Rethinking the Yard in Drought-Stricken Regions

1. 6
E6 SUNDAY, MARCH 4, 2012 • THE HAYS DAILY NEWS Home and Garden
Rethinking the yard in drought-stricken regions
By BETSY BLANEY their young. Judy Shack-
Associated Press In Lubbock, Jackie Driskill, 62, elford works
LUBBOCK, Texas — Texans advocates for native plants as presi- in her yard in
watched disaster unfold slowly last dent of the South Plains Chapter
year as a historic drought took a of the Texas Master Naturalists. 2008 in Na-
withering toll across the region. She’s been putting in plants that can cogdoches,
Trees died by the millions, lawns handle the heat and drought condi- Texas.
and landscaping wilted, lakes shrank tions for about a decade, and her AP
and wildlife struggled. Water bills property gets noticed, she said.
shot up. All of this, experts say, “It’s kind of evolved from a typi-
could be just the nudge homeown- cal yard to wildscaping,” she said.
ers across the Southwest need to do “We’re kind of an oddball in our
things differently in their yards. area.”
The Texas Parks and Wildlife In Dallas, wildscapes have been
Department is featuring a “Drought planted in some public venues. Judy
Survival Kit” on its website that Meagher, a master gardener and
offers residents, who are facing a master naturalist, said volunteers
forecast of more dry weather, tips tend to the wildscape next to the
on how to landscape while reining Museum of Natural History at Fair
in water consumption. Park, but only infrequently because
Restrictions on outdoor watering the space needs little care or water.
hit Texas cities and towns hard in Wildscapes “are critical in urban
2011 — the state’s driest year on settings because we’ve stripped the
record — and with another La Nina wildlife habitat when we develop
weather pattern already in place, them, in most cases,” said Mark
those limitations only will deepen Klym, who handles certification of
without ample rainfall. wildscapes for the Parks and Wildlife
It’s an opportunity, the state Department.
experts say, to reconfigure yards into Residents should use mulch to
“wildscapes” with colorful native help retain soil moisture, and collect
plants, shrubs and trees that use less rainwater from their roofs.
water and benefit wildlife as well. “This is our chance,” Meagher
And water conservation isn’t only said. “This is an opportunity to ing to force people to rethink their
for times of drought; many water make all the changes we’ve been outdoor watering.”
suppliers across arid and semiarid needing to make. We are headed The kit offers hints for cutting wa-
parts of the country urge it all the toward severe problems” as the ter use inside and outside, including
time, and say outdoor yard use is population grows. checking your home for leaks, taking
one of the largest contributors to The best time to plant is fall, but shorter showers, and watering in the
waste. homeowners might want to check early morning when it’s cool and
In Texas, the kit doesn’t advise with a local nursery about what to less windy. Raise the lawnmower
remaking the yard overnight. Hom- plant as the drought persists. blade to at least 3 inches, the kit
eowners should start small, it said, “What we’re going to see this advises, to promote root growth
creating a wildscape in one part of summer is more severe cutbacks on and provide the root system shade,
the yard and adding to it as weather water use from municipalities,” said which helps hold moisture in the
and finances permit. the department’s water resource soil. For swimming pools, buy a
Perennials are ideal in wildscapes, chief, Cindy Loeffler. “That’s go- cover and a water-saving filter.
and newly planted native trees will
need extra water at first. Avoid
water-hogging grasses. Seamless Steel Siding • Vinyl Siding
“Anybody can do it, and you can • Entry Doors • Replacement Windows
do it on any size home,” said Kelly
Bender, an urban wildlife biologist • Insulation • Storm Doors & Windows
for the department. “Most people • Seamless Guttering • Patio Covers
have some understanding of this.
It’s just refining that understanding.” • Room Enclosures
Putting in heartier native plants
and vegetation brings yards alive
with butterflies, hummingbirds and
other birds. A wildscape provides
food, water, shelter and space for
wildlife to flee predators and raise