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Native Plant Society of Texas

Highland Lakes Chapter

Field Trip to Betty Blackmond’s gardens

On  a beautiful fall day, November 15, 2023, about 14 of us went to Betty Blackmond’s home to see her wonderful gardens. It was a delightful experience as well as a learning experience.  Betty had gone to a lot of work labeling most of her trees, shrubs, and plants.  She passed out lists of the plants in numerical order and we were to guess how often the plants were watered or if they were watered this past summer.  It was a contest that was won by Pat Campbell and Kim McGregor in a tie.  A lot of fun.   She had landscaped all levels of the acreage around her home.  She and her husband did all the work, moving rocks, sand, gravel, and put in an amazing pond and waterfalls behind the house. Needless to say they have spent many hours over the last 10 years. 

Betty Blackmond’s home garden
Betty Blackmond's home garden
Betty Blackmond’s home garden
Betty Blackmond’s home garden
Betty Blackmond’s home garden
Betty Blackmond’s home garden

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