Posted 9:24 pm Sunday, April 05, 2009
Wildscapes: Eubanks Garden A Habitat For Wildlife, Native Plants
By MAEGAN McGOWEN
Staff Writer
The house with the bright blue roof and yellow trim isn't just home to Boo Eubanks and her family - it's also home to all kinds of wildlife, from winged creatures to the fearless squirrels digging through birdseed.
Staff Writer
The house with the bright blue roof and yellow trim isn't just home to Boo Eubanks and her family - it's also home to all kinds of wildlife, from winged creatures to the fearless squirrels digging through birdseed.
A Red Shouldered Hawk, a resident of the property, flies overhead, gripping a snake in his talons.
Left, the garden’s Wild Red Columbine is a show-stopper. Center, dogwood trees, with many native Texas plants, make up the Eubanks' garden. Right, a bee sits on a native plant, the Pink Wood Sorrel.
"Not many places have these tall pine trees anymore," Mrs. Eubanks said, gazing up at the hawk. "The female sits in the tree and waits for the male to bring her food."
The Eubanks family property is unique in that it is recognized by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as one of thousands of Texas Wildscapes across the state where landowners have taken steps to make their property a safe haven for wildlife.
"We want to bring Texans back into contact with Texas," Mark Klym, coordinator of the Texas Wildscape program, said. "A lot of our young people, and even adults, have lost their understanding of nature. It's quickly being lost."
Mrs. Eubanks, dressed in a West Point sweatshirt and hiking shoes, explained that to have a Texas Wildscape, at least 50 percent of your plants have to be native.
Boo Eubanks’ garden features many native Texas plants and foliage such as the Wild Blue Hyacinth.
"You have to provide food, water and shelter for the wildlife, so you have to list what kind of feeders you have, what kind of plants you've planted and the food you've provided for the birds and animals," she said.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department developed the Texas Wildscapes program in 1994 as a means by which Texas can regain some contact with nature while at the same time, restoring some of the habitat that is lost each year to urbanization.
"I think the program is good because it makes people aware of the program and the importance of native plants," she said. "I've often wondered what our country looked like before the Europeans came over. You'd be surprised how many plants aren't native."
Another advantage to the program is the wildlife you get to observe, she said.
"Butterflies, for example, are host specific to a certain plant," she said. "If you plant the native plant, you get more wildlife because that's what they've adapted to."
Mrs. Eubanks leaned back in her chair as the wind chimes on the porch rang like church bells in the East Texas breeze.
"It's been educational - it is one thing I've tried to teach my children. I got my love of nature from my dad, and I tried to pass that onto my children, although my daughter is petrified of frogs and toads," she said, laughing.
Mrs. Eubanks said she learned about the Wildscapes program after visiting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Web site.
"I knew about the program, as well as a national one for a long time," she said. "I'm also nationally certified with the National Wildlife Federation Backyard Wildlife Habitat Certification."
The process of creating a habitat for wildlife and native plants wasn't an easy one - and after 28 years of living in Tyler, Mrs. Eubanks said the last 11 have been devoted to the gardens.
"I'm in the garden almost every day," she said. "I do weeding during the spring, and all the flowerbeds have mulch on them. Usually, I don't have to start watering until the middle or end of July, because most of the plants are very tough. In the winter, I prune, and in the summer, I deadhead to keep things blooming."
Native plants are easier to take care of because they use less water, require fewer chemicals and they are more resistant to disease and insect infestation, she said.
"Since the home garden is by far a greater source of pollutants than any of our agricultural or industrial operations, by avoiding using chemicals we are helping the environment," she said.
The environment has always been an important subject for Mrs. Eubanks, and her love of nature began at an early age.
"When I was very small, for my birthday, I would ask my dad to take me on the back roads of the Hill Country to look at wildflowers," she said. "He gave me my first wildflower book and I still have it, and when I was at Texas A&M (University), I majored in Wildlife and Fishery Science."
The best thing about having a Texas Wildscape is the peace it brings to life, she said.
"I like sitting on my porch and watching the birds and squirrels and butterflies," she said. "It's relaxing, it's very soothing and it's not stressful or anything. I think people need to get away from technology sometimes and go out into nature. It de-stresses you."
For more information on creating your own Texas Wildscape, visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us/wildscapes or call 512-389-4644.
