Join / Renew / Gift Donate Shop Member Portal Language

Search
npsot_bluebonnet_full_color

Native Plant Society of Texas

Tips for Working With Your HOA

Craig Dalton

By Nancy Saint, Houston Chapter

Nancy Saint

I had a frustrating visit last year from one of the two people on my Homeowner’s Association (HOA) Architectural Committee (AC). ACs are responsible for overseeing and regulating changes to the exterior appearance of properties within a community. They wanted me to “cut my weeds and get rid of the leaves.” Here are a few tips that can help you develop a good working relationship with your HOA when you’re planning a landscaping project:

  • Review HOA Guidelines. Start by thoroughly understanding your HOA’s rules and regulations regarding landscaping to ensure compliance.
  • Communicate early and often. Discuss your plans with your HOA board or landscaping committee to get initial feedback and address any concerns upfront.
  • Submit detailed plans. Submit a detailed plan to the Architectural Committee that includes plant lists, layout designs, and hardscapes. Use borders to make your beds look intentional, and clearly label all drought-resistant native plants. Under Texas Property Code 202.007, an HOA cannot restrict the use of drought-resistant plants.
  • Maintain neatness. Don’t be surprised if you hear from committee members again if your Fall Obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana), or other plants grow to six feet tall in the future. Keep your wildscape area well-maintained and free of weeds and overgrowth to meet HOA standards for tidiness and order.
 

Many tall plants such as Gaura (Oenothera) Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans), Swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius), and others can be cut down to knee-high height early in the season, and they’ll branch out to make a lovely shorter flowering plant.

I prefer to have native plants in view as I look out my windows. I can watch the monarch as she deposits her eggs on my Asclepias perennis.

  • Highlight environmental benefits. Emphasize the ecological benefits of wildscaping like attracting pollinators, conserving water, and enhancing biodiversity to gain HOA approval. To help committee members learn about the benefits of native plants, I held a short three-minute presentation at the beginning of one of our monthly HOA meetings.
  • Stay flexible. Once you’ve submitted your plan to the review committee, be patient! Don’t be surprised if it takes a while for them to get back to you with their decision. When they do respond with their feedback, be open to making adjustments to address any specific concerns or requirements they may have.
  • Use Society resources! Take advantage of the Society’s Native Plant Database to find plants suitable for your ecoregion and sun/shade requirements. I’ve also found that attending the Society’s Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP) classes is very helpful for finding plants.

Did you like this article? It’s from our Summer 2024 Texas Native Plants magazine. Read more here

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason