News and announcements from our committee chairs, board members, and chapter leaders. Subscribe to our mailing list to stay up to date. For chapter news, visit Chapters. If you are looking for a calendar of events, see our Events Calendar.
Backyard wildflowers — something a little different
Author: Bill Ward We have many different kinds of native plants in our yard, not only to conserve water, but also because we think they make landscaping our yard more interesting and enjoyable. Luckily, we can get a variety of native plants from nurseries in Boerne or nearby in Medina,
NPSOT — not a society of garden clubs
Author: Bill Ward Many people unfamiliar with the Native Plant Society of Texas seem to envision the organization as a collection of garden clubs for native-plant geeks. NPSOT may have some obsessive enthusiasts (i.e., geeks), but no chapter of NPSOT is a garden club. Of course, cultivating native plants in
Mountain cedar – water guzzler or not?
For many people, the implication in “clear the cedar and start the springs” is that cedars are sucking up water that would otherwise filter down to recharge the aquifer and increase spring flow.
A society of garden clubs? – Not!
**ARCHIVED POST ** Many people unfamiliar with the Native Plant Society of Texas envision the organization as a collection of garden clubs for native-plant geeks. The Society may have some obsessive enthusiasts (i.e., geeks), but no chapter is a garden club.
Mountain cedar — water guzzler of the Hill Country or not?
Author: Bill Ward For years I’ve heard many people say, “David Bamberger cleared the cedar off his land, and his springs started flowing.” Keep in mind I don’t mean David Bamberger said that; it’s what other people keep saying. If all he did was clear the mountain cedar (Ashe juniper),
Mountain cedar — does it deserve such disdain?
Author: Bill Ward There are a couple of myths about “mountain cedar” or Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei) that seem to be part of the conventional wisdom of the Texas Hill Country. One is that mountain cedar doesn’t really belong here because it only recently invaded the Hill Country. The other
July-August 2010
NICE! Plant of the Month (Muhlenbergia lindheimeri) Family: Poaceae Other Common Names: Big muhly Type: Native prairie grass Growth: Consists of 2 to 5-foot-tall bunches of dull, gray-green foliage. Deer Resistance: Deer do not browse this grass. Wildlife: Nesting material for birds Light Tolerance: Full sun to part shade Flowers:
Mountain cedar – does it deserve such disdain?
There are a couple of myths about “mountain cedar” or Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei) that seem to be part of the conventional wisdom.
Denton will host symposium
Our annual symposium in Denton will be the observance of the 30th Anniversary of the founding of our Society.
Lindheimer muhly, a native accent grass
Landscapers who use natives have shown that many native grasses can be some of the most effective and easy-to-grow yard plants.
Lindheimer muhly — the NICE! grass for 2010
Author: Bill Ward From its beginning in 2000, the Boerne Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas wanted to promote native grasses as good landscape plants. As its symbol, the chapter chose the grass commonly called inland seaoats (recently changed to broadleaf woodoats). Over the years, several grasses have
“Boerne Bean” finally gets some respect — it’s a new species
Several years ago when Jan Wrede and I were crawling down a narrow little side canyon off Cibolo Creek, she exclaimed, “Oh, there’s a Boerne Bean!” She was referring to a bean-like vine that trailed across the limestone ledges and up into the trees. “What’s that? Never heard of it,”
