Native Plants for Denton County, Texas

 
Just recently, I found the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT).  I was invited to a native plant sale in Flowermound, Texas (such an appropriate name for a town and a plant sale).  The week before, my town, Trophy Club, had a native plant presentation at our town park where I met these lovely, caring members of NPSOT that had a real passion for keeping Denton wild (with wildflowers).

Much of what I took away from the presentation was that the decline in bees and monarch butterflies may be due to homeowners planting too many foreign species instead of natives.  If you want to attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your yard, try introducing native plants to your garden.



This  year I still have my spring color, but have moved to dispersing pollinator attracting flowers around the garden.  These three pictures are from newly planted flowers, so they haven't gotten to their showiest phase, yet.  The first is a red cedar sage, then gulf penstemon, and next, the compact gold calylophus.  
The sage and penstemon like partial shade, while the calylophus loves full sun.
 

 


 





Two more sun loving plants are the foxglove and blackfooted daisy.

Finding native plants may be difficult in modern nurseries, so check out your counties agriculture extension services for names of NICE nurseries.  NICE stands for Native Instead of Common Exotics.  Wish me luck with my yard transformation.