A pergola embellished with Texas plants can easily turn the arid heat of an afternoon into an oasis. With a more traditional fixed-roof pergola or a modern pergola, with motorized adjustable louvered roof, some living décor will help plants seamlessly blend with your outdoor space. With some soothing plantings around, and even growing right on, your aluminum outdoor structure, it will quickly become a relaxation destination.
Plant selection for your pergola space is both a decorative act and a scientific one. Some Texas plants quickly grow out of control if not maintained, and some can even damage mechanized pergolas. So, let’s take a look at some key considerations and a few Texas plant options that are ideal for the heat.
Location is Important for Your Pergola Plantings
If you are in the market for a dynamic outdoor shade covering like an adjustable louvered roof pergola, chances are your outdoor space is getting a lot of sun. Orienting the pergola to maximize shade is one of the first details a qualified pergola dealer will discuss with a new customer. In Texas, expect them to look to design your pergola so it opens southerly to allow in the most sun.
With the orientation confirmed, you can start to look at Texas plant options that will best fit the sun exposure, local planting zone and the anticipated rain fall. Make sure to take advantage of your pergola’s integrated drainage system which can conveniently deposit plant-feeding rainwater right by their roots.
Best Climbing Plants To Accent A Pergola in Texas
Climbing plants can really add ambiance to a pergola, but with modern adjustable louvered roof pergolas, climbing plants need to be confined to accessorizing lattice work to prevent damage to the motorized components of the pergola. Ultimately, the little extra time pruning and training will be worth it.
What top 3 Texas plants, native or not, should you consider?
- CLIMBING ROSES – The quintessential classic, climbing roses are resilient and low-maintenance. Available in an array of colors, they can easily accent your unique exterior decor.
- BOUGAINVILLEA – Another hardy and aromatic flower, the bougainvillea sprouts small flower bunches. Able to stand up to frost and high-heat, with diverse floral colors readily available, they too can complement your home and pergola color selections.
- CLEMATIS – Unlike the previous suggestions on this list, clematis naturally wraps itself onto lattice work, so there’s no need to train the vines as they grow. Once on the move, clematis grows fast, so it’s ideal for large pergola spaces or if you’re in a hurry for it to look grown-in. This hardy climber does best when its roots stay cool, so planting it where the base is shaded by surrounding plants is best.
Ground Plants
Planting flowering bushes and shrubs around the perimeter of your pergola can add some much-needed privacy. Unless you are looking for total seclusion, it’s ideal to select plants that will only grow to three or four feet tall. This will help preserve sightlines around your outdoor space. In most of Texas, limited rainfall has become a routine reality, so choosing plants that thrive in arid conditions will ensure your décor vision comes to life. Some, ideal Texas plants for pergolas include:
- DRWARF FIREBUSH – Drought resistant, Firebrush blooms with distinctive orange and red tube-shaped flowers and turns burnt burgundy in the fall. Be sure to purchase the dwarf variety, which only grows to about three or four feet.
- SAGE – Not only does sage endure the Texas heat, it thrives. With a dozen varieties hardy enough for even full sun, look for the Majestic or Mealy Blue for some flower diversity.
- SHRIMP PLANT – An evergreen, the flowering species of shrimp plant blooms…you guessed it…resemble shrimp.
2021’s Haute Plants of Texas
All the time spent at home recently has made home gardening a popular leisure activity. For pergola owners looking to use Texas plants to make their outdoor space Instagram-ready, here are a few of the hottest Texas-approved options that are blowing up the gardening world in 2021 according to Gardening Etc.
- SUCCULENTS – These draught-resistant babies come in innumerable varieties. The trend-watchers suggest looking at fishbone cactus and pilea for eye-catching options.
- CONTAINER GARDENS – What’s old is new again, and container gardens are back. Take this trend up a notch by mixing-and-matching pot materials, then swap them around whenever you want a fresh feel to your outdoor living space.
- GROW YOUR OWN VEGGIES – Home gardening really took off in the last year, no surprise, but choosing varieties of your favorite vegetables that will impress is what’s really cool right now. Selections like ruffled cabbages, unusual herbs and flowering beans can add some showstopping impact around your pergola, dinner table and on your social media feed.
When it comes to creating the perfect outdoor space, there are many plants that can be used. With Azenco aluminum pergolas unlocking their unique design possibilities and making this luxury amenity more accessible for homeowners across Texas landscapes; you will have access to not just one but two different ways of bringing vegetation into your backyard.
