Native Plant Society of Texas

Encouraging Native Plantings in HOA Landscapes – Hybrid Clear Lake Chapter Meeting
2026-01-12 18:15 (America/New_York)
6:15 Doors Open – UHCL Bayou Building, Forest Room (B1430)6:40 Zoom Opens6:45 Business Meeting6:55 Garden Notes7:00 Guest Speaker

Join us for an evening of delicious pizza, exciting door prizes, and the chance to connect with others while learning something new! Bring your own beverage.

We often hear, “My HOA won’t let me plant native plants.” The fact is, Texas state law prohibits HOAs from disallowing water-wise landscaping, but does allow them to require the landscaping fit into the general aesthetic of the neighborhood. How can we encourage the use of more native plants in our community and still make HOAs happy?

About the Speaker

Diane Wetherbee is a Texas Master Naturalist, as well as a member of the Native Prairies Association of Texas and the Native Plant Society of Texas. She is a board member of the Upper Trinity Conservation Trust and also serves as vice chairman of the board of The Flower Mound Foundation, which cares for the 12.5-acre prairie remnant that gives the town its name. Diane is a Certified Citizen Forester and is a board member of the Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council. After a career in corporate communications and product marketing, she turned to her first love – the natural world. She was an interpretive naturalist and environmental educator at LLELA for 12 years and has completed coursework toward a Ph.D. in forestry at Stephen F. Austin State University. In her spare time, she serves as a member of Lantana’s Denton County Fresh Water Supply District 7 Board of Directors and is the chairman of the Lantana HOA Architectural Review Committee.

In-person – Parking Pass Required

Clear Lake Chapter Members: If you have a pass, don’t forget it – you will not get another one if you picked one up previously. If you need your new pass, arrive early enough to pick one up in the meeting room and place it in your car.

Visitors: Non-members may purchase a temporary parking permit at the kiosk in front of the Recreation Center or via T2 Mobile Pay.

DO NOT park in faculty/staff parking (enforced 24/7).

Map and Directions – The meeting will be held in the Forest Room (B1430) of the Bayou Building, University of Houston-Clear Lake. Student lot D2 is closest to the Bayou Building.

University of Houston-Clear Lake2700 Bay Area Blvd.Houston, TX 77058

Online – Zoom

Register in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

This is a FREE EVENT. Meetings are open to members and non-members. If you would like to become a member, you may join online. For more information about the Native Plant Society of Texas and the benefits of membership please visit: npsot.org.

Hosted by the Environmental Institute of Houston, University of Houston-Clear Lake.

Pines and Prairies NLCP Committee Meeting
2026-01-12 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Dear NLCP Committee Members,

This Monday begins our first meeting of 2024. We will meet at 7:00pm on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month on this Zoom link:

https://npsot-org.zoom.us/j/87628189964?pwd=[REDACTED]

We’re a small committee, and we don’t get to see each other in person very often, so please plan to join with your camera on.

See you Monday!

—

Jay Gowen, NLCP Chair, Pines and Prairies Chapter, 832-513-5785 (cell)

Lindheimer Chapter Board Meeting
2026-01-13 09:30 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
The members of the Board meet the second Tuesday of each month at the Tye Preston Memorial Library in the Founder’s Room.

Kerrville Chapter Meeting - The Benefits of Installing a Rain Garden
2026-01-13 13:30 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Shannon Brown will be talking about the benefits of installing a rain garden. Held at Riverside Nature Center, 150 Francisco Lemos Street, Kerrville, TX.

NPSOT Website Committee
2026-01-13 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Open to any members who help manage content on their chapter or committee website.No registration required.

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 897 7771 6314Passcode: [REDACTED]

Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture Demonstration Garden Workday
2026-01-14 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago)
We are thrilled to invite you to our upcoming Demonstration Garden Workday! This is a fantastic opportunity to get your hands dirty, learn new gardening techniques, and contribute to the beauty and sustainability of our community garden. Contact Craig Bruska for more details: craigbruska@hotmail.com. The garden is located at 1370 Church Hill Dr., New Braunfels, Tx 78130 in the Heritage Village.

What to Expect:

Hands-On Learning: Gain practical experience in planting, pruning, and maintaining a variety of plants.

Expert Guidance: Our knowledgeable garden coordinators will be on hand to share tips and answer your gardening questions.

Community Spirit: Meet fellow garden lovers, share stories, and enjoy the camaraderie of working together.

What to Bring:

Comfortable clothing and gardening gloves

A hat, water, pest repellent, and sunscreen

Your enthusiasm and love for gardening!

Common gardening tools, such as pruners, weeders, and the like. Whatever you use in your garden, as tools will not be provided.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this workday is for everyone. Let’s come together to make our demonstration garden a thriving, beautiful space for all to enjoy.

Boerne City Campus Natural Area (BCCNA) Workday
2026-01-15 09:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago)
Join us for BCCNA workdays!

The BCCNA project involves the restoration and enhancement of the Boerne City Campus Natural Area (BCCNA). The BCCNA is comprised of 13-acres on either side of the Old No. 9 Trail, behind the library. We are working towards restoring this area to a native pollinator habitat, creating a wildlife corridor and haven within the city.

BCCNA Workdays take place on the first and third Thursdays of each month.

Our meeting place will be in the Boerne Patrick Heath Public Library parking lot near the windmill. If you don’t see us at the windmill, walk out behind the library across the creek as we’ve likely already started!

Each volunteer will be required to fill out the City of Boerne’s liability waiver the first time he or she volunteers.

Contact Jeff Schwarz at jeffschwarz27@gmail.com for more info.

Chapter Leader Forum: Treasurers Roundtable
2026-01-15 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
This event will be a discussion of treasurer resources, Chase Bank profiles updates and new security measures, clarification of sales tax and unrelated business income tax (UBIT) as well as an opportunity to get treasurer questions answered.

Speakers: Mary Sirgo, Executive Director, Native Plant Society of Texas

Registration Link: https://npsot-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/5OWDb6m-TRq01LUowXskCg

Register in advance for this meeting. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Pines & Prairies Chapter Meeting
2026-01-15 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Details will be emailed to members

Below the Roots: Why Native Plants Depend on Soil Function to Truly Thrive - January 15
2026-01-15 19:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago)
Native plants are often seen as the solution to degraded landscapes, yet many native plantings can struggle to fully establish or perform over time. This talk explores what native plants require belowground in order to truly thrive, and why soil function often determines success long before species selection does. By examining soil as a dynamic system that governs water, biology, and resilience, this discussion reframes native plants not as a shortcut to restoration, but as indicators of underlying land health.

About the Speaker

Erik Fritz is an edaphodynamic engineer and founder of Tierra Buena Regenerative, a firm focused on diagnosing and correcting soil and land systems as functional infrastructure. His work centers on soil as a dynamic system governing water movement, nutrient cycling, biological activity, and long-term landscape performance. Rather than treating surface symptoms, he designs soil-level interventions that restore function, stability, and resilience across agricultural, urban, and restoration landscapes.

Our monthly chapter meetings are held on every 3rd Thursday, January – November. Our meetings are free and open to the public thanks to our members and sponsors.

The presentation will start at 7:00 pm, but come at 6:45 pm for a meet and greet with snacks.

Houston Arboretum and Nature Center

610 Entrance (preferred)120 W Loop N FwyHouston, TX 77024

Woodway Entrance4501 Woodway DriveHouston, TX 77024

Meetings will also be live-streamed and recorded for later viewing.

Return to Houston Chapter Page

Native Seed Workshop
2026-01-17 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
Photo Credit: Claire Sorenson

Learn techniques to success with seed propagation: Cold stratification, scarification, how to plant, and how to grow native seeds.

Location:

North Haven Gardens 7700 North Haven Road Dallas, Texas 75230
