Invasive Plants Don’t Stand a Chance Against their Floppy-Eared Nemeses: Goats in the Garden
Guests arriving at the Native Texas Boardwalk in early April will find the Garden has employed some unusual temporary staff of the four-legged variety. Goats are coming to the Garden.
Reimagining Classic Gardens with Texas Native Plants
Click here to register now. Interested in the sustainability and resilience of native plants but love the charm of classic garden designs? You CAN get the best of both! Our expert instructor will identify classic design styles and appropriate substitute plants and then guide you in the hands-on process of designing your own bed. Whether […]
Attract Butterflies to Your Garden with Plants for Pollinators
Planting a butterfly garden is not only a delightful use of your landscape–it’s also a service for the pollinators of North Texas, who desperately need welcoming spaces. Attract butterflies to your garden with these native plants.
Garden Hosts Texas Plant Conservation Conference to Advance Protection of Threatened Native Plants
Texas is home to more than 400 species of plants at risk of extinction, including 163 considered “critically imperiled” within the state, according to data from Texas Parks & Wildlife. The Garden is committed to protecting the rare plants of Texas. This sort of work requires the cooperation of scientists, state and federal agencies, land owners and members of the public. To coordinate their efforts and exchange information on research progress and best practices, the Garden is hosting the 2023 Texas Plant Conservation Conference Aug. 14 and 15.
Bring on the Bees, Butterflies and Hummingbirds with these Plants for Pollinators
The Garden’s Pollinator Pathway is a-buzz this month with bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators busy collecting nectar from blooming plants. To enjoy this whirl of activity in your own garden–and help support the overall health of our ecosystem–look to summer-blooming native plants.
For Reliable Summer Color, Look to Red Yucca
Many plants flower in May and into June, but as the temperatures rise, the blooms fade away and then stop altogether. Not red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora.) This Texas native combines easy care and drought tolerance with reliable color all summer long. “It’s one of the most carefree plants you can find,” says Sr. Horticulturist Steve Huddleston.
Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum Makes Up for Its Lackluster Name with Bountiful Spring Blooms
The Rainforest Conservatory is currently filled with an orchids from every corner of the globe. You might think you could never evoke a tropical paradise in your own home, but orchids are more accessible than you might think. With a few simple tips, you can create your own World of Orchids.
Managing Your Garden Through Heat and Drought
Gardeners across North Texas can only look at their landscape and sigh as the heat wave refuses to break and rain refuses to fall. Plants that thrive most summers are withering and dying under the stress of week after week of 100-degree-plus temperatures. Gardeners struggle to balance watering enough to keep their plants alive with responsible behavior during a drought–and the prospect of budget-busting water bills. What to do? “The first step is to not give up,” says Sr. Horticulturist Steve Huddleston. “You do have options.”
Learn How to Stop the Spread of Invasive Plants through Smart Shopping and Native-Friendly Gardening
Readers of this newsletter are savvy and environmentally aware—most know that invasive plants threaten the environment and native plants support a healthy ecosystem. But it’s not always easy. You might go to your local garden center looking for a native plant like lantana, take it home and plant it in your garden. You’ve done a good thing, right? Maybe. Maybe not. How do you know that the variety of lantana you purchased is native lantana?
Look to Native Plants for a Drought-Tolerant, Ecosystem-Friendly Garden
As FWBG | BRIT celebrates National Native Plant Month this April, we invite you to bring more Texas natives into your garden. “Gardening with native plants is an easy way to support local wildlife, cut water consumption and reduce your reliance on pesticides,” says Sr. Horticulturist Steve Huddleston. “And I think you’ll find the results can be beautiful.”