Native Plants
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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Thursday - March 17, 2005
From: Houston, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Native Hill Country grasses, flowers for April garden show
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I will be a first ever (!) exhibitor in my garden club's garden show this April 7. Our theme is The Passion of Texas - my specific category is The Hill Country. Help!!! All materials I use must be alive and cannot be dried. My placement in the house is a sideboard which measures 73" x 24". My idea is to use an old metal pig trough (nice and rusty) as my container which I would like to fill with Hill Country grasses, flowers and branches. I would like this arrangement to be graceful, natural and lyrical - and be an appropriate reflection of that beautiful part of our state. I think it would work to go low and wide with the arrangement. What would you suggest I use that would be: 1. Available and at its best the first week of April? 2. Available and could survive shipment? 3. Not obscenely expensive? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!ANSWER:
You should be able to find exactly what you need by going to the Hill Country Horticulture part of the Native Plants Database on the Wildflower Center web page and performing an advanced search. For instance, if you pick "April" from Bloom Characteristics and "Grass/Grasslike" from Growth Form for your search, you will find that purple three-awn (Aristida purpurea) is one of the eight grasses that meets your search criteria. You can also add a choice for "Bloom Color" under Bloom Characteristics and "Light", "Water", and "Soil" under Growing Conditions.
By selecting "Texas" in the "Nurseries" database in the National Suppliers Directory you can find native plant nurseries in your area to contact to determine the availability and cost of your chosen plants.
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Privacy screen for Sedona AZ
August 02, 2013 - I live In Sedona Az. A builder just built a house next to my house and the new house is ugly to look at. What plant or tree would grow fast and reach 18 foot in height fast. It can be about 5 to 6 foo...
view the full question and answer
Erosion control from Lakeland FL
November 03, 2012 - What native Ground cover is best for erosion control on slope of lake-front? Prefer not too invasive for this northern facing area behind a seawall and near large Oak tree.
view the full question and answer
Plants for banks of a retention pond in Alabama
April 24, 2009 - What can we plant on the inner and out walls of a detention pond to stop erosion? The pond is located in a neighborhood in Mobile, AL and the walls are 9 ft high with a steep slope.
view the full question and answer
Oak trees shedding leaves in Denton TX
May 27, 2012 - In Denton, TX we have two mature Quercus buckleyi. It is May 11th 2012 and one of these trees has been shedding green leaves for the last week. The only changes we have made are: planted English ivy...
view the full question and answer
Native plants for a bioswale in Baltimore
July 22, 2009 - What native plants would suit a bioswale in an urban part of Baltimore City? The clay soil gets waterlogged and the site has part shade.
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |