NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY OF TEXAS
Kerrville Chapter

Website:  www.npsot.org/kerrville

 FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER - 2006

NATIVES ON THE GROW

Dedicated to the understanding, preservation and enjoyment of the native flora of the Hill Country

Landscape Design with Native and Adaptive Plants

 Katherine Crawford, landscape designer at Golden Eagle Landscape in Ingram, will speak and provide examples of landscape design at the Native Plant Society of Texas; Kerrville Chapter meeting.  The meeting will held Tuesday, February 7 at 2:00 p.m. at Riverside Nature Center.

Her topic will be Landscape Design with Native and Adaptive Plants.  Her talk will emphasize using native Texas Hill Country plants to create successful gardens and outdoor spaces for your home.  Her examples will provide information about plants and landscaping that require low water use, low maintenance and are deer resistant.

 Katherine has worked at Golden Eagle Landscape for 8 years and has been a landscape designer for four years.  Golden Eagle Landscape has been a sponsor of the Kerrville’s Native Plant Society and Riverside Nature Center for many years.

 Everyone is invited to attend this meeting.

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 The Kerrville Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas holds monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of the month (September through June) at Riverside Nature Center, 150 Francisco Lemos St. in Kerrville.  These meetings are free and open to the public.  If you have any questions about the Native Plant Society of Texas, or this program, please call Cynthia Johnson at 895-5173.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

(Julia Campbell)

 WINTER GARDENING

 Who can stay out of the garden when the sun is shining and the temperature is near 70* even though it’s the middle of January? Well, not me! I prefer not to let all of my pruning wait until February. I’ve discovered that the back (that’s MY back) appreciates intermittent workouts of this type. Now don’t jump to conclusions. The plants I am pruning have gone to seed and the flower spikes are crisp and brown. The birds have already had a feast on the seeds of these plants. The goldfinch were a joy to watch late last fall as they bounced up and down on stems which appeared much too fragile to support them. I’m referring to tropical sage (salvia coccinea) and big red sage( salvia penstemenoides). Zexmenia has also turned grey and crunchy so it falls to my hedge clippers as well. I have not taken pity on the tall goldenrod (Soldago altissima) either. That plant could use a little discouragement in my garden so, despite the fact it still had some green leaves on several stalks, it fell to the shears. I couldn’t resist attacking the Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus  Drummondii) as well. Some plants are just tough enough to take it.

 Winter is not the time to prune spring flowering plants however. These plants already have their flower buds ready to bloom. Also most perennials are better left until about the middle of February. This year has been especially mild. We might still experience a very cold snap. Early winter pruning and mild temperatures might encourage spring growth which would be damaged by freezing temperatures. So, the Winter Gardening is not finished yet!

 STATE OFFICE MEETING

 January 21, 2006 NPSOT chapter presidents and/or representatives met at the new headquarters in Fredericksburg. Although the meeting took place in the Gillespie County  Historical Society Building , we were shown the building which will soon be used as the NPSOT State office. It needs work, which has already begun and will continue, and also some furniture that will be forthcoming. NPSOT has a three year lease on the building. It is a practical, spacious and economical solution for an office space.  It will house computers and equipment necessary for Mike and Jennifer McBride to operate the website and necessary business of the organization. The McBrides have a one-year contract as coordinators for NPSOT and have already accomplished so much for the organization. The office, when officially opened, will have daily weekday hours from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and will also contain a shop where some books and clothing can be purchased.

 In addition to the various business issues discussed and voted upon, a one time donation of $1,000 was approved for the Big Bend Museum in Alpine, Texas for exhibits relating to native plants and native habitats.

 Big Bend February Program

 February 10 and 11, the Big Bend Chapter of the Native Plant Society will offer a two-day lecture series on diversity of the Chihuahuan Desert, its plants and animals, its unique confluence of soils, geology, rainfall, climate and water resources and the footprint of civilization – both prehistoric and historic.  These are the lectures from the October State Symposium that many missed because the number of participants was limited.  The program will take place in the fellowship hall of the Fort Davis Methodist Church located on Front St, half a block north of the Marfa highway.

     The Feb. 10 program begins at 5:30 pm with a potluck dinner and three presentations. The Feb. 11 program begins at 9 a.m. and includes seven lectures and lunch.  The presenters are ten of the area’s noted biologists, botanists, archeologists, geologists and landscape designers.

     The series is free. There is a $10 charge for the Feb. 11 lunch. Reservations are required; the deadline is Feb. 4. For information and reservations, please e-mail symposium@npsot.org

 Calendar

 Tuesday, January 31

    Organization:  Native Plant Society of Fredericksburg

    Location: Gillespie County Historical Society Bldg., 312 W. San Antonio St.

    Time:  7:00 PM

    Topic: Ferns of Texas

    Speaker: Sue Tracy, Director of the Medina Community Library

 Tuesday, February 7

    Organization:  Native Plant Society of Texas - Kerrville Chapter – see above

 Friday/Saturday, February 10/11

    Organization:  Native Plant Society of Texas – Big Bend Chapter

         (repeat of presentations at state symposium – see above)

 Monday, February 27

   Organization:  Master Naturalists – Hill Country Chapter

    Location: Riverside Nature Center, 150 Francisco Lemos St.

    Time:  7:00 PM

    Topic:  How Geological Diversity Increases Plant Diversity

    Speaker:  Bill Lindemann, President, Texas NPSOT

 WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

 A. J. Paul

Nancy Vaughan

 Thanks to all those that renewed their memberships.

 DOOR PRIZES

Door prizes will be available at our February meeting.  Each member or guest who signs in at the Welcoming Table will receive a free ticket for a door prize.  Be sure to pot up those native plants for donations for the meeting!  

 REFRESHMENTS

Refreshments for February will be provided by  CAROLYN PEPPING and SELMA GIBSON. Be sure to give them a BIG Thank You!

 Please send any suggestions or comments on this newsletter to the Editor:  John Quinby at jsquinby@hctc.net or 367-4612.

 Benefits of Joining the Native Plant Society of Texas

Goals:

    To educate both its members and the general public and to foster a greater awareness and understanding of our native flora;
    To preserve rare and endangered species and their habitats;
    To encourage landscaping with appropriate native plants, for their beauty, ease of maintenance, and water-conserving qualities;
    To protect, conserve and restore native plants threatened by development;
    To encourage the responsible propagation of native plants;
    To promote an appreciation and understanding of current, historical and potential uses of native plants.

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