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Native Plant Society of Texas

Fredericksburg Chapter

Celebrating Ward Miller (1937-2026)

Ward Miller

How to describe Ward Miller. He was a linchpin in the foundation of the Fredericksburg chapter of NPSOT – a vice president in 2011, president in 2015, gardener (at heart, a landscaper), a good friend and mentor always. Ward passed away Monday, February 2, in Austin at Austin Heart. He left his footprints on our lives.

Ward was an active force in leading and encouraging the preservation of Texas Hill Country native ecology. After retiring from the US Army, he turned his energy to both the Hill Country Chapter of Master Naturalists and the development of the Fredericksburg Chapter of NPSOT.

Inclusion was an extension of his personal philosophy. Ward’s was the face that greeted each new visitor at a meeting; and he always greeted that person by name after that. When Fredericksburg hosted the NPSOT symposium, Ward lead garden tours (for children as well as adults). To know the environment, you have to explore it. So Ward lead field trips through the region.

The Military Veterans Memorial at the Gillespie County Court House was dear to his heart. Students became involved in helping maintain it because of his involvement and mentorship.

 

If you want others to see the beauty around them and care about it, you plant gardens and invite the butterflies. And always – you do it with community,

And this is what we need to do.

 

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason