River Bend Nature Center

Adopters will be acknowledged on our website and social media. A 9 by 4-inch sign will be placed in the adoptee’s bed. See below for an example.

Interested parties fill out an application form below. We will set up an orientation session and brief you on everything you need to know. Garden beds are assigned based on availability and adopter preferences.

• Guidance on plant selection, focusing on native and drought-tolerant species.
• Access to mulch, hoses, and water.
• Access to gardening tools and supplies (on a loan basis).

Native Texas plants are a natural choice because they are adapted to our rainfall, soils and temperatures.

• RBNC must approve plants before planting, this can be done via email, in person, or over the phone.
• You must retain existing trees and shrubs, although shrubs may be pruned. Please contact us for information about pruning of shade or ornamental trees.
• New plant selections that have a mature height of over 4’ will be considered based on location, proximity to the Trail, mature size, and existing tree cover.
• New plant selections that are sharp, thorny, prickly or spiny will be considered on a case-by-case basis. These types of plants are strongly discouraged in highly trafficked zones or close proximity
  to the Trail.

The following is a list of native plants that are available to local nurseries that we recommend:

• Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis)
• Texas Redbud (Cercis canadensis var. texensis)
• Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera)
• Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii)
• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• Blackfoot Daisy (Melampodium leucanthum)
• Gulf Coast Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
• Texas Lantana (Lantana urticoides)
• Esperanza (Tecoma stans)
• Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)
• Prairie Verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida)
• Gregg’s Mistflower (Conoclinium greggii)
• Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala)
• Engelmann Daisy (Engelmannia peristenia)
• Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
• Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
• Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
• Eastern Gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides)
• American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
• Goldenrod (Solidago altissima)

The following invasive shrubs and groundcovers, which are not native to North Texas, are prohibited:

• Chinese photinia (Photinia serrulata)
• Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense)
• Elephant Ear (Alocasia species)
• Holly Fern (Cyrtomium falcatum)
• Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
• Kudzu (Pueraria Montana)
• Ligustrum (Ligustrum japonicum, L. lucidum, L. sinense)
• Mimosa (nonnative Mimosa species)
• Maiden Grass (Miscanthus sinensis)
• Nandina (large, berry-producing varieties of Nandina domestic)
• Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana)
• Pyracantha (Pyracantha coccinea)
• Tamarisk (all Tamarix species)
• Golden Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea and related species)
• English Ivy (Hedera helix)
• Periwinkle (Vinca minor and Vinca major)

Pre-existing benches and plaques must remain in place and be visible. Permissible new materials are rock, crushed stone and wood. Metal or plastic edging is prohibited. RBNC has paving stone on-site that you may utilize as well. Installation of statues, sundials, benches or other art is prohibited because of theft and vandalism.

Sure thing, if you would like to adopt a garden and sub out the maintenance to a landscaping company, River Bend can connect you to a contractor.

Those who adopt a garden must keep it maintained. This includes keeping it weeded, removing and replacing dead plants, watering, and mulching. Adopters must report any issues or needs for major interventions to the River Bend Nature Center staff.

River Bend Nature Center staff will conduct regular inspections of all adopted garden beds to ensure they are being properly maintained. If a garden bed appears neglected (e.g., overgrown with weeds, plants not watered, general disrepair) RBNC will contact the adoptee and coordinate maintenance with the adopter or 3rd party. After two weeks, if the garden bed is not brought up to standard, the adoption agreement will be terminated, and the Nature Center will reassign the garden bed to another interested party.

The adoption period is one year. Once all of the gardens are adopted, any additional interested adopters will be placed on a waitlist for any gardens that may become available during the course of the year. A successful adopter may renew an adoption for successive years.

There is no adoption fee to adopt a garden.

Individuals, families, organizations, or businesses can adopt a garden.