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Native Plant Society of Texas

Austin Chapter

Paul Montgomery Memorial Garden

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Paul Montgomery, 1946-2022

The memorial for Paul Montgomery took place on a lovely Sunday at Wild Basin October 23rd. Family, friends, neighbors and colleagues joined to celebrate Paul’s life. Stories and experiences came from all corners. A video of Paul teaching children was showing, and neighbors had prepared a slide show of some his many photographs, an amazing collection of photos ranging from striking landscapes to the tiny detail of grass florets. As a volunteer, Paul delighted in helping children discover the delights of nature, and Wild Basin is building a garden dedicated to this spirit of discovery, a sensory garden. The garden, located behind the Wild Basin Center, is evolving and NPSOT members are invited to share in the building process.

–Jackie O’Keefe

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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: sandraries

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