Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
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Smarty Plants Question Topics
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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| Hedge for a shady spot November 12, 2010 In the Statesman you recently provided good suggestions about a privacy screen. I need a hedge that will grow under a huge old oak tree. Will wax myrtle or red cedar work for us? I have yaupon and m... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Landscaping north facing wall November 08, 2010 We live in the Dallas area and have a north facing home with a large, bare wall. I would like to plant a tall, flowering shrub that will look nice all year round. Or are there flowering vines that a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Good evergreen screen and some shade plants for Plano Texas November 03, 2010 We live in Plano Texas. We have 15' between our house and our neighbor. We want to plant a divider/screen of something evergreen, about 6-15' (6-8' is better) and narrow, about 2-3' wide between t... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| What habitat would my Antennaria solitaria like in Red Bank, TN? October 26, 2010 I want to know what habitat my mystery plant will like- sun, shade, dry or moist. I think it is an Antennaria solitaria or Little Pussytoes. I got it at a native plant sale here in Chattanooga. It has... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Plants for narrow planter boxes in San Antonio October 02, 2010 We have a narrow flower planter box in three sections above a french drain in front of our house. The box is about 2 feet high (filled with Gardenville soil) above a french drain covered with filter ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Need evergreen hedge and groundcover for shade in Carmel, Indiana September 27, 2010 Our property is bounded by a fencerow that is wooded and mostly shaded by mulberry and hackberry trees during the growing months. We'd like to create a 5'+ tall evergreen barrier on the property li... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Evergreen shrub for part shade in Austin September 21, 2010 I am planning a pocket prairie on the north side of my house. Where I am struggling is finding an evergreen shrub that will grow about 6-8', be native and provide semi-privacy in front of a bedroom ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Want salt, shade, drought tolerant plant for Rochester, New York September 21, 2010 I am looking for a ground cover plant for western NY to grow on a strip alongside a road that gets very little sun in summer (lots of tree branches shading it). It gets a lot of road salt in winter a... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Erosion control for steep shady hillside in Massachusetts September 02, 2010 What would be a good plant for erosion control on a steep, very shady hillside in Massachusetts? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Grasses for shade in McKinney TX August 19, 2010 Dear Sir, We have lived in the same house for 25 years and when we originally moved in we had St. Augustine sod installed and for several years it did very well until my trees started getting bigge... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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