Getting certified...

Golden columbine, salvias, Texas betony,  firebush, rock rose....

The more natives we planted, the more fun James and I had watching nature respond. One day last spring (2007), I read up on Texas Wildscapes, a program sponsored by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Hmm. We sure seemed to meet the qualifications: a landscape must be planted with at least 50 percent native vegetation, provide year-around food and water for wildlife, and offer shelter, such as rock piles, nest boxes, and toad houses. 

Well, we certainly had most of that in our yard. Why not?

James liked the idea, too. So I mailed in our application and the modest $15 certification fee. A few weeks later, a big envelope arrived in the mail with the news: our yard had been accepted as an official Texas Wildscape. Cool!

To read more about our Wildscape experiences, surf over to my cover story in the March 2008 issue of Texas Co-op Power: "Texas Backyards Gone Wild." 

Learn all about about Texas Wildscapes on TPW's website.

P.S. Another $15 buys a cool Wildscape sign, like the one above (provided your yard is certified). We still haven't put ours up yet.