Everyone wants their home to have curb appeal – whether they are selling the home or living there. Some gardeners will get out there and dig in on their own, while some opt to hire professional landscapers to do the job. Regardless of what your choice is, bringing color to your home through plants is always a great way to go.

With summer moving into full swing, there’s no better introduction to your home than a front yard packed with the color of flowers and shrubs.

As builders our job is to leave you with a home that is ready to be enjoyed, but if you’ve get the big and want to do some of your own gardening, there are plenty of opportunities to make the yard your own.

But who has time to invest in a garden and become a world class gardener when there’s always a million other things that you should be doing?

One approach for your front yard is to plant a drought tolerant garden that will minimize your workload and look incredible – even if you don’t have a green thumb. It’s also environmentally friendly because it requires less water than other gardens and here in South Texas, that’s a huge benefit!

Not all drought tolerant gardens feature desert plants and rock beds. Below, we’ve listed four popular plants that will add color without requiring constant attention. You can also go to your local garden store and get more inspiration!

Butterfly Weed

A magnet for butterflies, you’ll find its orange flowers will bloom until September. It’s a perennial that likes well drained, sandy soil and requires minimal water.

Coneflower

Also known as Echinacea, this is a beautiful, bright purple daisy. It withstands hot and dry conditions. Even if you ignore it, coneflowers will add a wonderful splash of color to your front yard.

Rosemary

A hardy bush of green and silver leaves; you can plant these and walk away. Even better, you can use rosemary in your cooking. Its leaves are especially delicious on roasted potatoes and wedges.

Sage

While usually found in a vegetable patch, sage is an incredibly tough plant that has a purple flower with edible green leaves. It attracts pollinators, such as the hummingbird and is also a delicious herb that will add a lot to your cooking (especially at Thanksgiving time).