West Texas Native Plant Landscaping (Pro Jahb)

In this episode we harass my friend Michael Eason, one of the best botanists in Texas, collections manager at San Antonio Botanical Garden, and professional landscaper, to see the kind of work he does with native plants - many of them rare - for his professional landscaping business.
Though many things were not flowering this time of year, since spring is often very dry in West Texas, we are still afforded a chance to check out some of his excellent hardscaping as well as his species selection in order to show what a professional native plant landscaping job looks like in an arid desert climate.
Note that the sound sucks for this episode due to my lack of a mic. if you'd like to offer recommendations on Mics or a donation towards one I could use either. email me at [e-mail]
Your contributions support this content. It sounds cliché but it's true. Whether it's travel expenses, vehicle repair, or medical costs for urushiol poisoning (or rockfalls, beestings, hand slices, toxic sap, etc), your financial support allows this content to continue so the beauty of Earth's flora can be made accessible to the rest of us in the degenerate public. At a time when so much is disappearing beneath the human footprint, CPBBD is willing to do whatever it takes to document these plant species and the ecological communities they are a part of before they're gone for good.
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Thanks, GFY.

[@dndarchive3541]

Thank you for bringing attention to the native plants of West Texas and the Chihuahua desert. My family's from there, and I really miss it. The beauty of the desert is something incredible.

[@Londonechoes]

It does look amazing, no wonder you miss it!

[@angieemm]

I live here and it definitely needs more exposure, even for the residents here!

[@jebbjerke]

Amazing what a native gardener can accomplish with a little restraint. Real profesh. Looks real nice. Cool to see that Penstemon palmeri in a garden setting. Just keyed that ridiculous thing last week on the north side of the San Gabriel Mountains in CA. 🤘

[@alisonburgess345]

This is getting real traction in Australia too. The ABC recently ran a feature about the bleak future for lawns. 🎉 That garden is gorgeous. These indigenous gardens just look "right" especially if you can have a largish tree or two as well.

[@bok..]

Same in Canada. I get so excited to see people actually planting native maple species. For a long time the Norway Maple for some reason was planted, probably cause it grew so fast.

[@dartology]

Any idea which program that was featured on Alison?

[@GrgKnoell]

I love how Joey is interrogating this guy like giddy police officer, and dude just keeps firing off banger responses, so Joey has to try and get him quick with a new question, and the cycle repeats.

[@user-qq5uu2rz2h]

"you've got Conoclinium greggii? That's butterfly crack" 🤣

[@Londonechoes]

🤣

[@vpactionranger]

Can verify that it definitely is!

[@davidedgar2818]

I live on a farm on Hawaii Island and my landlords rule is plant it if it's native or for food. We have 5 varieties of mango, 4 varieties of avocado, also rambutan, tangerine, lime, jabtoticaba, and a few varieties of banana. It is all organic, we even have Barbados sheep for weed control and food. Planting native mixed with a variety of foods is always good. We have coconut, ohia, ulu ( breadfruit), taro, olena too.

[@heidisandvoll5860]

As a native landscaper in California, so fun to see a native Texas garden!

[@huehuecoyotl2]

I can't even imagine what a true expert like that charges on a job like this. Worth every penny though.

[@angieemm]

It's so easy to do yourself. Native landscaping is easier bc you don't have to force anything. It's the digging in the chihuahuan desert ground that is so awful!

[@astounded]

Thanks for the tour. People need to stop going to Big Box Hell and buying water hogs from everywhere else but where they are. Start working with what is already around you! Thanks! I feel better now...😊

[@gigi3242]

I love that landscapers are turning to natives, and people are starting to understand that sustainable is beautiful. Thanks

[@Burley_Bert]

Serious Xeriscaping Porn goin on here, fantastic lookin. I'd be more than happy as the owner. This is more minimalistic than how I approached it, which is probably why it looks so much cleaner and better than anything I've tried. I love me some cacti, but some don't and I get it because this looks amazing! That steelwork is impressive, not easy or cheap but damn is that worth the effort. The Salvia is so beautiful in bloom, I plant em' everywhere too, mostly randomly so I get surprise colors. Thanks for showing a great example!

[@krissteel4074]

Just think, this is sort of early-days in terms of a garden, give it another 5 years and it'll be truly amazing

[@Eighthplanetglass]

Wow.. That's some of the best looking landscaping ever.

[@wildhareonthegulfofmexico3539]

Truly enjoyed this. Ain't Texas fuckin awesome.

[@calnative4904]

Greta looking yard, so much better than grass.

[@ThreeRunHomer]

I love the regionality of native plant gardens. Those Texas gardens are completely different from my Tennessee native garden.

[@siryogiwan]

in Oz, we have started incorporating swales and use of plants for water defusing, great to see similar principal used in this garden. Great vid mate

[@barbarasiders288]

That family, Asteraceae, blows my mind.

[@charleshash4919]

It's big & variable, like the human race but way more so.

[@chucknorrisgunclub2184]

You can form an association with like-minded people in the area. I believe great things can be accomplished.

[@flygande_ren]

Never screenshotted a video this much before. Both gardens stunning. Thanks!

[@Kageoni187]

Just found you by catching your video on Wired from 2 years ago. Love what you do. As a kid growing up in southern California in the desert watching people waste water trying to grow grass lawns always bugged me because those ecosystems have quite a mix of plant life that goes so under appreciated. I have a desert soul.

[@VickyDPi]

Native wisteria!!!?? Gorgeous!

[@user255]

Honestly I like the last yard more than the first. Cozier. And both infinitely better, than grass. Looks better, more interesting, easier to maintain, helps insects etc, offers some cover.

[@gardenforbirds]

Crazy beautiful! 😍 Loved how many times I heard “My friend collected the seeds from [insert location here]” - love the connectedness to the source!

[@Burley_Bert]

Thanks Mike for sharing your yard!

[@steaditex]

This is a fantastic video! A great resource for ideas. I have a house in San Antonio that I recently installed a large xeriscape area, maybe 3000 sq. ft. that will be all strictly desert plants that don't need any extra water, but I will have other areas that I want to do something like this! Wish I had the money to buy all these plants NOW! Thanks so much for this!

[@fuzzy3440]

I saw that house (landscape) right after it was completed when I was in Alpine for the Texas Native Plant Society symposium several years ago. Really filled in nicely. Got to chat with the homeowner and Mike while we were there, and my girlfriend got Mike to sign his book. I bought some property in Alpine, plan to build and retire there.

[@laalaadeedaa3811]

Born and raised in west Texas! I love this native landscape! So beautiful! ❤

[@ninja1antelope]

That yard is perfect!

[@brockmcgehee7446]

You kick ass my friend!

[@alanthecat59]

looks superb , v classy , and beautiful. owners well done , very wise to invest in your garden with these guys

[@HolidayGlow]

I have to say I love the fact there is so much knowledge of where the plants were from, locality of seed collected and who grew them. I hope the owners keep all that info. Be interesting to see this in a few years once it's matured up a bit too and how the deliberately planted plants and the volunteers have created a little habitat and integrated a bit. There is a fair movement for similar use of indigenous to area plants in Aus as well, with some people liking it more wild and some people moving to 'formal' gardens with indigenous plants instead of generically 'native' (which can be weedy af in the wrong area) or imported plants.

[@marythomas5656]

Well sir, you've outdone yourself again! My favorite video of yours used to be Muskogee South to Austin, especially at the 21 minute mark where you sing Fleetwood Mac but this video has just replaced it as my fave. The two gardens you visited are both just spectacular!

[@jb_8860]

9:25 “no, it’s Salvia not Jesus” hahahaha

[@katiekane5247]

Just perfect. Classy and as nice as any installation I've seen.

[@mato9282]

This is one of my favorite vids you’ve done. Cool to see each of those yards side by side. Lots of cool backyard stuff to be inspired by!

[@nathanielvargas3863]

A 43 minute CPBBD video? Amazing!

[@russellgeisthardt9828]

At the beginning: Man, I don't want to spend that much time on a video. At the end: You mean it's over already???

[@civilizationkills3138]

Cpbbd has the best fanbase easily one of the best youtube channels

[@LadyMiner100]

I’m in 8A in eastern Arizona. This has given my a massive list of things to try here. I’ll have to grow from seed since we have no native plant sources here, but it’s still doable. Thanks!

[@flowerheit4512]

keep an eye on the "weeds" that volunteer. ive gotten some great plants for free just by looking at whats underfoot in the yard.

[@Vezmerize]

I want to get into this professional style. I've been foraging native seed and have a few hundred plants I'm up potting that made it through the winter sewing. Any advice for me? I'm most uneasy about projecting confidence in my process. I had nasty imposter syndrome in grad school.

[@katiekane5247]

God knows there's a need for this, I wish I could grant you the confidence to go for it.

[@jolouisd]

The hardest part is keeping the enthusiasm to keep informing people about the benefits of going native. After a while I just want to...go native.

[@26hurban]

You can do it!! We learn from both our successes and failures.

[@jacobbelfield9835]

Im a native landscaper in Kansas. You already know the plants better than 95% of the landscaper in your area if youre a grad student. Practice on your family’s landscapes, kill some small lawn patches and learn more landscaper skills. Start slow, but most people don’t try, you need to take action… good luck homie

[@Vezmerize]

@@jacobbelfield9835 damn, thanks man. I am in zone 7a Ohio. I had a buddy get his mom to commit a half acre along their creek on the south side of the property so that I could farm seed from the plants I put there. I'm torn about selling or planting to convince my wife this is better than my agriculture research job. Thanks again for the boost though brother. I will play it by ear and keep working towards doing something I love.

[@scowell]

My home town! Nice to see it's got stuff going on... you've spent time at Sul Ross before too.

[@willieverusethis]

Beautiful garden.

[@glfielder]

The front garden is in its second full growth season and this is the first full growth season for the back garden. I spray everything with HastaGro in the spring when signs of new growth have started to appear for a week. This allows most to have some leaves. I spray a second time 2 to 3 weeks later depending on growth. Then I spray it each month through the growth season. This type of garden needs 2 to 3 growth seasons with frequent watering to establish the plants. I spray with HastaGro to keep them hearty. These are dessert plants and they can survive with little water. I water and feed them because I want them to thrive. During the summer it is like a jungle with many varieties of birds, bees, moths, lizards and other desert creatures that recognize this as an oasis. Sitting in the garden in the evening as the Sun sets is better than any artificial sedative on the market. We had a place on the beach in southern Florida and the Sunset there with the waves splashing on the beach was tranquil but I think this garden does the same. The things common to both places a glass of wine or cold beer, a faithful dog and my soulmate.

[@CrimePaysButBotanyDoesnt]

It's a great spot and you're doing a great job!

[@glfielder]

@@CrimePaysButBotanyDoesnt There are twice as many plants in bloom than when you made the video. Next time your in the area, stop by. More insects, more birds, more of everything. And there is always cold craft beers.

[@alantower9659]

Really nice garden. Gigantic Y. rostrata. Fine collection of natives. Thanks.

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

Salvia is one of my favorite plants…any Salvia. I planted those out of my zone as annuals. I had a crazy plan to plant every Salvia in existence I could find, lol. Hope to replace our front lawn in the Fall of Spring, health permitting. Almost done with the landscape plan. Pretty sure I’ll have to replace soil in the back yard damaged by poison mad previous owners. Thanks for showing that gorgeous yard!

[@martinsimonton]

Great episode with Mr. Eason. Appreciate the mention on Scutellaria mulleri

[@unclefrogy743]

one of the most important aspects of gardening is time you need to be aware of what the plants will be like over time, and how they change over time love to see that landscape in 10- 15 years. good video and nice work highlighted!

[@YerluvinunclePete]

I murdered my lawn a couple summers back. Here you can get a free, "Chip Drop," where a tree removal guy comes and dumps 14 yards of fresh grindings. We have recycling centres with cardboard bins that you can fill your truck from so I put that down over the grass and spread 4 Inches of the mulch on it. I put mugo pines and junipers all over it and I'm filling it in with native flowers and ground cover. The small, back lawn that actually use as a lawn, I switched to a low growing clover. The other side is now a big raspberry patch.

[@jerrodbeck1799]

Thank you for making my brain hurt👍🏻 I always learn something new. You’re the best.👌🏻

[@locutia7]

This is perfect for me--I live in El Paso.

[@timjozwiak2293]

So many choices and ways to enjoy the native plants! And this is in Texas... Where people say nothing grows!!! Lol

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

It's nice to finally get some in depth looks at some native lawns in action. I'd like to see some examples from my area. I suppose I could just google that, but I'm gonna be an entitled twat and guilt you into coming to where I live.

[@gregorytoddsmith9744]

A lawn thoroughly wacked🙂

[@carolynn8083]

That swing clip was soothing 🦦

[@Jdmsword14]

man that wisteria looked beautiful. awesome yard

[@johanneswerner1140]

TFA! (totally fucking awesome) Great work, and great customers!

[@PenntuckytheCrag]

Amazing work. Beautiful

[@0xDEADBEEF666]

Tearing out my lawn here in Utah and dat P. palmeri is goin in so hard.

[@thenextension9160]

My new favorite native plant KZbinr.

[@hochiminh66]

Late, behind on my viewing. I see all the mind blowing rarities, but sometimes I think I get more mind blown by seeing (for me) locally native things that are also locally native in a completely different everything, longitude, latitude, average rainfall and so on. Except the damned deer, hooved devils.

[@guerrillapress7343]

😂❤ great report as always.

[@baTonkaTruck]

I love it that this absolute PAISAN is also NO SLOUCH in the geology department.

[@christyhughes6632]

Jinx!!! "Jesus!" No. That's Salvia greggii ❤ Oh to B a fly🙃 Lmao! How far are you gonna get to tell us to go fuck ourselves?🤣 God bless you Tony❤ 😮It's like hanging out with a fourteen year old tagger😆

[@roxyortiz8819]

I’ve lived in West Texas all my life and it’s so nice to see more people moving towards native plants. I love Muehl grass especially! Not gonna lie though, this video is the first time I’ve ever seen the name written. I always thought it was Mule grass because mules like to eat it 😂

[@kso808]

Fascinating garden tours!

[@MommaKnowsBestest]

Love this 🎉

[@mrpieceofwork]

Those Fallugia achenes look so much like the "Mountain mahogany" (Cercocarpus?) that's all over the Sierra Nevadas. Makes me wonder how closely they are related.

[@poodwood]

These videos are great!

[@JenniferLupine]

Beautiful variety of native plants!!

[@ChristaFree]

Looks great!

[@ffyfy1]

Thank you for sharing

[@ZoneKei]

So good.

[@Blashswanski]

Really nice. Great episode.

[@johnhavel7685]

Can’t agree more on the weed fabric man. I’ve been pulling it out of my garden beds from whoever put it there years ago it’s just a pain to plant in and it doesn’t do jack squat after the mulch breaks down into compost except make it harder to pull weeds since they root into the fabric. Then there’s the super old school plastic trash bag stuff that doesn’t let water through or anything just falls apart when you come across it planting and it’s buried under decades worth of humus and mulch. It’s just the worst I always tell people not to put it down just get a thick layer of mulch or plant densely or both. The bed I just started last year that’s almost all native plants around 30 species or so I mulched like 6-8 inches deep and had some Norway maple seeds germinating there but it’s super easy to pull them out of that thick mulch and nothing else much germinates so far and I’ve just been filling it in as I go with more native plants eventually it’ll be nicely filled in and I shouldn’t have to worry so much about weeding at all maybe just come out in April once or twice and spend a few minutes pulling out a few invasives here and there that make it through but for the most part heavy mulch and thick plantings do the trick.

[@gup8175]

Awesome video, loved the last 15 seconds :D thanks Joey!

[@stringlarson1247]

Nice. A little Permaculture with the 'catchment' to protect from erosion.

[@robyn3349]

Beautiful!!!

[@StillOnTrack]

Damn cutting into that rock was so extra! I laughed too. I mean shit if you got the cash and want to pay somebody to cut into a friggin rock have at it. 😂💚

[@txflora]

Yep... It's that little extra that makes some of these landscapes. The welder, Richard Savery, is the best I've seen and has that eye for detail that most do not.

[@zia_kat]

love this!!! so many ideas for my southern new mexico yard

[@danielconradie191]

Great video, thank you! We're planning on doing a sizable garden design in the Austin surrounds sometime in the not too distant future, and not being from the US this is proving a useful place to start. Thanks! Some lovely things I'm seeing!

[@fenrirgg]

Your problem there are deers, where I live is stray dogs/cats and kids with sticks 😂. That garden is amazing. Many people would get easily frustated with the annuals.

[@barbarasiders288]

Asteraceae blows my mind.

[@TropicalJungleIreland]

Beautiful interesting garden 👌

[@troygoss6400]

Nice project

[@iolightning]

Inspiring!!

[@Tminus89]

8:24 "got the shot? Ok I'm out" doggo seemed interested for a second though😄

[@ronm3245]

Some nice aureumarcus popping off there in the distance. 40:45

[@billnewton1097]

Thanks!

[@souljahaden6184]

Good job

[@PlantNative]

Wow!

[@Scarybunnygod]

Had no idea Quercus macrocarpa could survive there. We plant them in New England occasionally and they do well up here too.

[@_MikeJon_]

Looks great. Putting in an aquascape pond would make that a banger of a yard.

[@crazybeardjones]

Nice

[@2m7b5]

I live in NM, and I might need to take notes haha. My backyard is kind of a wasteland right now. The extent of my landscaping is scattering native seeds sometimes.

[@ThePlumAbides]

I love these. Will you do one for North Texas soon? I live near Texoma and would love to see you feature native plants for my region

[@hectic6981]

Damn, we have that Kentucky coffee tree way up here in Ontario Canada, they're native to an area a little south and west of where I live (I'm in the Toronto area) but in the Toronto area the city uses then quite a bit on the boulevards and in parks and such, they're definitely a cool legume, it's a shame none of the squirrels or anything eats/disperses them I bet they'd be more widespread in these parts if the giant sloths were still kicking around spreading them about.

[@glfielder]

The butterfly crak is in full bloom. We even have their babies.

[@prophecyrat2965]

The natives will prevail💪🏾🌱

[@paleggett1897]

Love this! Live in WV… want to create an approximately 15 to 18’ deep and ~35’ wide raised bed xeriscape where everything is capable of -23C Our ‘soil’ is sandy loam. Thinking of ~20cm of ~9 to 12mm gravel, and 10cm of course/gritty sand Cold hardy cacti, succulents and other hardy plants to support pollinators and local fauna We get ~70+cm of precipitation No trees , except a shrub…. Have atrium to use as as solar collector (Oct -> March for sure) to warmth Bless UP❣️

[@thenextension9160]

“That’s the Kentucky coffee tree. What made you want to plant that?” … “It’s fuckin’ badass”

[@maroosk]

Woww😍🔥🔥🔥