There are only two requirements to gardening in the Texas Hill Country – adaptability and patience.
Unfortunately, adaptability and patience do not come in small, beautifully wrapped packages and cannot be purchased at your local nursery. Additionally, no amount of fertilizer will make them flourish. Like it or not, these traits are required characteristics to becoming a successful gardener in the Texas Hill Country.
Gardening in the Hill Country comes with its unique challenges, the first being the weather. We get teased in February when we have a few 70-degree days, then we start eyeing our favorite trowels only to have our gardening hopes of digging dashed by a cold snap that brings frost and more cold days.
It seems like winter is never going to leave, but, alas, look to the Texas Redbud (Cercis canadensis var. texensis) for hope. When this beautiful tree starts budding, you can almost bet your favorite gardening gloves that spring is just around the corner.
Now, before you run to your favorite nursery, there is still a lot to be done. Remember, I mentioned patience and adaptability. Before purchasing your first plant or packet of seeds, it is best to start by walking your garden area and thinking about your goals.
Consider the weather. It is best to wait until after the last frost, which is usually about mid-March.
Next, what is the soil type? How much sun or shade will your garden get? How much time do you want to spend working in your garden, especially in the heat? What about water? Do not
What about water? Do not forget that water is a precious commodity in the Hill Country, and for this reason alone you want to consider primarily native plants as they require less water and maintenance to survive.
Hopefully, by the time you are ready to start planting, you will have figured out that native plants may be the way to gardening in the Texas Hill Country. It is easy to have a beautiful garden when you use native plants because they are already adapted to this climate. And once established, native plants thrive by being left alone.
That is not to say they may not need thinning out and some watering, but they do not like being fussed over for the most part. They do what native plants do best – looking beautiful and attracting pollinators like hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.
Finally, your patience and adaptability will pay off.
If you want to see great examples of “Hill Country” gardens, be sure and check out the pollinator garden at the Boerne Convention & Visitors Bureau. Although this garden is still in the early stages of spring growth, most of the plants have been identified and will give you a good idea of the native plant possibilities for this area.
Other great garden examples are the Butterfly Garden at the Cibolo Nature Center, the planters at Veterans Plaza and the garden at Phyllis Browning and Co. on Main Street.
Remember, these gardens are coming out of the winter and are in the early stages of spring growth. Remembering the virtue of patience, they will show off their beauty in a few weeks and attract pollinators throughout the spring, summer and fall.
The Cibolo Center for Conservation will be hosting a spring native plant sale on April 23 at Herff Farm in collaboration with the Boerne Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas. For more information about native plants, contact the Boerne Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas at https://npsot.org/wp/boerne/ or go to the Hill Country Texas Master Naturalist and request a free consult at https://txmn.org/ hillcountry/pgarp/.
Zbranek is a member of the Boerne Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas.
Cibolo calendar
March 23
• Virtual watching wood-warblers, 6-7 p.m.Join TPWD’s Texas Nature Trackers Biologist Craig Hensley for a presentation exploring the world of these birds. You’ll learn how to identify and discover these birds during the spring. This event is a virtual presentation, and links will be emailed on the day of the event. Register on www.cibolo.org.
March 24
• Charcuterie workshop, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Join us for an exclusive Charcuterie workshop. You and a guest can enjoy an evening learning how to prepare your own Charcuterie board. This class takes place in the Gathering Hall at Herff Farm where all the supplies to make your boards will be provided. Refreshments will also be provided for all attendees. This is an ideal class for two individuals per board. The registration fee is $75 per board. Register on www.cibolo.org.
March 26
• Farmer’s Market at Herff Farm, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Enjoy locally produced products and goods against the beautiful backdrop of nature. Folks can enjoy trails, gardens, and a chicken schoolyard. More information is available on www.cibolo.org.
• New time – Sculpt the Mat, adult wellness class at Herff Farm, 10-10:45 a.m. This class will blend the upbeat rhythm of a barre class with Pilates movements to enhance your strength and endurance. This inclusive workout is designed for all levels to focus on body alignment, breath, and control with upbeat music to keep your body moving and your mind working. Bring your mats and water bottles and head to the farm during the Farmer's Market at Herff Farm. Classes are $15 per session. Register on www.cibolo.org.
• Forest Bathing, adult wellness class at the Nature Center, 10 a.m. -noon. Held on select Mondays and Saturdays, Forest Bathing or Shinrin-yuko and Forest Therapy or Shinrin-ryoho are research-based practices allowing people to slow down from their daily lives and enjoy healing through participation with the natural world.We will meet in the parking lot, complete some forms, and prepare for our walk that will take approximately two hours and cover one and a half miles. Learn more and register on www.cibolo.org.
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