A dear friend of Texas native plants and a charter member of the Native Plant Society of Texas left this world peacefully at her home in Oregon on December 12, 2020. Sally Wasowski spent much of her life advocating for the use of native plants in our landscapes.
My first memory of Sally was at a gathering of friends for a Burning Ceremony. We all met to burn or ritually release something that no longer served us. This woman, that I vaguely knew, was standing next to the fireplace holding a book cover and explaining that she was burning and ‘releasing’ the strife of a first attempt at authoring a book. Furthermore, she vowed to start over to create the book that she wanted to write and make it the best that it could be. She succeeded.
That book, Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region, by Sally and Andy Wasowski, hit the bookshelves in 1988, and soon became a ‘necessary’ in the personal libraries of anyone involved with native plants in Texas. This book offers gardeners a path to creating a native landscape for their own ecoregion. It has remained a valued gardening resource for over 30 years.
Other books followed, including Gardening with Native Plants of the South, Native Texas Gardens: Maximum Beauty, Minimum Upkeep, and Native Gardens for Dry Climates.
Sally and Andy wrote, photographed, and spoke about native plants. But their work did not stop there. Sally served as the Native Plant Society of Texas state president in 1988-89 and was instrumental in the creation and retention of local chapters.
Longtime member, Peter Schaar, tells the story of Sally and Andy’s persuasion after the Dallas Chapter had been dormant for over a year, “Over dinner they asked me to revive the chapter. I undertook the job.”
In another part of the state, when Belinda McCoy McLaughlin first heard Sally speak in the mid-90’s, “she (Sally) told the audience that it was OK to plant ‘wild things’ in their yard. I literally waited my entire life to hear that. I was free!” Months later over lunch, Sally and Andy encouraged Belinda and a couple of others to start a chapter in Longview. “With the Wasowski’s help, we did, and nearly 26 years later, the rest is history.”
In 2005, the Native Plant Society of Texas honored Sally and Andy Wasowski with an Award of Appreciation and Honorary Life Membership for their contributions to the organization and for the use of native plants in the landscape.
Sally and Andy moved to New Mexico in 1996 where they continued their native plant outreach by organizing a native plant society chapter in the Taos area. They continued to write, with Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A., Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes, Building Inside Nature’s Envelope: How New Construction and Land Preservation Can Work Together among their creations.
“Many people don’t know what a talented artist she was; most of the (art pieces) included plants and animals from nature,” told a longtime friend, Martha Bonner. “Some of her paintings she had made into note cards with descriptions on the back explaining the plants and animals depicted.”
“Living in the wildness of the Taos foothills, Sally seemed most at home. She was fascinated by all the animals and birds that came to visit. I would say that Sally was the embodiment of Mother Nature, especially as she grew older,” explained another friend, Rebecca McKinney. “Sally was a natural artist in any medium that she attempted: landscaping, writing, painting, pottery, cooking and more.”
Andy Wasowski died in 2012. Sally remarried and later moved to Oregon with her husband, Johnny Miller. Sally is survived by her husband and her daughter, Sora Brodie.
Her husband Johnny, announced her passing to friends with the phrase, “Sally danced on ahead of us.” A celebration of a life that is also reflected in the remarks of those that knew her best.
“I will miss her wit, intelligence, humor, and love.”1
“Sally was a gracious host, a steadfast friend, and a generous soul. I loved her wit and her wisdom.” 2
Other friends have memories of the “remarkable, talented person,” the smile and laughter. 3
For those involved in native plants in Texas, Sally Wasowski will be remembered for the 10 books she co-authored with Andy Wasowski that encourage readers to garden with native plants. She will also be remembered for her persistent outreach on behalf of native plant use in the landscape and more.
Belinda McCoy McLaughlin sums it up, “Sally Wasowski’s legacy will live on, not just through her work with the Native Plant Society of Texas, but through the direct influence she had on the lives of many of us in native plant circles. I will forever be grateful to her for sharing the beautiful world of native plants with me.”
At the time of this writing, Sally Wasowski’s artwork can be viewed at her gallery: https://www.fineartnewmexico.com/sally-wasowski
1 Liz Gilbert, friend
2 Rebecca McKinney, longtime friend
3 Marsha Fawns, longtime friend, artist and Taos resident
Contributors for this article:
Belinda McCoy McLaughlin, past state president, 2004-05, Caddo Wildflower and Northeast Texas Chapters, owner of Black Mountain Gardens
Peter Schaar, Dallas Chapter past president and program chairperson
Martha Bonner, longtime friend and travel partner
Johnny Miller, husband
