Highland Lakes Chapter

Chapter Meeting September 16

Our next Highland Lakes Native Plant Society meeting is Saturday, Sept. 16,
2023, 1:00-3:00 at the Marble Falls Library, 101 Main St.

Deedy Wright will present Garden and xeriscape design with native plants.

Deedy will present her process in converting non-native and invasive plant
landscapes to a “Cue of Care*” approach resulting in a biodiverse plant
and wildlife ecosystem.

The presentation will follow a 30 minute chapter business meeting and will
be recorded for later viewing on YouTube.

Wright will cover these topics.

– How to design a native plant garden and landscape.
– Creating colorful drought tolerate xeriscapes
– Planting the right native in the right place at the right time.
– “Cue of Care” concepts, environmentally friendly landscapes will
provide for wildlife and reduce natural resource consumption.
– Attracting wildlife and pollinators to your yard with natives.

This presentation qualifies for Master Naturalist and Master Gardener AT.

Deedy Wright is a life-long Texas gardener. Her particular interests are
native plants, xeriscapes and invasive plants. Deedy has completed the
Texas Invaders training on invasive plants and many native plant courses at
the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. She is a Native Landscape
Certification Program instructor and teaches adult education classes on
various gardening topics. Wright has been a certified Master Gardener for
15 years and has converted the typical contractor landscapes to xeriscapes
using natives in her last three homes.

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