Warm weather has us Texans flocking to our favorite plant nurseries in a humble attempt to figure out how to create landscapes that will not only survive, but also thrive for years to come. The Texas heat, compounded by our local water restrictions, may make that seem like a daunting task. But we don’t have to be left with a crunchy, shriveled mess by the end of August.
Whether you’re improving a builder-grade landscape, rethinking flowerbeds you were left with after a resale or just want to add a pop of color to your front yard, it makes sense to take your landscaping cues from what naturally works best in your environment. When it comes to plants, going native has its advantages.
What are native plants?
In North America, a plant is considered “native” if it existed in an area prior to colonization. So, yes, that means plants that have flourished for hundreds of years without the help of modern-day sprinkler systems, fertilizers or pesticides.
Benefits of native plants
Carrie Dubberley, a degreed horticulturist and owner of Dubberley Landscape, has worked with homeowners in Dallas-Fort Worth since 1995. She specializes in sustainable, native landscaping – that means heat tolerant, drought tolerant, waterwise and low maintenance.
Dubberley says a yard with well-planned, sustainable Texas native plants can provide a thriving outdoor space with vibrant year-round color, without the standard upkeep and water requirements.
“You’re using a plant that gets the amount of water they want from the sky, and you don’t have to fertilize because they like our soil type and pH, and you don’t have to add things to make the soil more alkaline or acidic,” she explains. “Plus, you don’t have to worry about as many bugs attacking your plants.”
That all translates into less yard work and expense. If you want to know what kind of soil you’re working with, Texas A&M Agrilife Extension offers diagnostic soil testing.
What native plants to use in your yard
Before you head over to the local garden center, start by determining the amount of sun you’re working with. At noon in August, will you have full sun? Shade? Full shade? “That’s No. 1,” Dubberley says.
To start, she loves an oak tree, her favorite being the bur oak, a deciduous tree that can exceed 100 feet in height and width. Part of the white oak family, it takes sun, shade and part shade.
“White oaks don’t get the oak wilt,” Dubberley says, referring to the disease that’s devastated thousands of trees throughout Texas.
For full-sun shrubs, she tends to choose from among autumn sage, Texas sage or red yucca, an herbaceous, shrubby perennial succulent. She also likes flame acanthus, with showy, slender reddish-orange blooms that attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
With partial sun, Dubberley loves coralberry, with its clusters of coral-pink to purple fruit that remain through winter; Turk’s cap, with gorgeous red flowers; and beautyberry, which produces purple, white or light pink flowers in the summer and bright purple berries in the fall.
When it comes to plants, she has one golden rule. “If they’re not feeding the environment, then I don’t use them. They have to feed the birds, bees and butterflies,” she says. “Bug numbers have dropped significantly and that threatens the food web for everything above it.”
Where can I buy native plants in Dallas-Fort Worth?
Dubberley’s go-to nurseries include longtime local favorites North Haven Gardens in Dallas as well as Weston Gardens in Fort Worth. Other options are Redenta’s in Dallas, Shades of Green in Frisco and Celina, and Marshall Grain Co. in Grapevine.
When to landscape with native plants
As it turns out, the best time to plant is almost always “now.” Dubberley says she’s started planting year-round, with the exception of August. “I planted all last winter, and we had a mild winter. It was the best thing I ever did,” she says. “What you’re trying to do is get the plants established, get their roots deep into the ground, before the heat of the summer.”
How to plant and care for native plants
“People need to strive for a dense garden once it is mature,” Dubberley explains. “Like a native prairie, they need to not have soil showing. I space plants with their mature size in mind, so there’s going to be a lot of ground showing, and I mulch it with 2 to 3 inches of mulch,” she says. “In three to five years, the plants will spread and then they will be shading the ground themselves.” In the meantime, she recommends local shredded hardwood mulch.
Years ago, Dubberley would give her landscaping clients a watering schedule after an installation. But not anymore. “You can’t do that with this crazy weather we’re having, so I highly recommend people use a moisture meter during the first few weeks,” she says. “You want to keep the soil moist, not dry and not wet, 6 inches down in the ground.”
When treated right, your garden can last forever. “My garden has been in the ground for 30 years, and it just gets better and better,” Dubberley says. “When you go out to pristine prairies, the plants have been around for hundreds and hundreds of years. Nobody is watering, fertilizing or using bug spray.”