Big Bend Chapter

Program – October 12: Learning to design your own native plant garden

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[from Dallas Baxter]

native landscape, Alpine
native landscape, Alpine

Photo credit: courtesy Big Bend NPSOT

Stumped when it comes to designing your own landscape? The Big Bend Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas can help. The group meets from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct.12, 2019, at the Alpine Public Library to look at the Native Plant Landscaping Certificate (NPLC) program, which will be offered in the spring.

The NPLC program will include three separate day-long workshops, a class in the morning and a field trip in the afternoon. The workshops will address how to identify plants that will work in the landscape, creating a sustainable – low water, no fertilizer – landscape; knowing the soil and how to read the land.

While learning design elements, participants will also learn how to choose suitable plants, placement, spacing and soil choice. There will also be practical aspects of gardening – bed and soil preparation, planting, mulching and maintenance.

“The key to a successful landscape is a plan,” said program organizer Dallas Baxter. “When you have a plan, you can create your garden over several seasons. Working with a plan keeps you from making mistakes you’ll rue later.”

The Oct. 12 presenter is Meg Inglis, an Austin NPSOT Board member who heads up the Landscaping Certificate program for the state.

The Saturday program is free to NPSOT members; the public is welcome and asked to make a $5 donation, which can be applied to a membership on the day of the meeting. Membership information is available at every meeting.

Reservations are necessary to assure seating and may be made by contacting Fonda Ghiardi. Reservations deadline is 3 p.m. October 11.

The Alpine Public Library is located on 13th St. between Ave. E and Sul Ross Ave. in Alpine.

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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: billarmstrong

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason