Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Smarty Plants Question Topics

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
<< previous 1 ... 8 9 10 11 12 13 next >> 
315 Results:   10 25 50  100 per page


topicquestion
Privacy shield for Long Island, NY
May 13, 2009
I live in Long Island New York (Smithtown), Zone 6, I think. My yard has mostly shade and I would like to plant something for privacy along my back fence because my neighbors house is close and their...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Privacy screen for Santa Rosa CA
May 13, 2009
I am looking for a very fast growing privacy hedge/screen, 15-20 ft., requires not much pruning. I want an evergreen with not a lot of mess. The area gets full sun and after the plant is established...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Evergreen tree for privacy screen
May 01, 2009
I live out in the hill country in Volente, TX. I'm looking for a fast growing, native evergreen tree variety that would make a good privacy screen. I don't want a hedge, but I do want to replace a...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Native plants under trees for privacy barrier in Fairview, TX
April 29, 2009
I am looking for suggestions on what to plant for a Privacy Barrier. The area in question is a shaded area under a tree line of about 200+ feet long. I am hoping for year round coverage. The canopy...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Privacy screen for Rockwall, TX
April 23, 2009
Dallas area privacy screen recommendations. I have about 125ft of wrought iron fence between my yard and the neighbor's and a drainage pipe that runs along the fence. The neighbor's property sits u...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Combining native shrubs for hedge in Austin
April 15, 2009
Smarty, Please tell me what the definitions are for all the various water, soil moisture, drainage and light requirements mean. Are the definitions global? I live in Central East Austin and inten...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Need drought resistant screen at Lake Whitney, Texas
April 14, 2009
Need drought tolerant shrub for use as screen at Lake Whitney. Will have to survive with little watering.
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Screen plant for Austin
March 30, 2009
I live in Austin Texas and am looking for a small tree or large shrub that will obscure the view from my kitchen window into my neighbors. I am looking for an evergreen plant that gets no wider than ...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Screening plants for Alaska
March 28, 2009
Just purchased a house and want more privacy along the fence lines. Which plants would work well in the cold environment but provide privacy without taking over the yard.
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Screening plant for pool in Cleburne, Texas
March 15, 2009
I recently put in a very large pool. I need to plant something for fast growing, taller than an 6 ft fence for privacy. The property isn't so appealing behind my pool. When standing on my deck, I ...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Shrub to screen backyard and block noise
March 14, 2009
I'm trying to find a shrub to screen my backyard and block noise. I want something I can plant along the 60ft of my back fence that would get between 8 and 10 ft tall. I would like something that att...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Native plants for screen in Colleyville TX
March 12, 2009
My soil is pure sand that goes down as far as I can dig. I am needing native plants to use as a screen, that grow to be 6-10 ft. tall. Also, since my plantings dry out so quickly, would it be helpfu...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Wax myrtle for screening in Euless, TX
March 04, 2009
We live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We need something to use as a screen along our back fence, to block the view of our neighbor's storage building. We are looking for a tall shrub that we can s...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Plants to augment a privacy fence in Virginia Beach.
February 24, 2009
I live in Virginia Beach, VA and I have a small back yard about 75 ft deep and 60 ft wide. We have a six ft privacy fence but still have many undesirable views over the fence I would love to block out...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Fast-growing hedge for North Carolina.
February 17, 2009
I am looking for a fast-grownig evergreen hedge that can be kept no taller than 6 feet. It will be grown in partal sun facing north
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Hedge plant for Maui.
February 17, 2009
Question: I live in Pukalani, Maui, Hawaii and would like to put a "living fence" around my yard for some privacy. Ideally, I want something that is going to grow fast and about 8+ feet tall for a h...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Privacy screen for pool in Round Rock, TX
February 09, 2009
We have a pool in our backyard and neighbors quite close on both sides. There is only a cedar fence between yards and we are desperate for some privacy! We are looking for a fast grower that will gr...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Privacy screen around pool in Vermont
February 08, 2009
I am looking for a plant or tree that doesn't lose its leaves or needles that can offer privacy around my pool but not grow tall enough to block out the sun in the early and late hours. Would an ever...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Privacy and noise screen in Austin
January 17, 2009
Mr. Smarty, I purchased a home and notice that my neighbors seem to hang outside their garage on the weekends and thus causing some noise. I need some major privacy from this neighbor and I was think...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Privacy hedge for East Texas
January 07, 2009
I need suggestions for a native shrub/bush as a privacy hedge for East Texas conditions. Thank you.
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Recommendations for a 700 ft. noise and privacy barrier in Georgia
January 06, 2009
Need recommendation for a fast growing, non-invasive native plant for a 700' barrier (noise & privacy) in wooded area; the area is mostly hardwood with some pine, and a good understory is established...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Native shrubs for wildlife and screening in Georgia
December 22, 2008
I live in Bainbridge, GA. I have 3 acres and want to plant for wildlife. I would like to plant fast growing native shrubs along the 400' of road that will benefit wildlife and shield us from the tr...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Spacing for wax myrtles as screen in Texas
December 21, 2008
I have bought 30 wax myrtles, 15 gallon sized, and would like to plant them along my fence line, as a screen. How far apart is the recommended distance when planting plants of this size? Thank you!
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Screening plants for edge of pond in Illinois
December 16, 2008
I have a backyard pond that I am restoring, adding aeration, plants, etc. Unfortunately, there is a farmer that stores old equipment on the shore of my pond and refuses to move it. It is an eyesore....
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

Evergreen for privacy screen in Virginia
December 02, 2008
Last year we lost a large pine that was part of privacy screen and we replaced it with two Eastern red cedars. There is still a substantial gap that won't be filled in by the cedars and we were cons...
View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer

topicquestion

<< previous 1 ... 8 9 10 11 12 13 next >> 
315 Results:   10 25 50  100 per page