Events
Texas has always experienced challenging weather fluctuations – winter ice storms, long periods of drought followed by flooding, and the ever-present summer heat. These weather patterns have intensified over the last few years. The Native Plant Society of Texas offers a look at landscapes that highlight the remarkable resilience of native plants. Christy Ten Eyck, founder of Ten Eyck Landscape Architects, showcased her approach to creating adaptable landscapes, drawing on her latest native garden design for the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Hosted by Dallas County Master Gardeners Association, speaker Janet D. Smith explains why Texans need to reduce the use of municipal water in their landscapes and how to do it. Homeowners can have any style landscape by choosing the right plants, placing them correctly, watering efficiently, and adding other design elements.
Lakewood Branch Library welcomes Master Gardener Nancy Wilson presenting on Unveiling the Hidden Wonders of Planting a Pollinator Garden. Growing a pollinator garden is fun, beautiful and good for nature. But it's more than just a few pretty flowers. Come learn some of the surprising things that happen in a real pollinator habitat. Who is there and what are they up to?
As available, there will also be related seed packets and sprouted seeds to giveaway to attendees.
Keynote Speaker: Neil Diboll
Prairie Garden Design Principles, presented by Neil Diboll (via Zoom): Neil will share his expertise in plant selection, garden layout, and integrating native prairie species into the home landscape.
Presenter Bio: Neil Diboll is the owner and consulting ecologist for Prairie Nursery, Inc., and, with Hilary Cox, the author of The Gardener’s Guide to Prairie Plants. With over 40 years of expertise with native prairies ecology, Neil’s work emphasizes “aesthetics, sustainability, and ecological compatibility with the land.
Featured Speakers:
Pocket Prairies of the Blackland Prairie Chapter: Susan Abernethy and her fellow Blackland Prairie Texas Master Naturalists will share photos and discuss their process creating pocket prairies and pollinator spaces at home.
Gardening with native Texas plants: The why and how of gardening with native plants.
Pocket Prairies: Missy Singleton will explore the wonder of pocket prairies, highlighting their positive biological impacts.
The cost for this seminar is $40 and includes:
- Four outstanding expert speakers
- Morning coffee, tea and juice
- Boxed lunch at noon
Pat Smith, CEO of Serve Denton, shares the inspiring journey of establishing the Roots for Wings native plant conservation program in Lewisville, Texas. Pat recounts how the initiative was born from a vision to enhance the community’s green spaces while promoting biodiversity and environmental stewardship. Through collaboration with the Trinity Forks Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas, Keep Lewisville Beautiful and the Denton County Master Gardener Association, additional local volunteers, and schools, Roots for Wings has successfully created and maintained native plant gardens, providing critical habitats for pollinators and fostering a deeper connection between residents and their natural surroundings.
This online class is sponsored by the Trinity Forks Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas. Please register at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/O3MOpFeKTYmq7lwngfH2HA.
The February meeting is on “Gardening for Birds with Native Plants“, presented by Jane Tillman. Jane will explore the ways you can enhance your landscape or local greenspace for birds and other wildlife using native plants. You will deepen your understanding of various backyard birds’ preferences for food, shelter, and water. Plus, learn how your plant choices, landscaping design, and gardening practices can help birds thrive and bring your landscape to life.
Jane is a past president of the Native Plant Society of Texas, Austin Chapter. Since 2003, Jane has been teaching people how to attract birds to their yards with native plants. She teaches beginning backyard birding classes and gives talks about Central Texas birds and gardening in the Austin community. Jane teaches a Birds of Central Texas class for the local non-profit Lifetime Learning Institute. She also teaches for the statewide Native Landscape Certification Program (NLCP), and she helped create the NLCP Landscape for Birds class.
Please visit the event website for more information and the online meeting link.This event is free.
The presentation will follow the NPSOT chapter business meeting. This meeting is hybrid; in person with a virtual Zoom option. Advance registration is required to receive the Zoom link: Zoom Registration
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Zoom link and codes (if necessary) are below:
- https://tinyurl.com/yn85nbzd
- Meeting ID: 885 5459 6572
- Passcode: 571904
George is a Restoration Specialist at Native American Seed. He started as an intern after graduating from Austin College in Sherman, TX with a degree in Environmental Studies. He is among the many driving forces behind production systems on the farm, offsite harvests, and land restoration projects. His ability to read the land, identify what it needs and create a comprehensive plan for its restoration is a huge part of Native American Seed’s success.
He has helped lead riparian restoration projects for San Antonio River Authority and U.S. Army Core of Engineers where NAS did extensive training with staff and created an Operations and Maintenance guide for the long-term care of the project. Other clients include IBM, HEB Foundation, Audubon Society, Texas Parks and Wildlife and Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Preserve.
Event Details
The Spring Plant Sale will be held in The Grove area of the Garden. For free access to The Grove, visitors must park at the West Entrance of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden (3408 West Freeway, Fort Worth, TX 76107) and enter through the West Entrance Gate.
What to Expect
Browse an extensive assortment of plants, including annuals, perennials, shrubs, bulbs, vegetables, citrus, and shade trees. You’ll also find specialty plants cultivated in the Garden and offerings from local plant societies. Additionally, garden-related products from on-site vendors will be available for purchase.
Event Details
The Spring Plant Sale will be held in The Grove area of the Garden. For free access to The Grove, visitors must park at the West Entrance of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden (3408 West Freeway, Fort Worth, TX 76107) and enter through the West Entrance Gate.
What to Expect
Browse an extensive assortment of plants, including annuals, perennials, shrubs, bulbs, vegetables, citrus, and shade trees. You’ll also find specialty plants cultivated in the Garden and offerings from local plant societies. Additionally, garden-related products from on-site vendors will be available for purchase.
https://www.npsot.org/
The 36th Annual Spring Native Plant Sale fundraiser at Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary will feature a huge selection of native plants, hard-to-find herbs, and well-adapted plants.
For over 30 years, veteran and novice gardeners alike have anticipated this rare opportunity to purchase some of the best plants for North Central Texas gardens and obtain many rare plants. The Heard’s plant sale will also feature a selection of native milkweed plants.
Moreover, volunteers from the Native Plant Society of Texas Collin County Chapter and the Blackland Prairie Master Naturalists will be available to help you select your new plants.
If you are looking for tough-to-find Texas natives, caterpillar host plants, or nectar-producing flowers to attract hummingbirds to your patio, TDG will have it!
The knowledgeable staff will be available to help you choose the perfect plants and share care tips to keep them thriving. Don’t miss this opportunity to grow your collection and experience the latest updates at Texas Discovery Gardens!
A plant availability list will be posted one week before the sale. Please make your shopping list by the botanical name.
The 36th Annual Spring Native Plant Sale fundraiser at Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary will feature a huge selection of native plants, hard-to-find herbs, and well-adapted plants.
For over 30 years, veteran and novice gardeners alike have anticipated this rare opportunity to purchase some of the best plants for North Central Texas gardens and obtain many rare plants. The Heard’s plant sale will also feature a selection of native milkweed plants.
Moreover, volunteers from the Native Plant Society of Texas Collin County Chapter and the Blackland Prairie Master Naturalists will be available to help you select your new plants.
If you are looking for tough-to-find Texas natives, caterpillar host plants, or nectar-producing flowers to attract hummingbirds to your patio, TDG will have it!
The knowledgeable staff will be available to help you choose the perfect plants and share care tips to keep them thriving. Don’t miss this opportunity to grow your collection and experience the latest updates at Texas Discovery Gardens!
A plant availability list will be posted one week before the sale. Please make your shopping list by the botanical name.
Not as familiar as European honeybees, Texas’ native bees are nevertheless vital components of a healthy environment. They can provide an exciting new dimension of enjoyment in your home garden. This program will cover basic information on the current challenges all bee species are facing, why they are important to all of us, facts about gentle solitary native bees and their lifestyles, and photo examples of the many beautiful forms and colors of native bees. It will include tips on what to plant and provide to attract them to your home landscape, and basic identification hints. We’ll discuss simple homemade native bee nest sites, find out how to participate in nationwide citizen science projects.
Carol Clark is a Texas Master Naturalist, Monarch Watch Conservation Specialist, and longtime member of the Native Plant Society of Texas. She studies native bees on her 37-acre wildlife preserve in Cooke County.
Celebrate Earth Day in Carrollton with fun for all ages! Explore booths, learn about native plants and recycling, make crafts, and enjoy demonstrations from local eco-artists and community partners. Don’t miss the Recycle Art Contest exhibition where you get to pick the winners!
Please join us at the Prairie Rose Demonstration Garden April 19, 2025 in Glen Rose. It is next to the Museum behind the Courthouse in Downtown Glen Rose. We will have another wonderful selection of Native Plants and some trees again this year.
Appointments by request at 9:30 am; just email us at prairierose.npsot@gmail.com to request time.
Open to the public 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Come and make a day of it. We have a nice River Walk Park at Heritage Square and several nice and new restaurants and shops for your enjoyment.
The 2025 Texas Wildflower Day will take place Apr. 24-25, and will feature keynote speaker Douglas Tallamy, PhD, professor of entomology and wildlife biology at the University of Delaware.
Tallamy focusses on understanding how insects interact with plants and how those interactions determine the diversity of animal communities. He discusses managing suburban and urban landscapes as wildlife preserves, encouraging the use native species and considering the needs of insects and wildlife when planting. He is the author of Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens.
Tallamy's appearance is sponsored by the Native Plant Society of Texas.
Other features of this year's celebration:
- Photography workshop with Sean Fitzgerald, a nature and conservation photographer and past president of the North American Nature Photography Association. To see his work, visit his website at https://www.seanfitzgerald.com.
- Presentation, Time to Restore by David Gwin, Texas state coordinator for Time to Restore: Connecting People, Plants and Pollinators
- Presentation, How to Make a Pollinator Garden by Sheli Petersen, TWU professor of visual arts.
- Presentation, iNaturalist and Biodiversity by Rachel Richter, urban wildlife biologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
- Presentation, Homegrown National Park by Krista de Cooke, strategic partnership and science lead for Homegrown National Park.
- Workshop, Get your garden on the HNP map, by Tom Kirwan, program chair for the Trinity Fork chapter of the Native Plant Society.
- Workshop, watercolors with Sheli Petersen and Jennie Wojtaszek
Savvy gardeners know they can find the best plants for North Texas gardens at the Collin County Master Gardeners' Plant Sale. The largest plant sale in Collin County will once again be held in the Show Barn at beautiful Myers Park & Event Center in McKinney. Come early for best selection!
Choose from hundreds of varieties of beautiful plants including annuals, perennials, shrubs, vegetables, herbs, grasses and succulents. You'll find plants recommended by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension that thrive in sun, part-sun and shade. Collin County Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions, and offer advice to help you plant with confidence and success.
Find a vast selection of native, well-adapted, and hard-to-find plants! Master Gardeners will be on site to answer your questions. Bring your own wagons or carts to load up your purchases!
Have you been thinking about converting to Drip Irrigation, but don’t know where to start? It’s easier than you think!
Join this free class to learn how to set up your own Drip Irrigation! See a drip system demonstration at the Lake Arlington Garden.
Drip Irrigation allows water to slowly seep into the soil, giving your plants a more thorough watering, all while using less water. Walk through the ins and outs of Drip Irrigation, then learn how to easily convert your existing home sprinklers to drip.
Attend this free workshop to learn more about
- All the parts of a typical drip system
- How to switch out your heads for drip
- How to install your drip lines
- How to make easy DIY repairs
- How to change your watering techniques to use your new drip system
The class will be 1 hour long and taught by a licensed irrigator.
This is a free event, brought to you by the Arlington Water Utilities and Tarrant Regional Water District.
6:30 Socializing and snacks
7:00 Business meeting and announcements
This meeting is hybrid; in person with a virtual Zoom option.
Reduce flooding and make a difference in your local rivers using your home landscape!
Join this free class to learn how!
Do you have drainage or flooding issues with your yard? If so, gardening for stormwater may be the solution for you! It’s not only eye pleasing, but it also provides a great deal of benefits beyond stormwater control.
Learn about:
- The benefits of gardening for stormwater
- Rain Gardens, Bioswales, Dry Creek Beds and more
- How to incorporate rain gardens, bioswales, and retention ponds into your landscape
- How to choose the right plants
- Long term maintenance of stormwater gardening
The class will be 45 minutes long and taught by a landscaping expert.
This event is brought to you by the City of Mansfield and Tarrant Regional Water District.
Capture water while it is raining to use on your landscape later!
Join this workshop to learn how, then build your own rain barrel to take home for only $25!
Rainwater harvesting is great for North Texas because you can keep some of the rain we get during the spring and fall to use during our hot and dry summers. Even a small roof area can produce a usable amount of water during an average rainfall. From huge cisterns to small DIY barrels, capturing rainwater can be done by anyone. Attend this workshop to learn the ins and outs of rainwater harvesting and purchase a discounted barrel to take home!
Learn about:
- How much water your roof will produce in a year
- Where to put your rain barrel to capture the most water
- How to install a barrel
- How to hook up and use your new water source
- How to build your own 50 gallon rain barrel with just a few supplies from the hardware store
This workshop is in-person and includes a class about rainwater harvesting basics and a demonstration on how to build a barrel. After the class portion, you will get to build their own rain barrel to take home. This is an educational opportunity and class attendance is required to get a barrel.
Please read all information on the registration page before registering.
Price per plant varies by size of pot and species, with a range between $4 and $35. Cash and credit cards are welcome! View the website for a list of plants available at the sale.
They are expected to have over 1200 locally grown native plants for sale. The goal of this event is to distribute native plants out into the communities all over Tarrant County, and Master Gardeners will be on site to answer any questions!
Join the Collin County chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas for this hybrid meeting and joint presentation hosted at the John and Judy Gay Library in McKinney and virtually via Zoom. This event is also part of McKinney’s Green Seminars and features Carol Clark as our presenter, speaking on North Texas Pollinators.
Discover the fascinating world of North Texas pollinators and learn how to support them in your own landscape. Carol will share insights about various kinds of pollinators, their importance, and actionable strategies for supporting these essential creatures through pollinator-focused plantings and management practices. She will also highlight her favorite plants for creating pollinator-friendly spaces.
Create a drought-hardy landscape!
Join this free class to learn how!
North Texas summers can be a very harsh time to keep plants from drying out. Luckily, many of our native plants are drought-tolerant and accustomed to thriving with little water. Even non-drought tolerant plants can be helped by following smart watering strategies. Whether you want a yard full of plants or a lawn, choosing tough plants and knowing how to care for your landscape in a drought can help keep it lush, even in hard times.
Learn about:
- The importance of water efficiency in a drought
- Common gardening mistakes that lead to water loss
- The basic principles of landscape design
- The best drought-tolerant native plants for your garden
- How to choose native turf for your lawn
- How to keep your garden healthy in times of drought
This event is brought to you by City of North Richland Hills and Tarrant Regional Water District.
Whether you are new to North Texas, a new homeowner, or just want to spruce up your yard, this event will arm you with all the knowledge you need to create a lush landscape amidst the challenges the unique climate and soils of North Texas throw our way. This helpful event is designed to provide homeowners with a foundation to create lavish landscapes using sustainable methods.
Discover:
- Designing home landscapes appropriate for North Texas
- Low maintenance and water-saving landscaping techniques
- Plant selection for drought and freeze tolerance
- Smart watering techniques
- How to manage and maintain sprinklers
- Water conservation in Texas
Featuring:
- Talks by experts on a variety of landscaping topics
- Vendors focusing on landscaping, water-efficient products, and drought-tolerant plants
- Gardening advice from experienced Texas landscapers
- Door prizes
- Free food and drinks
- Free parking for the first 200 attendees. After that, it is $10 a car.
This event is hosted by Tarrant Regional Water District and Arlington Water Utilities.
Create a lush Texas yard by choosing tough plants that are native to your region!
Native Texas plants thrive in our harsh local climate and soils. Whether you want a traditional suburban yard or an extravagant butterfly garden, using native Texas plants and resource conscious design principles can help you get the best yard on the block without too much effort.
Learn about:
- Why it is beneficial to plant native plants
- The basic principles of landscape design
- Native perennial flowers, wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees
- How to choose and find native plants for your yard
This event is brought to you by the City of Bedford and Tarrant Regional Water District.
Capture water while it is raining to use on your landscape later!
Join this workshop to learn how, then build your own rain barrel to take home!
Haltom City residents can build a barrel for free!
All other Tarrant County residents can build a barrel for $25!
Rainwater harvesting is great for North Texas because you can keep some of the rain we get during the spring and fall to use during our hot and dry summers. Even a small roof area can produce a usable amount of water during an average rainfall. From huge cisterns to small DIY barrels, capturing rainwater can be done by anyone. Attend this workshop to learn the ins and outs of rainwater harvesting and purchase a discounted barrel to take home!
Learn about:
- How much water your roof will produce in a year
- Where to put your rain barrel to capture the most water
- How to install a barrel
- How to hook up and use your new water source
- How to build your own 50 gallon rain barrel with just a few supplies from the hardware store
This workshop is in-person and includes a class about rainwater harvesting basics and a demonstration on how to build a barrel. After the class portion, you will get to build their own rain barrel to take home. This is an educational opportunity and class attendance is required to get a barrel.
Please read all information on the registration page before registering.
This event is brought to you by Haltom City and Tarrant Reginal Water District.
Add life and color to your yard by creating a pollinator garden!
Join this free class to learn how!
Learn about the best plants to plant and features to install to attract native bees to your North Texas yard.
Learn about:
- The types of plants to plant to attract the type of Native Bees you want
- The types of features to add to attract the type of Native Bees you want
- How to design your pollinator garden
- Long term pollinator garden maintenance
- Get ideas and inspiration to create an outstanding feature in your North Texas yard!
This event is brought to you by the City of Bedford and Tarrant Regional Water District.
Have the greenest lawn on the block!
Join this free online class to learn how!
Grass not doing so well? Unsure what type of turf is best for your yard?
The climate in North Texas can be hard on turf, but having a lush lawn is easy with the right practices. Let a turfgrass expert walk you through the steps to get a healthy lawn and talk about how to solve common problems.
Learn about:
- Types of turf grass suitable for North Texas lawns
- How much and when to water your lawn
- What to do about lackluster and patchy grass
- How to get rid of pests
- Proper seasonal maintenance
This class will be 45 minutes long and be taught by a horticulture and lawn care expert.
This free event is brought to you by the Arlington Water Utilities, Arlington Public Library, and Tarrant Regional Water District.
Have the greenest lawn on the block!
Join this free online class to learn how!
Grass not doing so well? Unsure what type of turf is best for your yard?
The climate in North Texas can be hard on lawns, but having a lush lawn is easy with the right practices. Let a turfgrass expert walk you through the steps to get a healthy lawn and talk about how to solve common problems.
Learn about:
- Types of turf grass suitable for North Texas lawns
- How much and when to water your lawn
- What to do about lackluster and patchy grass
- How to get rid of pests
- Proper seasonal maintenance
This event is brought to you by the City of Burleson and Tarrant Regional Water District.
Reduce localized flooding and make a difference in your local rivers using your home landscape!
Join this free class to learn how!
Do you have drainage or flooding issues with your yard? If so, gardening for stormwater may be the solution for you! It’s not only eye pleasing, but it also provides a great deal of benefits beyond stormwater control.
Learn about:
- The benefits of gardening for stormwater
- Rain Gardens, Bioswales, Dry Creek Beds and more
- How to incorporate rain gardens, bioswales, and retention ponds into your landscape
- How to choose the right plants
- Long term maintenance of stormwater gardening
This event is brought to you by the City of Keller and Tarrant Regional Water District.
David Cole, the Coordinator II and Adjunct Faculty for the Horticulture program at TCC, has partnered with us to extend an exclusive opportunity to our GROW North Texas family to register to partcipate in an engaging walking tour of Tarrant County College's Northwest Campus Horticulture Program where you can discover their state-of-the-art facilities, including: Modern greenhouse and hydroponic systems, outdoor nursery and future market garden spaces, classroom and headhouse/shop area, and a 5-acre prairie restoration area by the lake, featuring a pollinator garden established in 2019.
Create a drought-tough landscape!
Join this free class to learn how!
This class has an online and in person option.
North Texas summers can be a very harsh time to keep plants from drying out. Luckily, many of our native plants are drought-tolerant and accustomed to thriving with little water. Even non-drought tolerant plants can be helped by following smart watering strategies. Whether you want a yard full of plants or a lawn, choosing tough plants and knowing how to care for your landscape in a drought can help keep it lush, even in hard times.
Learn about:
- The importance of water efficiency in a drought
- Common gardening mistakes that lead to water loss
- The basic principles of landscape design
- The best drought-tolerant native plants for your garden
- How to choose native turf for your lawn
The class will be 45 minutes long and taught by a native landscaping expert.
This event is brought to you by the City of Mansfield and Tarrant Regional Water District.
Create a lush Texas yard by choosing tough plants that are native to our region!
Join this free class to learn how!
Native Texas plants thrive in our harsh local climate and soils. Whether you want a traditional suburban yard or an extravagant butterfly garden, using native Texas plants and resource conscious design principles can help you get the best yard on the block without too much effort.
Learn about:
- Why it is beneficial to plant native plants
- The basic principles of landscape design
- Native perennial flowers, wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees
- How to choose and find native plants for your yard
This event is brought to you by the City of Colleyville and Tarrant Regional Water District.
If you haven’t checked out your sprinkler system lately, there might be some issues that are easily fixed.
Join this free workshop to learn all about the basics of a home sprinkler system and how to fix most common issues on your own!
Attendees get a free sprinkler test kit!
Walk through common breaks and sources of inefficiency, then learn how to fix them all with minimal tools and time.
Attend this free workshop to learn more about
- All the parts of a typical home sprinkler system
- How to determine how much water your system uses
- How to see if your system has uneven coverage
- How to program your controller
- How to adjust heads and maintain your system
- How to check your system for leaks
- How to make easy DIY repairs
The class will be about 45 minutes long and taught by an irrigation expert.
This event is brought to you by the City of Burleson and Tarrant Regional Water District