Online Resources

Native and Adapted Landscape Plants

This guide by the City of Austin and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is free and packed with easy-care, water-wise plants that won't die on you. I use it myself and recommend it all the time—it’s super handy and zero fluff.

Plant List Database

Looking for a more robust resource? The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has an incredible plant database tailored to our local climate and soil conditions. It’s super user-friendly and perfect for digging deeper into what grows best in Austin. Some especially helpful sections include:
Plants for Central Texas
Plants by Texas Ecoregions
Plants for Pollinators

💡 Know Your Ecoregion
Austin's diverse landscapes mean different areas fall into distinct ecoregions. South and West Austin are part of the Edwards Plateau, characterized by rocky limestone soils and drought-tolerant plants. In contrast, East Austin lies within the Texas Blackland Prairie, known for its rich, dark clay soils that support tallgrass prairies. Understanding your specific ecoregion can help you select plants that are naturally adapted to your area's conditions, making gardening more successful and sustainable.

Grow Green Fact Sheets

A goldmine of bite-sized, super useful info for anyone looking to garden smarter—not harder. Whether you’re tackling weeds, pests, or choosing the right mulch, these printable guides make it easy. Perfect for beginners or seasoned plant parents who want a quick refresher.

Earth-Kind® Landscape Planning

Planning a garden from scratch? This guide (and publications) from Texas A&M AgriLife is a great starting point for mapping out your home landscape with intention. It walks you through smart planning and sustainable design—with a step-by-step approach that makes the whole process feel totally doable.

Tree Care Resources

This handy Tree Menu and Tree Planting Guide from TreeFolks are two of my favorite tools when helping clients choose the right tree for their space - they make tree shopping a breeze. Keep an eye out for TreeFolks NeighborWoods events where you can snag a free tree for your yard!

Texas Tree Planting Guide

This interactive guide from Texas A&M Forest Service helps you pick the right tree for the right place. Just plug in your zip code and site conditions (sun, soil, space), and it’ll suggest trees that actually want to grow where you live.

Native American Seed Co - Digital Catalog

Looking for native seeds? The Native American Seed Co. Catalog is packed with native wildflowers, grasses, and pollinator-friendly seed mixes—all grown and sourced with care right here in Texas. It’s fun to browse, and full of helpful info about what to plant, when, and why.

Leaf Through These Books

If you only read one book on native plants, make it this one. The Texas Native Plant Primer by Andrea DeLong-Amaya is my top pick for creating a low-maintenance, earth-friendly garden. It features 225 beautifully profiled native plants and loads of proven advice—all in one gorgeous, easy-to-use guide.

Ready to level up? This classic guide by Jill Nokes is a must-have. How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest includes hundreds of native plant profiles, plus entire chapters on seed collecting, germination, propagation, and transplanting. I reach for it often and I think you will too.

This is another one you will reach for again-and-again. Doug Welsh's Texas Garden Almanac is organized month by month, and gives you the what, when, and how for everything from planting wildflowers to pruning trees. It’s like having a gardening calendar and expert rolled into one. 

Plantopedia by Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan is the ultimate guide for anyone ready to grow their indoor jungle with confidence. Packed with care tips, styling inspo, and over 130 houseplant profiles, this beautifully designed book is equal parts practical how-to and total eye candy. Gift this coffee-table-worthy gem along with a bookmarked plant to the new plant lover in your life—they’ll be obsessed.

Turns out the most powerful thing you can do for the planet might start in your yard. In Nature’s Best Hope, Doug Tallamy shows how planting natives at home can create a ripple effect of real change—for butterflies, birds, pollinators, and beyond. It’s practical, hopeful, and makes you feel like an everyday environmental superhero.

Ready to put that knowledge to work here in Austin? Native Host Plants for Texas Butterflies is a super handy guide that helps you do exactly that. It’s simple, local, and gets right to the good stuff.

From Drought to Deluge is a no-nonsense guide from the Texas Master Gardeners that helps you conserve water without sacrificing your whole yard to “zero-scaping.” With smart, region-specific tips on native plants, soil care, and irrigation, it’s all about helping your garden thrive—through both dry spells and downpours.

Everyday Essentials

Every product below is something I personally use and love. No affiliate links—just honest recommendations from one plant lover to another. They also make fantastic gift ideas for the garden enthusiast in your life!

Support Local

I love supporting local businesses that make Austin awesome. These are some of my favorite shops and service pros that I trust and recommend. I’ve either worked with them personally or heard glowing things from clients. 

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