Gardening in South Texas

In this comprehensive, richly illustrated guide, author George Oxford Miller provides the "how-to," "when-to," and "what-to" for gardeners, landscapers, and homeowners throughout Texas.

Have you ever planted a beautiful--and expensive--shrub in your yard and watched it slowly die because it was in the wrong location? Insufficient sunlight, too much water, improper soil, or too hot an exposure can turn the nursery-perfect specimen into an eyesore. This all-in-one DIY guide helps you beautify your yard using low-maintenance native plants specifically adapted to your local growing conditions.

Whether as foundation hedges, mass plantings, or accent shrubs, Texas' vast offering of native species can bring year-round beauty to any lawn space. Covering wildflowers, shrubs, trees, vines, cacti, and groundcovers, this book selects the species that combine ornamental qualities, growth habit, adaptability, and year-round beauty for the highest landscape value.

Chapters include photos, maps, charts, and design samples to provide guidelines for species selection and planting, ongoing maintenance, landscape design, and water and energy conservation. Plant descriptions provide detailed habitat requirements for hundreds of native plants, and photos illustrate how each plant looks in the landscape.

In "Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas," new and experienced gardeners alike will find the facts and advice needed to choose the plants best adapted for their particular landscape. The ornamental beauty of Texas' native species and the economic advantages of using plants adapted to the local climate demonstrate that the best for our landscapes often comes from our own backyards. And perhaps most importantly, using native plants encourages the repair and preservation of natural plant communities and the wildlife they shelter.

Does the idea of sitting back with a cold drink while watching hummingbirds or butterflies dancing in your yard appeal to you? Choose the right plants and you can provide both food and shelter for native animals which will attract butterflies, birds and other wildlife to your yard.

Houston and El Paso offer very different growing conditions and challenges. Texas wildscapes acknowledges this truth by offering plants appropriate to the diverse regions of Texas. Color photographs of various types of gardens are offered to spark your creativity.

Growing a garden in San Antonio requires different plants and habits than one in Texarkana. The Wasowskis address those differences here.

Native Texas Plants offers plans for creating gardens of varies sizes and types. Also included are 364 detailed plant profiles to help you choose the plants that will do well in *your* garden.

Save water, time and money! Native plants require less watering thus saving you the watering time and money spent on your water bill. You'll also cut your use of fertilizers and pesticides.

Decrease the amount of time spent working on your garden rather than enjoying it.