This is a hard one for me, Mel. I would say stage five, but then I have the room to make a new bed, expand and start all over at stage one. I have learned to resist this urge, so now I would say I am probably at the "give me the plants that come back easily each year and give me the color I need". Whatever stage you find yourself in, it is still a lot of rewarding "fun", albeit, a lot of hard work as well. Enjoy and HAPPY GARDENING !!!!!

The one stage I don't ever see myself in is the 'go native' stage.
Though this season I am going to focus on adding more natives (and Texas Super Stars) I don't ever see myself *only* planting natives.

Neither do I !!!!

hehehe, I'm still a sucker for flowers and have way too many tropicals to drag in every year but I think that I'm getting closer to a balance.

I've accepted that I can't grow lavendar or ornamental grass finally. I think everyone has a plant that dies every time they are planted.. a plant that most gardeners grow effortlessly:-)

I am into collecting salvias but not to the extent of Wantonmara :-)

I do love natives because they are the backbone of my garden and the 'specialty' plants are the jewelry!

I too am getting my tropicals under control. Its just too hard to drag them around anymore.

I can't grow a Flame Acanthus here to save my life!

Either they die or the lawn mower guys rip them out thinking they're a weed??? I grew them at the old place...in less than ideal spots too!

I'll give it one more try next spring.

I kill flame acanthus too!

I guess I'm stuck in stage one because to me gardening is all about flowers. I'm not interested in the latest and greatest -- my goal is something perennial and showy in bloom year-round. I live for camellias, daffodils, irises, daylilies, and roses, roses, roses. And hellebores and columbine and drifts of chrysanthemums, and whatever tough summer annuals reseed themselves.

Random,
What kind of camellias do you have? Where do you have them planted? I've been thinking of getting some, went shopping last winter and couldn't make up my mind so didn't get any at all. I have nearly full shade (with a blast of late afternoon sun) or full sun.. nothing in between.

I purchased a few hellebores last year and lost them all over the summer. :( There is no sign of them now.

Camellias Mrs. Charles Cobb and Scentsation

I grow and highly recommend two japonicas, Mrs. Charles Cobb, bright red, and Scentsation, dark pink. Mrs. C is a strong, trouble-free bush on the east side of the house. Scentsation has weak branches that don't hold always hold up its load of blooms, maybe because it's on the north side of the house and gets no sun ever. I bought it because the nurseryman assured me it was highly fragrant (wouldn't you think?) but I've never detected the slightest whiff. I forgive it because the flowers are so beautiful. Both these cover themselves with large blooms sometimes as early as January and usually persist through mid-April.

I also grow and like the sasanqua Yuletide with small red single flowers with a big puff of gold stamen. It's blooming now.

Try the hellebores again. They're usually bulletproof.

Thanks Random!

I'm past all those stages. I ripped it all out and went all Native. Yea Native! I have a more interesting garden (to me), more flowers and a lot more interest from passers by, my husband and myself. Opened up a whole new world of the challenge in finding the plants. If its got thorns, needles, sharp tips etc I am just a sucker for it. I love the danger. The contrasting textures are fabulous and it doesn't look like anyone else's.

Someone had to cheer for natives on this thread. And, its got nothing to do with drought or "settling for". Its all choice and desirability. Isn't it nice we all like different things though? Makes the world a more interesting place to live.

Yay, I'm with natives too, after huge water bills during the past few years! We've got water restrictions that I feel will get worse as time goes on. This Fall I planted native grass seed along with old garden roses and a few other things, but know I must plan on cutting back on the watering in the future. I found this summer the grasses and old roses did fine. Now that I'm getting older, my landscape contractor son and my husband insist that I get a sprinkler system, which is good in theory, but hope I don't have to use it often.

That is a good little article, Mel. It's a little embarrassing that we (gardeners) are so predictable. I struggle to maintain stage 5, but revert to stage 1 nearly every spring.
Jim

Orgrose , I'll tell ya what drives me nuts about sprinkler systems. People set them to come on at specific times (and this means OFTEN) and then never have to mess with watering again. Then you see them kick in every other day or so, RAIN or shine and all that runoff going down the street like clock work.

I make it a habit to weed when I have to water. Makes it less boring than just holding a hose. Killing two birds with one job. Plus, it gives me time to view individual plants and notice stuff I wouldn't see otherwise. Sprinkler systems are just so........well, automatic and cold. And I have a theory about slowing down too. The less you do, the less you become able to do. I've seen it over and over. I have stairs, for example, and I plan to keep going up and down. Its Exercise.

I'm glad your only planning to use it when necessary and hey, thanks for the natives salute.

You guys in Texas live in a Natives goldmine. World famous. I JUST DON'T GET IT. I'd be in hog heaven with those "wild" choices and you even have them for sale retail! Lady Bird Johnson no less. I can only dream. I live in a state of Gardening Leadbrains I think sometimes on the subject of natives.

Check out the Okie Forum sometime. If it ain't okra or a mater, it ain't discussed cuz it ain't gardening.

I started out Texas native but kind of veered back to my Xeric plants from the desert a bit too. I just want easy plants that do well and attract friendly wildlife. I also grow some fruit and veggies for obvious reasons.

I'm in stage five, but reserve the right to jump back to the other stages whenever I feel like it. Most of my garden beds are fairly static from one year to the next, but because some plants die out naturally, or fail to re-seed themselves, or move themselves out of the bed and into the yard occasionally, I like to carve out a new niche for something different now and then.

While our grandson was with us I didn't do as much gardening as I had been doing, and found that the plants really took pretty good care of themselves without much fussing from me. Dustyn's mom is back from the war and so he's gone to live with her again and so I have more time on my hands this year. I also retired from the Fed in April and had a very busy summer. I started a little antique restoration and upholstery business in June and haven't done much with the garden because of that. But evverything's rolling along pretty well now, lots of inventory waiting in the wings and I'm looking forward to this Spring and starting with a good cleaning of all my beds.

I do have tons of things stored in the greenhouse and except for a small outbreak of aphids on one of the citrus trees I haven't had any problems with that. I'm really enjoying working out there during the cold weather. The heater is working well, but I switched of the watering system due to the heavy minerals in our well water, and installed a rain barrel instead. Now I only use fresh rainwater in the greenhouse and the plants are a lot healthier this year.

I may stick to stage five just purely for convenience since it's easier to hang onto the old "tried and true" than to spend time and money on new stuff.I am planning to take out my pond this year though and just plant stuff there. The racoons and birds were always eating my fish and my dog and all her friends in the neighborhood liked to take a bath in it when the weather was so hot. So it's not a very rewarding part of my garden. Since the ground is fairly low in that area it might be a good spot for some gingers.

Cheryl

There was an article in the Dallas Morning News today about going to Stage 4 (or was it 5; I'm getting old!)of water restriction, couldn't find it tonight, but as I remember, that's NO watering, and they're thinking about setting it early so people don't plant. Not good... I live in Carrollton and we've got a different water source, but know it eventually will come here too. That's a good argument for natives as far as I'm concerned. Think I'll get those grasses planted asap and hope for the best. Think what this will do to the nurseries, landscape companies, fertilizer companies, etc. etc. I can't imagine living without gardening...

Don't get me started on the fertilizer companies. Less wouldn't be a bad thing there. I would hope that nurseries would start carrying more interesting choices of natives but I won't hold my breath here where I live.

Not to worry. As long as there is a demand they will carry the regular stuff and I think there will always be a demand.

Matter of fact, Texas exports a heck of a lot of native plants. Like I said, they are famous for them and to folks not living there, its a novelty and we just scarf that cool stuff up when it hits the shelves. There is a huge trend for this sort of thing and its all the rage in other parts of the country/world.

Add another vote for mainly natives with some nice nectar sources (aka flowers) added in, particularly salvias and herbs. Ever since I read Doug Talllamy's book and figured out just how heavily all wildlife depends on native plants I've made a real effort to plant only native shrubs and trees and a preponderance of native flowers, along side a limited number of edibles. I live in the NTWMD which is already at Stage 3. Lake Lavon is only 50% full and hasn't come up even with the recent rain there hasn't been any runoff yet. I too a glad Otto have a sprinkler system and do only very limited hand watering. I also have a total off 550 gallons of rainwater capacity, which I really love!
Teri

When "they" outlaw home swimming pools, watering golf courses, close car washes, water parks and all those office building fountains I'll believe its serious.

Until then I'll continue to grow whatever plants and lawn that bring me pleasure.

From the City of Dallas website:

Dallas is in stage 1 right now.

"Although our reservoirs are less than 25% depleted, other factors have developed that make it prudent to initiate our Drought Contingency Plan before the lakes are depleted to the level recommended in the Plan. "

hmm other factors have developed?? Sounds like maybe poor planning had a hand in this. Whatever the reason, a good watering twice a week... with perhaps some spot hand watering to certain things should give most of us whatever garden/yard we desire until the July/Aug over 100* lows in the 80s* day after day after day
hit. Couple that with no rain and few clouds, then everything suffers, even the native stuff.

Here is a link that might be useful: City of Dallas Water

I have my own way of gardening that brings pleasure to me, and helps keep my wildlife environment intact. This includes a sprinkler system that has been in use for over twenty years (I set it to use as much or as little water as is necessary to maintain healthy plants), and spot watering for those plants that may need a little more. I do NOT apologize for not going all native as this is not what I garden for. If it is "your thing", great.........I am all for it, but it is just NOT for me. I am very conservative when using water, whether it be for watering my plants or indoor uses. I use only what is needed. Can't we all just garden the way that brings us pleasure and be happy in it???

Can't seem to get out of stage one! Not sure I want to. Love the flowers. Speaking of flowers... Random Harvest, I didn't know we could grow camellias that beautiful around here. I think I have the perfect spot of one or two.

No one needs to apologize for not going native. Unless its a hybrid plant, its native somewhere. I am an interloper here in Texas and don't have the right to say what should or should not be done there.

I was merely trying to point out that many Texas natives are very desirable plants and quite beautiful and definitely garden worthy. I think some people might visualize something different than I do when I say native plantings or that they see this as settling for something that flowers less or is drab.

Not everything I grow is a native plant. I have become very bored with the typical offerings at nurseries myself. This happened way before the drought or water shortages. I stripped mine bare, removed the lawn and started over from scratch in a couple of the rainiest years I can remember because of the beauty of the plants. I was trying to protect many plants from too much water in the beginning. The drought sort of made me feel vindicated but mostly, this is the best gardening fun I have ever had, very interesting and the most attractive. My husband is now interested in the garden and never was before. I get more comments than I ever had with my garden now. It stands out and it never did before.

Nothing is wrong with sprinkler systems. There are times I wish I had one. But here where I live, you would think water is an unlimited resource and people have them on all the time, all over the city during rain, the day after, whatever. It makes no difference. They set them, and seem to run them non-stop on a mechanical schedule. They are also becoming rather alarmingly common. Used to be, only the wealthy had them. Many times one of the heads is pointed right toward the street or driveway and I see rivers of water running down the street into the gutters, regularly all summer long like that. It drives me nuts and its kind of scary too when you start wondering about the number of people doing this. AND, 9 times out of 10 they are watering bermuda grass just to keep it green and keep up with the neighbors.

"When "they" outlaw home swimming pools, watering golf courses, close car washes, water parks and all those office building fountains I'll believe its serious."

WELL SAID! My thoughts exactly! I use lots of water because I use lots of fertilizer, and the results pleases me.
Jim

And that's what it's all about, Jim, getting results that are pleasing to you. I think anyone would be hard put to look at your beautiful garden and not be inspired. I know it works for me.

Well said. You don't have to like mine and I don't have to like yours. If there's anything that you see too much of these days, its yard conformity--a keeping up with the Jones's mentality and pressure to do things a certain way.

Above all, it should be a labor of love and reflect the owner.

Here are excerpts from the article today in the Dallas Morning News:

"Stage 4 restrictions include a number of provisions limiting water use. No new pools would be permitted. Washing the car would only be allowed for "health, sanitation or safety" reasons. Golf courses can water only tee boxes and greens. Residents would be allowed to water foundations and trees, but only with garden hoses, soaker hoses or drip systems.

Dr. Greg Church, county extension agent of horticulture for Collin County, said imposing Stage 4 restrictions in the winter would hit nurseries and landscapers at the worst time, when business is already slow. And without the usual rush of customers in the spring, some companies could be forced out of business.

But the water district might have no choice.

It has been the hardest-hit water provider in North Texas during the drought, largely because federal officials have closed off its access to water from Lake Texoma, which provided 28 percent of the water supply. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wants to prevent the spread of zebra mussels, an aquatic pest, from Texoma in the Red River Basin to the Trinity River Basin, where the district stores its water."

Seems like this thread is talking about two completely different lists of stages. We started out with humorous Personal Gardening Stages reflecting reality checks, big ideas and magical thinking and have jumped to regional Mandated Conservation of Water Stages. They do sort of go hand in hand but I am getting a little bit confused about what we are talking about here.

thank you Ogrose for finding the article.

Stage 4 is a long way off from Stage 1.
It sounds to me like someone is "making up the news" to fill a page.

You notice that even at Stage 4 golf courses are allowed to water their greens and only new pools are forbidden!!! But us 'little people' can't water our own?

One would think that if things were to get *that* bad golf courses and both established and new pools would be restricted, in addition to the water parks and office building water fountains.

I think in my lifetime I've seen car washes shut down only once, and it was for a very short period of time.

From what you've posted it seems the reason for the 'shortage' has nothing to do with over use, or the drought. Its due to losing a source of water by not having a place to store it that would be safe from the zebra mussels.

No one can say for sure what the future rain fall will be.
No one can say for sure if more drought will continue. They're all guessing as best they can.

But we do know, it runs in cycles. Sometimes there's too much sometimes there's too little.

Just to clarify on the drought restriction stages. Dallas has a separate water system from most of the Dallas suburbs which are in North Texas Municipal Water District. Dallas is in better shape and is currently only in stage 1. NTWMD is in Stage 3 due to the aforementioned issues with Lake Lavon.

The lake is at 50% capacity now and is not making much progress at getting refilled this winter. Absolutely no outside watering next summer is a distinct possibility if the situation doesn't improve.

Please save water where ever you can.

Teri