Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language

Search
npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Native Plant Society of Texas

Bill Freiheit’s Garden in Fort Worth

Ecoregion: Cross Timbers
Front yard makeover in Fort Worth

North Central chapter member Bill Freiheit removed his front lawn by using seven truckloads of free wood chips and a double truck load of dynosoil on top. Bill says, “This killed the grass and provided enough compost to sculpt the yard into tiers that get higher as they approach the house. This allows me to show shorter plants in front with taller in back. Additionally there is a raised curving walkway through the flowers that allows you to walk out into the middle of it to be surrounded and see it better. Next to it is a curving dry creek bed that guides rooftop water back into the middle of the yard to be absorbed. No watering!”

Species in these pictures; frontal view more or less from left to right: Texas Yellow Star (Lindheimera texana), Basketflower (Centaurea americana), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida or Echinacea angustifolia), Snake Herb (Dyschoriste linearis), Rough Blazing Star (Liatris aspera), Standing Cypress (Ipomopsis rubra), Pecan (Carya illinoinensis), Lindheimer Beebalm (Monarda lindheimeri), Whitemouth Dayflower (Commelina erecta), Roundfruit St. John’s Wort (Hypericum sphaerocarpum), Ashy Sunflower (Helianthus mollis), White Prickly Poppy (Argemone albiflora), Water Willow (Justicia americana), Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata), Willowleaf Sunflower (Helianthus salicifolius)

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