This was a very informative program given by Louis Scott the Naturalist at Will Rogers Gardens.
As Master Naturalists we try to “get back to Nature” with regard to our personal environments.
I’m fairly certain most of us would enjoy living in the middle of a wildflower meadow. This
however is not always practical especially if you live within a municipality.
The main focus of the presentation was how to “have your cake & eat it to” – how to creatively get around some of the “rules” by which you are governed when living in an urban area. First of all you must understand your obligations as a citizen. This includes knowing what the rules are and who makes them. For example you need to know where the “easements” are for your property. You are responsible for the maintenance of the easements, but the city gets to use them (water & sewer lines, etc). You may also be governed by a property owners association. Knowing the rules allows you to make a reasonable and logical plan for breaking them.
Your personal environment generally consists of two areas. The front yard is usually a more public area. Your neighbors, city inspectors & the public in general see this area. You have to have a different strategy here because you are more likely to get “flack” about natural plantings in this area. The backyard tends to be more of a private area. Here is where you are more likely to be able to get away with a brush pile for the birds to hide in.
Habitat types that are usually least objectionable to fussy neighbors:
1 Reducing turf for ornamental plantings. Check for re-sale value and neighborhood/municipal rules.
2 Water gardens – great for all year attracting.
3 Rock gardens – for ground feeding species.
4 Hedgerows – great for cover, nesting, diversity and xeric plantings.
5 Wildflower plots – hard edges make the informality easier for most non-educated folks to accept.
6 Boulders – attract beneficials such as toads and provide shelter for insect populations.
Water Attractants that are kid friendly and use less water:
1 Small open surface area.
2 Hidden reservoir.
Plants that function as food and host plants:
1 Mountain mint – attracts beneficial predator insects.
2 Passion vine – host for Gulf Fritillary.
3 Dill – host for Eastern Black Swallowtail.
4 Red Yucca ” nectar for Hummingbirds.
5 Crab apple – smaller fruiting varieties are better for some birds, but larger fruiting OK for ground
feeding birds such as Mourning Dove.
6 Chinese Hollies – such as Burford are parthenocarpic and will set fruit without a male pollinator.
Good shelter/nesting sites as well.
7 American Hollies – usually need a male for good fruit set, Good shelter/nesting sites as well.
8 Weeping Yaupon – get female selection as both types appear on the market. Good for
food/shelter and nesting.
Small trees that are better suited for urban yards:
1 Red Buckeye
2 Texas Buckeye
3 American Holly
4 Crab apple
5 Redbud
6 Washington Hawthorn
7 Eastern red cedar – Taylor’ very narrow, upright form – watch out for rust problems.
Colorful accent plants that provide floral interest for the landscape that are natives:
1 Blue-eyed Grass
2 Spotted Hawkweed
3 Prairie Rose – Rosa foliosa – good for shelter and hips – pleasing, Tern-like’ foliage
4 Sweet Autumn Clematis
5 Cowboy Rose – Callirohoe
6 Side-Oats Gramma – one of the best smaller, native grasses for ornamental purposes – do not
over water.