Nolan Gore

The Top Choice Austin Landscaping Blog

Central Texas Weeds: How to ID and Control the Most Common Ones

By Nolan Gore / October 14, 2026

Weeds don’t take the fall off. After a hot summer and a little rain, crabgrass, spurge and friends are still hanging around Austin lawns and beds… and winter weeds are right behind them. Weeds can also grow in your beds, especially if you’ve been irrigating properly or we’ve had a good amount of rain. Many…

How to Choose the Right Plants for Your Austin Yard (11 Questions)

By Nolan Gore / October 6, 2026

Don’t put a plant in the ground until you’ve thought through these. Seriously. We plant thousands of plants every year—and we’ve seen just about everything. Over time, we’ve developed a go-to list of questions we ask ourselves before putting any plant into the ground. It helps us avoid the most common mistakes we see from…

Choosing the Right Plants for Central Texas: Understanding USDA Hardiness Zones

By Nolan Gore / October 6, 2026

Central Texas is a unique region with its own particular climate, and it’s important to choose plants that are adapted to this climate in order to create a successful landscape. One way to determine which plants will thrive in Central Texas is by understanding the USDA hardiness zones. This is not a fool-proof technique, but…

Top 10 Plants for Xeriscaping in Central Texas

By Nolan Gore / August 31, 2026

1. Texas Sage (Leucophyllum frutescens) Type: ShrubSun Requirements: Full sunWatering Requirements: Drought-tolerant once established; requires minimal wateringMature Size: Typically reaches a height of 3-8 feet with a similar spread Fun Facts: 2. Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) Type: PerennialSun Requirements: Full sunWatering Requirements: Highly drought-tolerant; minimal watering once establishedMature Size: Typically grows to a height of 2-3 feet with a…

What to know about xeriscaping

By Nolan Gore / August 31, 2026

What is it? Why would you xeriscape part/all of your yard? What are the best plants for xeriscaping in Central Texas? What are common mistakes and misconceptions What are some common landscaping materials used in xeriscaping? What are several areas I should consider xeriscaping in my yard? What should I consider with xeriscaping? Some of our…

How to Trim Live Oak Trees (and Prevent Oak Wilt)

By Nolan Gore / July 8, 2026

At the time of writing this blog, it’s almost time to trim live oak trees in Austin. Watch our video below or read on to learn why and how you should trim live oaks—and how to prevent that nasty Oak Wilt! Why trim live oak trees First…why should you trim your live oak trees in…

How to perform a DIY irrigation check

By Nolan Gore / June 9, 2026

Lots of folks like to handle their own irrigation. That’s great and we encourage it. A bunch of folks also want a pro to do an irrigation check to make sure their system is in tip-top shape before the summer.  Whatever you decide, please, please, please make sure your irrigation system is in good shape…

Oak Wilt FAQ

By Nolan Gore / June 2, 2026

We know you care about your yard, and especially your trees, so we thought we would pass along… It’s tree-trimming season! Across Central Texas, HOAs, municipalities, and well-meaning neighbors will yell at you if you trim oaks in the spring. Why? Because February-June has the highest likelihood of spreading oak wilt. The good news? We’re…

How to use rock and stone in your landscape

By Nolan Gore / May 26, 2026

So you want to use rock and stone in your landscape. You might be wondering… Function and Beauty – that’s always the goal with our landscaping. Sometimes you have to settle for one of the two (function OR beauty), but we always want to shoot for both if possible. Let’s take a look at a…

What Does Mulch Taste Like? (And 11 Other Questions We Get All the Time)

By Nolan Gore / May 5, 2026

Short Version (For the Busy Homeowner) 1. So… What Does Mulch Taste Like? It tastes like responsible landscaping. But also… I’ve actually taken a bite of mulch before. Don’t ask me why. It tastes exactly like you’d expect: A dirty tree branch. That’s nasty. Just take it from me—you don’t need to do it yourself.…