sometimes it seems like everybody must be outside in the garden!), but you can check with the Harris County Agricultural Extension Office, & I'm sure there are several organic garden groups in the area.

Have fun!

Get the book "Lawn Gone" by Pam penick, it will give you some ideas.

& Sally Warshowski (sp?) is a good author for lawnfree Texas gardening.

Salty Wasowski " Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region" I great. The granite looks good now but it will get lots of little babies thriving in it. No such thing as maintenance free. The following are some plants in the houston plan as listed by Sally W. There is southern woodfern,, chain fern, Christmas fern, royal fern and cinnamon fern, wild ageratum, chilipetin,, turks cap, mexican turkscap, walters violet, Spider lilly, halberleaf hibiscus,virginia sweet spire, inland seacoast, side oats game, dwarf palmetto Indian pink bergamot, cardinal flower fall obedient Gulfcoast penstemon, zig zag iris, swamp sunflower.

* note, I live nowhere near Houston so I do not know anything about gardening there. I am just listing out of a book in my lap.

easy non native ground cover might be wandering jew that does not need to be watered or mowed.

I must be the odd man out that loves lawn....

Make that two of us, bossyvossy. I love grass and really enjoy maintaining it. I still mow four acres.

does she have gumbo, loam or sandy soil? i lived in cypress a dozen years or so and now live south of houston, but some easy plants for me were roses, salvia and camellia, if drainage is an issue, i'd take care of that before planting any of these, size of these plants vary from small salvia, to camellia or roses of a type that would get larger and i would recommend old garden roses if you can find them.....rcw nursery and arbor gate at tomball carry those and im sure buchanan's and other places that i'm not aware of carry them too

if you have lots of shade plant camellia or maybe ginger and if you have lots of sun, go for the roses or salvia (indigo spires are beautiful ) also there are lots of lantana which may be large or small depending on what you buy and day lilies and agapanthus work well also

We are going to buy some camellia and roses and salvias.

" I still mow four acres. "

Go Carrie!, go Carrie!, go Carrie! :D Dang! I wish I had half of your stamina!

Omar

Trying to get my ducks in a row..........................Spring will be here before I know it.

Most salvia varieties are easy to grow and are generous bloomers. Lantanas, penta, daylilies, narcissus, Louisiana iris, plumbago, cupheas and shrub roses are good in that they are tough, but are not invasive. Many hardy plants are a little too tough and can become a nuisance. Of course, be mindful of planting them in correct sun/shade exposure.

Molly

firespike it good, will freeze but come back beautifully and will take some shade but requires almost no care semi evergreen daylilies are best for houston a tiny little bulb can seem so expensive but you will not believe how quickly they multiply....between when you plant them in fall and when they bloom

I just want to chime in: Firespike is an underrated and underused plant in our area. It has a wonderful tropical look

Molly