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What makes you think of home? For some, it might be the relentless trill of summer cicadas. For others, “home” may be the grasses and trees of their youth. A Texan is likely to think of bluebonnets or Indian paintbrush as “home.” And for good reason — those species provide homes for painted lady butterfly eggs and food for ruby-throated hummingbirds.
Plants, insects, birds — they’re all natives. Together they co-exist and create our unique sense of place, the landscape we call “home.”
To promote the importance of our state’s special sense of place, the Texas Legislature has designated October 14-20 as Native Plant Week. Local communities throughout Texas are planning events for the public to foster the use of native plants in the landscape.
Wildflower walks, tours of native plant gardens, educational talks given by professional botanists and biologists, and other events will be among those offered by local communities to the public. The events are designed to appeal to a diverse audience — botanists, gardeners, biologists, naturalists.
As the week of October 14-20 approaches, check out the website at txnativeplantweek.org for events in your community. Meanwhile excellent information about natives is currently available on the site. Look for tips about invasive species, an inventory of Texas native plants, where to buy native wildflowers, and more.
The Native Plant Society of Texas is partnering with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center of The University of Texas at Austin, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the National Wildlife Federation, the City of Austin, and the San Antonio Botanic Gardens to make Texas Native Plant Week an educational and enjoyable experience for all.
Mark your calendars and partner up, Texas!
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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: annastrong
