...for City of Southlake news, business, and community happenings.
-
- Bob Jones Nature Center & Preserve
Sunday, December 3, 2023
This week on Minute with the Mayor, Mayor John Huffman continues a budding friendship with Carol Dowd of the Southlake Master Gardeners to learn about Texas-native and Texas-adapted plants.
At the Pollinator Garden at the Bob Jones Nature Center & Preserve, you can see all types of critters. Butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and more make these plants their landing bed as they help pollinate and grow the vegetation.
As Mayor Huffman made a stop in the floral playground, he got to know a bit more about the intentions behind each plant.
“Texas-adapted and Texas-native plants do the best here. They are from this particular area, and some of the horticulturists at Texas A&M have tweaked some of the Texas-native genes and made the plants bigger or they’ve had better blooms, or they survive the drought better. Texas is known for drought, and we may be having more of it this summer, but Texas-natives and Texas-adapted plants will survive when other things don’t,” said Dowd.
Dowd is a Southlake resident and gardening enthusiast. Her talent and interest in plants are used in many places around Southlake but specifically at the Bob Jones Nature Center & Preserve. This special group of Master Gardeners who volunteer their time continues the mission of this Texas A&M program affiliate by promoting good gardening practices.
Mayor Huffman mentioned that Texas-native and Texas-adapted plants can help water conservation efforts during drought months. Since they require less water than non-native species, these plants can make a difference in your water bill or even the look of your garden!
Dowd encouraged those who want to be more intentional about their gardens to visit the Texas Smartscape website which provides information about native and adapted plants as well as local plant sales, demonstration gardens, and much more.
As the summer rolls in, be sure to take a walk in the pollinator garden to see nature at work. The beautiful flowers, plants, and critters provide the sights, sounds, and smells to transport you to a place of serenity. We hope to see you there!
To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.