Join the Wildflower Center’s Fall Challenge!
Why Leave the Leaves?
Every leaf that falls carries a role in the larger ecosystem. When we let them stay in our landscapes, we’re supporting the cycle of soil health, food for wildlife, and the small habitats that keep nature resilient.
Join the Wildflower Center’s Fall Challenge!
Why Leave the Leaves?
Every leaf that falls carries a role in the larger ecosystem. When we let them stay in our landscapes, we’re supporting the cycle of soil health, food for wildlife, and the small habitats that keep nature resilient.
Join the Wildflower Center’s Fall Challenge!
Why Leave the Leaves?
Every leaf that falls carries a role in the larger ecosystem. When we let them stay in our landscapes, we’re supporting the cycle of soil health, food for wildlife, and the small habitats that keep nature resilient.
Five Reasons to Give the Rake a Rest and Let Nature Do Its Thing.
Happier Soil
Leaves aerate soil, provide key nutrients to the earth, and keep vital biomass in the garden.
Better Bird Watching
Small lizards, beneficial insects and other tiny critters that provide food for birds and larger fauna rely on leaves for habitat.
Mulching Magic
Ever used a mulching mower? It can chop leaves so finely they essentially disappear into your lawn!
Pocket Money
Leaves are nature’s complimentary mulch. They provide the same weed suppressing and moisture retaining benefits as commercial mulch at zero cost.
Hammock Hangouts
Leaving leaves not only supports biodiversity, it saves you time. Go ahead, kick your feet up and relax – for the environment!
Five Reasons to Give the Rake a Rest and Let Nature Do Its Thing.
Happier Soil
Leaves aerate soil, provide key nutrients to the earth, and keep vital biomass in the garden.
Better Bird Watching
Small lizards, beneficial insects and other tiny critters that provide food for birds and larger fauna rely on leaves for habitat.
Mulching Magic
Ever used a mulching mower? It can chop leaves so finely they essentially disappear into your lawn!
Pocket Money
Leaves are nature’s complimentary mulch. They provide the same weed suppressing and moisture retaining benefits as commercial mulch at zero cost.
Hammock Hangouts
Leaving leaves not only supports biodiversity, it saves you time. Go ahead, kick your feet up and relax – for the environment!
Five Reasons to Give the Rake a Rest and Let Nature Do Its Thing.
Happier Soil
Leaves aerate soil, provide key nutrients to the earth, and keep vital biomass in the garden.
Better Bird Watching
Small lizards, beneficial insects and other tiny critters that provide food for birds and larger fauna rely on leaves for habitat.
Mulching Magic
Ever used a mulching mower? It can chop leaves so finely they essentially disappear into your lawn!
Pocket Money
Leaves are nature’s complimentary mulch. They provide the same weed suppressing and moisture retaining benefits as commercial mulch at zero cost.
Hammock Hangouts
Leaving leaves not only supports biodiversity, it saves you time. Go ahead, kick your feet up and relax – for the environment!
Why We Do It
Why We Do It
Why We Do It
“I leave my leaves to build and revitalize soil. Decomposing leaves create little air pockets, reduce compaction, and give trees an easier way to take in nutrients and water.”
— Leslie Uppinghouse, Land Steward & Arborist
“Leaving standing dead vegetation with hollow stems provides nesting habitat for carpenter, leaf cutter, and mason bees.”
— Abby Jones, Conservation Technician
“Fallen leaves are free mulch! I scoop them into my container gardens and at the base of trees — they retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and cost nothing.”
— Vincent Monaghan, Guest Services Assistant Manager
“Leaf litter helps keep soil moist and provides habitat for invertebrates — which means more food for birds and lizards. Watching that wildlife in our yard is its own reward.”
— Susan Prosperie, Propagation Specialist
“Fallen leaves are a great source of organic matter that will help improve soil health as they decompose. Fallen leaves are a free source of mulch that help your soil retain moisture and regulate temperature to help the plants in your garden thrive.”
— Delaney Harris, Education Coordinator
“People sometimes ask if ‘messy’ elements must be visible. My answer: not everywhere. You can keep things neat while still helping wildlife — bundle stalks, compost leaves, or use stacked firewood as habitat. It’s wonderful to have those elements scattered throughout, but it’s fine to group them more formally too.”
— Hannah Armstrong, Lead Horticulturist
“I always keep the leaves on the ground in my garden beds to provide mulch and a home for critters. The ones on my yard get mowed and left there. And, I just don’t like to rake leaves!”
— Julie Graham, Education
“There’s a sustainability case for keeping resources on site—preserving biomass and using salvaged plants and materials. When I proposed this to my HOA years ago, they balked. They briefly tried shredding leaves for mulch, then dismissed it as too much work. Every leaf still gets blown, bagged, and hauled away. Change has been incremental, and timing matters.”
— Carrie McDonald, Volunteer Coordinator
Learn More & Dig Deeper
Rest the Rake and Leave Some Leaves
The simple act of leaving leaves — and even a few logs — can turn your yard into a thriving habitat. Hear from Wildflower Center staff and local experts about how letting nature recycle its own nutrients supports trees, soil health, and pollinators while giving you more time to enjoy your space.
By Kate Rowe
PHOTO Anne Nygard (Unsplash)
Breakdown, It’s Alright
If it’s your first time trying it, you might be surprised by how long those leaf piles stick around — and why that’s actually a good thing. Learn what makes some leaves slower to break down, and how decomposition fuels a healthier, more resilient garden.
By Anna Funk, Ph.D.
PHOTO Paul Teysen (Unsplash)
Querc-y Characters
Texas is home to more oak species than any other state, and their fallen leaves play a huge role in our ecosystems. Learn how to recognize four common Central Texas oaks — and appreciate the leaves you’ll see carpeting the ground each fall.
By Amy McCullough
Two oak trees, one with red leaves and one with green leaves against the blue sky PHOTO Bruce Leander
Fetching Foliage
From photosynthesis to fall color, leaves work hard all year. Understanding the life cycle of a leaf helps explain why letting them return to the soil is one of the simplest ways to give back to nature.
By Daniel Murphy
Fall foliage Lisa Spangler
Taming the Wild
A tidy garden doesn’t mean stripping away all its wildness. Discover how to manage perennials and grasses so your yard looks intentional — while still leaving seedheads, stalks, and leaves for pollinators and soil health.
By Andrea DeLong-Amaya
Andrea DeLong-Amaya tends to plants in the garden.
Shop the T-Shirt
Available in adult and youth sizes!
Stay in bloom with Wildflower updates
Illustrations by Natalie Luz Elorza-Welling