Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

DONATE TODAY

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

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

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.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Saturday - September 16, 2006

From: Dallas, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Getting started in gardening
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

Does the center publish any or several planting guides to help gardeners get started? I find it is overwhelming understanding where to start. I have some lake property in East Texas close to Athens. Is the best starting point to just sow seeds this fall? Thanks.

ANSWER:

Indeed, we do have planting guides. Please visit our Native Plant Library to find several articles that will help you begin your gardening experience with native plants: Landscaping with Native Plants, Wildflower Meadow Gardening, and Large Scale Wildflower Planting—to name a few of the articles.

You can see a Recommended Native Plant Species List for the Southwest with Texas species designated on the Regional Fastpacks page.

Also, there are recommendations for plants for Eastern Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Eastern Oklahoma at PlantNative.

Our store, Wild Ideas, has several books for sale dealing with gardening with native plants in Texas.

Finally, you can visit the National Suppliers Directory to find nurseries and seed companies in your area that specialize in native plants.
 

More Wildflowers Questions

Viewing of Texas native wildflowers
February 04, 2008 - Can you provide a general listing of when various Texas native wildflowers are in bloom? Also helpful would be a list of areas where these wildflowers could be photographed in their native growing ar...
view the full question and answer

More on bluebonnets
April 05, 2007 - I live in Hereford, Texas, near Amarillo. What would be the closest area for us to see fields of bluebonnets and when? Is it Wichita Falls?
view the full question and answer

Native flowering plants for Frisco, Texas
August 12, 2015 - Hi There, I recently moved from Ohio, Cleveland to TX, Frisco. Could you please suggest me native flowering plants in my back yard and front yard. I like different flowers.
view the full question and answer

Wildflowers for leach field in Maine
October 31, 2010 - I am looking for a wildflower mix that would suitable to plant over a leach field. What plants should I look to avoid?
view the full question and answer

Identity of sunflower
November 02, 2012 - I am not able to find how to post a picture to help you identify a plant on our campus. I believe the plant I am trying to identify is a rough sunflower. (Helianthus hirsutus) We have zexmenia as ...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.