We grow lots of trees for shade, and then a variety of native and drought-tolerant plants. Before the trees got big we grew tomatoes, eggplant, pole beans, cantaloupe, cucumbers, squash, sunflowers, basil, thyme, lemon grass and cilantro.
Now we grow mostly flowering shrubs and vines that produce nectar for hummingbirds and solitary bees, bushes and small trees that produce berries for the birds, native wildflowers including bluebonnets, winecups, and evening primrose, and crape myrtles, red agave and rosemary for color along the street.
We also “grow” our own compost, from the leaves the trees produce.
One thing we don’t grow is grass – when we had lots of sun and all the plantings were small we had buffalo grass. Now we have plenty of shade and a horseherb meadow.