Last year we bought 5 acres with a house in east austin. The lot is
approx 300X800 feet, bordered in the rear and one side by creeks. The
land is level on the front (west) half, where the house is, and slopes
downward and easterly to the back.
There are many 30-50'elm trees, one mature live oak mott, some other
oaks,large gum elastics, and some open prarie areas. Soils range from
rich topsoil at the front, through alluvial gravel and sands, with
dense clay at the rear near the creek
There are many small leaved privets and wax leaved ligustrums that
along with some dense greenbriar growth are playing the role of
understory plants and wildlife habitat. As I would like to restore the
land with natives, I could use some advice as to what to replace the
exotics with as I remove them.
Natives I have identified include Kidneye wood, a couple small Eve's
necklace, numerous gum elastics, a few rough leaved dogwood patches,
an Osage Orange, Hop Trees, a few Redbuds, one viburnum, elbow
bush,deciduous youpon,fragrant sumac,a couple wild persimmon, poison
ivy, greenbriar, prickly pear, horse crippler, pencil type cactuses.
By far the most predominant plant is the small leaved privet.
Unfortunately, when I pull the privet and greenbriars out from under
the larger trees, it leaves large bare areas that provide no wildlife
habitat, and generally changes the character of the area. I really do
not like the "parklike" setting, I would prefer it to remain somewhat
dense with narrow paths through interesting vegetation.
So far, I have been planting turks cap, beauty berry, and some youpon
hollies, but I could use some suggestions for additional native types
not mentioned to keep it as diverse as possible.
Thanks, Chris

(chriS RING) wrote in message . com...
Last year we bought 5 acres with a house in east austin. The lot is
approx 300X800 feet, bordered in the rear and one side by creeks. The
land is level on the front (west) half, where the house is, and slopes
downward and easterly to the back.
There are many 30-50'elm trees, one mature live oak mott, some other
oaks,large gum elastics, and some open prarie areas. Soils range from
rich topsoil at the front, through alluvial gravel and sands, with
dense clay at the rear near the creek
There are many small leaved privets and wax leaved ligustrums that
along with some dense greenbriar growth are playing the role of
understory plants and wildlife habitat. As I would like to restore the
land with natives, I could use some advice as to what to replace the
exotics with as I remove them.
Natives I have identified include Kidneye wood, a couple small Eve's
necklace, numerous gum elastics, a few rough leaved dogwood patches,
an Osage Orange, Hop Trees, a few Redbuds, one viburnum, elbow
bush,deciduous youpon,fragrant sumac,a couple wild persimmon, poison
ivy, greenbriar, prickly pear, horse crippler, pencil type cactuses.
By far the most predominant plant is the small leaved privet.
Unfortunately, when I pull the privet and greenbriars out from under
the larger trees, it leaves large bare areas that provide no wildlife
habitat, and generally changes the character of the area. I really do
not like the "parklike" setting, I would prefer it to remain somewhat
dense with narrow paths through interesting vegetation.
So far, I have been planting turks cap, beauty berry, and some youpon
hollies, but I could use some suggestions for additional native types
not mentioned to keep it as diverse as possible.
Thanks, Chris

Chris, you've got some wonderful things there! I'm jealous. I'm a
Habitat Steward with the National Wildlife Federation and I've got
that "parklike" yard because I had to start from scratch.

How about repeating some of the things you already have. Repetion is
an element of good garden design. More dogwood, yaupon, sumac,
viburnum and osage orange can't hurt. You might also check out wax
myrtle, flame acanthus and possumhaw. Evergreen shrubs and berries
are great for wildlife.

It sounds like you already have alot of diversity and in some cases a
mass of one type of plant is good for wildlife. Butterlies will come
the masses of color and hummingbirds will pig out on masses of
salvias.

Oops, I wasn't done and bumped the mouse.

For the open areas you might try to establish a little "praire patch".
Mix wildflowers seeds with a low growing "patchy" grass like Blue
gramma. If you've got a sunny area the native ornamental bunch
grasses are gorgeous. Lindhiemer muhly, Indian grass (needs deeper
soil), Gulf muhly and Mexican feathergrass come to mind. A swath of
Inland seaoats or Sideoats gramma would provide interest and be
terrific for wildlife.

You're place sounds like Eden (except for the greenbriar),,,enjoy!

This website has an interactive database of local plants with soil
requirements and wildlife value, maybe it will help,
www.HillCountryGardens.info