Chapter Meeting Information

When?
The Austin chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm until 9:00pm.

Where?
Wild Basin Wilderness
805 N. Capital of Texas Highway (also known as Loop 360)
Austin, TX 78746
512-327-7622
Map and Directions

The entrance to Wild Basin is on the east side of Loop 360, approximately 1 mile north of Bee Caves Road, or approximately 3 miles south of the Loop 360 bridge over Lake Austin (Colorado River). Take the short gravel road to the parking area. You'll see the headquarters building nearby; take the stairs up to the large porch and main entrance.  NPSOT will meet in the central auditorium room.

More?
Meetings are open to the public and visitors are always welcome. Subscribe to the NPSOT-Austin-announce mailing list to receive meeting and event notices.  Contact the chapter president for more information. See the Past Meetings and Events page for past information.

Upcoming meetings and events

Summary

Meeting and event details



All events are free and open to the public.  Bring a friend who could become interested native plants!

April Chapter Meeting: Potluck and Social

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008, 7:00pm-9:00pm, at Wild Basin Wilderness

It's been a busy spring! Join us for a relaxing evening of food, friends, fun and of course native plants. Bring a dish to share, or just bring yourself! Arrive early and go for a self-guided hike and see what's in bloom.

May Chapter Meeting: Mike Powell: Some Special Cacti of Texas

Tuesday, May 20th, 2008, 7:00pm-9:00pm, at Wild Basin Wilderness

A. Michael Powell is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Sul Ross State University where he has taught for many years and Director of the Herbarium, which is named in his honor. He established the SRSU Cactus Garden . Dr. Powell is the botanist par excellence of the Trans-Pecos. He is the author of Trees & Shrubs of the Trans-Pecos, Grasses of the Trans-Pecos, Ferns and Fern Allies of the Trans-Pecos, and, with co-author James Weedin, Cacti of the Trans-Pecos (which won one of the statewide NPSOT book awards for 2007). Mike, together with his wife Shirley, together co-authored: Native Plants in Landscaping: Trees, Shrubs, Cacti, and Grasses of the Texas Desert and Mountains, and the just-published (also co-authored with James Weedin) Cacti of Texas: A Field Guide.

Copies of Cacti of Texas: A Field Guide will be available for sale (credit cards not accepted).

This field guide provides brief treatments of the entire state's species of cacti for educated general readers. More than three hundred beautiful full-color photographs of cacti in flower and fruit highlight the book.

A limited number of Native Plants in Landscaping: Trees, Shrubs, Cacti, and Grasses of the Texas Desert and Mountains will also be available.







Field Trip: Weber Residence

Saturday, May 31, 9:00-11:00am
6808 Jester Wild Drive
Austin, TX

You're invited to a field trip to the Jim and Lynne Weber's property!

Jim and Lynne live lightly on the land, conserve natural resources and have restored orginial habitat. See native plants such as elbowbush, escarpment black cherry, Carolina buckthorn, Lindheimer's silktassel, green dragon, scarlet clematis, marbleseed, canyon mock orange, crested-coralroot, and Lindheimer's crownbeard.

The Weber residence has been featured on Central Texas Gardener, the Wildflower Center garden tour, Cool House tours, is a certified National Wildlife Federation Habitat, and has won many awards including the City of Austin Green Garden Award.

June Chapter Meeting: Gardening Panel: Cathy Nordstrom; Andrea Delong-Amaya; David Heberling

Tuesday, June 17, 2008, 7:00pm-9:00pm, at Wild Basin Wilderness

Come ask a panel of experts all of your native plant questions!

Cathy Nordstrom is owner of Sans Souci Gardens Landscape Design, an Austin company that specializes in designing and installing natural landscapes for the past 15 years. Sans Souci Gardens is a member of the City of Austin Green Building Program, and Cathy is a Master Gardener, Master Naturalist, and Habitat Steward. She is also a Habitat Ambassador trainer with the NWF and docent at the Wildflower Center . She has completed many gardens around town, at Zilker, on the Town Lake Trail and at several schools and activity centers across town. One of the bullets for Sans Souci Gardens promotes the idea: landscapes rely more on common sense than excessive use of natural resources.

Andrea DeLong-Amaya: Director of Horticulture at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center where she has worked for over nine years, designing and maintaining gardens, managing the Garden Master Plan project, and teaching horticulture classes. She has a monthly feature in Neil Sperry's electronic gardening magazine, e-gardens. For two years she served as VP of Admin for NPSOT and she has 15 years of experience in garden design and maintenance in Central Texas . Her passion is to facilitate the use and appreciation of locally native plants in planned landscapes.

David Heberling: David is the owner of Prairiewood Nursery, and is an expert at propagating native plants from seed, cuttings and layering. David also does landscape design and installation. He served as President of the Austin chapter for several terms.