Clear Lake Chapter

Chapter Meeting: Encouraging Native Plantings in HOA Landscapes

Monday, January 12 • 6:15 p.m.
Hybrid Meeting

6:15 Doors Open – UHCL Bayou Building, Forest Room (1430)
6:40 Zoom Opens
6:45 Business Meeting
6:55 Garden Notes
7:00 Guest Speaker – via Zoom

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, while supplies last.

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).

Bayou Building, Forest Room (1430)
University of Houston-Clear Lake
2700 Bay Area Blvd.
Houston, TX 77058

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: www.npsot.org.

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

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