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Welcome Home, Nature!
Whether you own or rent your home, the resources below will provide
information and inspiration for native Texas gardening and landscaping.
No place to plant? No problem! ​
There are tons of ways to get involved in the local conservation community.
Native Plants: Getting Started
Identify what should and shouldn't grow here, learn how to talk with your HOA or property manager
about native plants, and get some money back for your efforts!
Get everyone on the same page
Wildscaping and Your HOA - Native Plant Society of Texas​
Neighborhood-Friendly Native Gardening - Native Plant Society of Texas
Sway Your HOA - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Know Your Natives
Guide to Native Plant Gardening - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Wildflowers of Central Texas - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Native Plants by Ecoregion - Texas Parks and Wildlife
Interactive Ecoregion Map - Texas Audubon
Texas Invasives 101 - TexasInvasives.org
How the city can help
Get Money Back For WaterWise Landscaping - City of Austin
Rain Water Harvesting Rebate -City of Austin
Free Hardwood Mulch Pickup - Austin Recycling and Reuse
Hiring Professional help
Grown Green Guide to Hiring a Landscape Professional
List of Grow Green Landscape Professionals
List of Texas Certified Water Smart Professionals
Native Plant Gardening: Plants and Principles
There's no real right or wrong when it comes to planting, but there are guidelines that can make the process easier. "The right plant for the right place" is the motto here!
Use the right plants for the space
Native and Adapted Plants for Texas Landscapes (click here for PDF) City of Austin
Plant Lists and Collections - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Native Plant Database - Native Plant Society of Texas
Nine Natives - Katy Prairie Conservation
Invite Wildlife
Texas Landowner Toolkit - Texas Audubon​
Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife
Native Plants for Birds - Texas Audubon
Pollinator Landscaping - Native Plant Society of Texas
Gardening for Pollinators - National Wildlife Foundation
Keystone Plants for Wildlife - National Wildlife Foundation
The Texas Horned Lizard Advocacy Guide - Texan By Nature
Conserve Precious resources
EarthKind - Aggie Horticulture
GrowGreen: Fact Sheets and Design Templates - Austin Watershed Protection
Sustainable Lawn Alternatives - National Resource Defense Council
WaterWise Gardening - GrowGreen
Water and droughts
How to Harvest Rainwater on Your Property - USDA TX
Waterwise Irrigation - GrowGreen
Rainscapes - City of Austin
Drought Resistant Natives for Central Texas - Native Plant Society of Texas
insects, weeds, and fertilizer
Seasonal Upkeep
Leave the Leaves - Xerces Society
No Mow May - Bee City USA
Native Plant Care Calendar -Grown Native! Missouri
Grown Green Guide to Diagnosing Plant Problems​
Tree Care - Grow Green
Garden and Landscape Maintenance
Once your native plants are well established, they won't need much maintenance besides the occasional weeding and watering during a drought. Still, nature happens!
The resources below will help you manage any issues you may have.
Native Plant Design Inspiration
These designs are open to use, but please note that some of this information comes from other states. If you want to follow one of these designs but aren't sure whether or not the plants are native to your area, message me!
Prairie Gardens
Pocket Prairies - Native Prairie Association of Texas
How to Recreate a Prairie - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Landscape Designs from the Missouri Prairie Society
Garden Design Plans- Prairie Restorations, Inc.
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native gardens and Landscapes
City of Austin Grow Green Design Templates
Wild Ones Native Plant Gardens
Texas Wildscapes Design Tips
Central Texas Gardener - YouTube
Save Tarrant Water - YouTube
​
Wildlife and Pollinator gardens
Texas Butterfly Gardens - TX Parks and Wildlife
Gardening for Hummingbirds - TX Parks and Wildlife
DIY Wildlife Habitat - TX Parks and Wildlife
Pollinator Gardens - National Resource Conservation Society
Blackland Prairie Plants for Birds - Texas Audubon
The Bees Needs - Jady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Rethink your Lawn
Native Grasses and Groundcovers in the Residential Landscape - NPSOT
How to Create a Native Habiturf Lawn - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Groundcovers for Texas Lawns - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Lawn Replacements for Shade in North Texas - NativeGardener
A Farewell to Lawns - National Wildlife Federation
Resource-Friendly gardens
Texas SmartScapes Design Layout Tool
WaterWise Garden Transformations - Hill Country Gardens
Rain Gardens - Grow Green
Keeping Water on Your Land - City of Austin
Edible gardens
Container gardens
Beauty on the Balcony - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Container Garden Plants for Central Texas - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Plants for Containers - Native Plant Society of Texas
Water gardens
Stock Tank Pond - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Texas Plants for Ponds - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Container Water Gardens - National Wildlife Federation
Backyard Ponds - USDA Backyard Conservation