12 - LANDSCAPE
An ecological landscaping approach when used in golf course design aims to enrich the local area through developing attractive, healthy, and practical landscapes with a strong emphasis on conservation. Ecological landscapers aim to reduce water consumption, protect biodiversity, and adhere to IPM principles.
Regulatory Considerations
The TDA publishes a list of noxious and invasive plant species that have serious potential to cause economical or ecological harm in Texas. This list is required per Texas Agriculture Code Subchapter D, Sec. 71.151; administration of this statute is per TAC §19.300.
Additional information:
https://www.texasagriculture.gov/RegulatoryPrograms/PlantQuality/NoxiousandInvasivePlants.aspx
Species Selection and Size Considerations
The fundamental principle for the environmentally sound management of landscapes is “right plant, right place.” From an ecological perspective the ‘right plant’ is one which is native to the area. This is because these plants have adapted over thousands of years to the climate, pests, and soil culture of the area. Native plants are more tolerant to drought and stress, requiring less water or maintenance, than non-native varieties. When determining species selection, maintain as close to a natural ecosystem as practical, while meeting the needs of the golf course.
Texas has a wide range of native plants which can create ecological diversity on the course while providing a desirable aesthetic and playability experience. When selecting plants, it is important to know the ultimate growth size and rate in order to plan appropriately for pruning, maintenance, and debris removal, including associated expenses.
Texas Native Plants
Trees
Texas Mountain Laurel
Desert Willow
Mexican Redbud
Eastern Red Cedar
Pecan
Escarpment Live Oak
Cedar Elm
Bur Oak
Bald Cypress
Gum Bumelia
Western Soapberry
Texas Ash
Texas Red Oak
Mesquite
Lacey Oak
Anaqua
Escarpment Black Cherry
Chinquapin Oak
Carolina Cherry Laurel
Bigtooth Magpie
Texas Redbud
Texas Pistache
Yaupon Holly
Texas Persimmon
Eve’s Necklace
American Smoke Tree
Grasses
Arizona Cottontop
Big Bluestem
Brownseed Paspalum
Buffalograss
Cane Bluestem
Mesquite
Eastern Gamagrass
Fall Witchgrass
Hairy Grama
Hooded Windmillgrass
Red Grama
Red Lovegrass
Bristlegrass
Rough Tridens
Seacoast Bluestem
Shortspike Windmillgrass
Sideoats Grama
Silver Bluestem
Tanglehead
Texas Grama
Texas Panicum
Texasgrass
Thin Paspalum
Tobosagrass
Vine Mesquite
Whiplash Pappusgrass
Yellow Indiangrass
Shrubs
Agarito
Allthorn Goatbush
Brasil
Catclaw Acacia
Chittimwood
Coma
Coyotillo
Desert Yaupon
Elbowbush
Ephedra
False Mesquite
Guayacan
Heart-Leaf Hibiscus
Knife-Leaf Condalia
Lime Prickly-Ash
Littleleaf Sumac
Lotebush
Mexican Olive
Peachbush
Sweet-Stem
Tenaza
Texas Ebony
Texas Kidneywood
Texas Lantana
Texas Mountain Laurel
Texas Persimmon
Tornillo
Yaupon
Flowering plants (Forbs)
Awnless Bush Sunflower
Bearded Dalea
Blackfoot Daisy
Bristleleaf Dogweed
Brown-Eyed Susan
Bundleflower
Common Sunflower
Cowpen Daisy
Dayflowers
Groundcherries
Hooker’s Plantain
Indian Blanket
Low Menodora
Partridge Pea
Pigeonberry
Plains Lazy Daisy
Prairie Clover
Queen’s Delight
Rio Grande Clammyweed
Ruellia
Scarlet Pea
Wild Petunia
Woolly Croton
Woolly Globemallow
https://www.ckwri.tamuk.edu/research-programs/south-texas-natives/native-plant-list
Additional reference for Texas native landscape plants:
It is also important to understand the potential damage caused by a variety of non-native species which have been introduced to Texas. Non-native species can cause harm to the environment or human health, with some species exhibiting aggressive growth habits which out-compete and displace native species. These are referred to as invasive species.
Texas’ most problematic invasive species include:
Saltcedar: an evergreen shrub which alters soil salinity and reduces the flow of water bodies
Hydrilla: an aquatic plant which depletes water oxygen levels and blocks sunlight
Giant Salvinia: an aquatic fern which forms dense mats on the surface of water
Red Imported Fire Ant: can kill small children and livestock
Nutria: beaver-like rodent which carry diseases and nematodes
Channeled Applesnail: difficult to identify, primarily a risk to rice crops
Feral Hogs: elusive, can cause severe physical damage to landscapes, turfgrass, and are dangerous to approach
Additional information on invasive species:
https://www.texasinvasives.org/
https://www.texasagriculture.gov/RegulatoryPrograms/PlantQuality/NoxiousandInvasivePlants.aspx
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/exotic/prohibited_aquatic.phtml#plant
TDA List of Noxious and Invasive Plants for Texas
Soil testing should be completed before planting new areas to ensure that the soil is naturally compatible with the chosen flora, including proper pH, nutrient levels, drainage, shade, etc.
Soil amendments, when properly selected and applied, can improve the soil’s physical and chemical properties. This can increase the soil’s water-holding capacity and reduce leaching of fertilizers. Amendments may be organic or inorganic; however, soil microorganisms rapidly decompose organic amendments such as peat or compost.
Landscape areas should be fundamentally designed to facilitate rapid plant establishment to conserve water and lower nutritional input requirements once mature. Maintain or enhance as much natural vegetation as possible within landscape design, with 50 to 70 percent of non-play areas in natural cover. Out of play areas, or those which are not critical to course design, provide an opportunity to remove non-native plants and replace them with native ones that require little to no maintenance once established. This may include the supplemental planting of native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous vegetation to provide wildlife habitat in non-play areas and along water sources to support fish and other water-dependent species. By leaving dead trees (snags) near waterbodies where they do not pose a hazard, a well-developed understory (brush and young trees), and native grasses, the amount of work needed to prepare a course is reduced while habitat for wildlife survival is maintained.
Best Management Practices
Follow federal, state, and local regulations regarding invasive species, nutrient and pesticide management.
Select plants as close to a natural ecosystem as practical, while meeting the needs of the golf course. Native plants have adapted specifically to the soil, microclimate, rainfall, light patterns, insects and other pests, and endemic nutrient levels over many years.
Select trees, plants, and grass species to attract birds seeking wild fruits, herbs, seeds, and insects.
Know the ultimate sizes and growth rates of trees, shrubs, and ground covers.
Use plants that are adapted for the site based on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) cold-hardiness map: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/
Choose the most stress-tolerant species or cultivar for a particular area, those which can manage periodic dry/ wet conditions.
Texas Wildscapes: Landscaping for Wildlife
Incorporating native plants, colors, scents, groupings and structures (food, water, and cover) can help provide habitats to attract desired wildlife, including birds and butterflies.
For specific Wildscape habitat and wildlife combination examples, and to apply for Wildscape certification visit:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/wildlife_diversity/wildscapes/
Design and Function
It is important to consider both aesthetics and environmental impact for landscape design. Where possible, design should aim to increase native diversity and support growth of pollinators including hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. This can be achieved through including a variety of nectar-providing plants of different heights in aesthetic gardens, window boxes, and container gardens. Section off habitat areas so that nesting wildlife is left undisturbed. Garden plants, shrubbery, ground covers, or native plants may provide a pleasing a view and also provide useful food, cover, or other environmental benefits to wildlife; they may also require less maintenance.
It is important for landowners and managers to have a good understanding of how to create, maintain, and protect habitats for wildlife diversity. Train crew members to identify endangered species and educate club members and guests through newsletters, meetings, and signage. There are several state tools and incentives designed to promote wildlife habitat, plus benefit rare and at-risk species through support to landowners. It is of particular importance to promote biodiversity and protect wildlife habitat using effective landscape practices in urban areas where wildlife has limited access to sources of food and shelter.
When integrating turfgrass areas into the landscape around the clubhouse, entries, and other areas, design for ease of maintenance and keep in mind that turfgrasses grow best in sunny areas. Xeriscape landscaping and drought resistant native plants should be used wherever practical and particularly around buildings and parking areas. Xeriscaping is a landscaping style which minimizes the need for irrigation, reduces water consumption, and decreases fertilizer needs. Trees and shrubs can affect sunlight access as well as moderating temperature. Planted alongside streams this temperature moderation, through shade, lowers water temperature in summer and increases it in winter. In areas where turfgrass is prioritized, however, it is important to consider the effect that tree canopy and other design features may have on the health and function of the turfgrass.
Additional information regarding state programs to support wildlife diversity and land stewardship:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/wildlife_diversity/nongame/listed-species/landowner-tools.phtmll
Best Management Practices
Forested buffers should contain a mixture of fast- and slow-growing native plants to provide a diverse habitat for wildlife.
Use forested buffers to:
Trap and remove upland sources of sediments, nutrients, and chemicals.
Protect fish and wildlife by supplying food, cover, and shade.
Maintain a healthy riparian ecosystem and stable stream channel.
Leave dead tree snags whenever possible (i.e., at a safe distance from playing surfaces) for nesting and food source to wildlife.
Use turfgrass as a landscape element where needed.
Use xeriscaping and drought resistant native plants to minimize irrigation needs.
Incorporate diversity into the plant palette, with a variety of shapes, scents, colors, and species to attract pollinators.
Planting Methods
Ecological landscaping approaches to planting should be utilized, using drought-tolerant plants with a root system substantial enough to keep them alive with little or no supplemental irrigation and grouping plants based on irrigation requirements.
Weed growth can be prevented through application of organic mulches in gardens and aesthetic areas. The mulches increase the moisture-holding capacity of plantings and are decomposed by soil microorganisms, strengthening tilth condition. Mulches should, however, be kept 2-3 inches away from plants to prevent excess dampness which can cause fungal growth.
Compaction or excessive mulch buildup should also be avoided as this can be problematic, causing water to shed away from the root zone and encourage overwatering. This is particularly important to monitor when annual re-mulching is performed.
Best Management Practices
Plants should be grouped together based on irrigation demand.
Irrigation systems and plant palette should be appropriate for site conditions, bearing in mind that, in some cases, soil improvement can enhance water-use efficiency.
Minimize the percentage of landscaped area in irrigated high-water-use hydrozones. Local government ordinances should address the percentage of irrigated landscaped area that may be included in high-water-use hydrozones. These high water-use limits should not apply to landscaped areas requiring large amounts of turfgrass for their primary functions (for example, ball fields and playgrounds).
Pruning and fertilizing will benefit landscape plants while they are becoming established.
Use appropriate soil amendments to improve the soil’s physical and chemical properties, increase its water-holding capacity, and reduce leaching of fertilizers.
For information about developing a BMP for pollinators or establishing pollinator friendly gardens, please reference the Pollinator BMP section.
Trees
Most golf courses in America use trees for both aesthetic and practical uses, making them an important and significant component of course design. Trees can offer beauty to the landscape, with a strategy for golf holes by indicating the line of play, either through, around or over existing trees. Native trees should be planted wherever possible as they have adapted to local conditions climate over thousands of years and are better able to withstand extreme weather events. Native trees are largely more resistant to pests, require less watering and provide more appropriate habitat for native wildlife.
The correct placement and selection of species are paramount to having a successful tree program. Through the support of an experienced tree professional the golf course design and maintenance strategy can be complemented, allowing decades long tree life with minimal pest problems.
Examples of Native Trees & Benefits
Gum Bumelia: flowering with edible berries; highly adaptable to soil types; drought resistant.
Chinkapin Oak: attractive, light-colored bark, suited to limestone soils.
Eve’s Necklace: flowering; appreciates light, wet soils.
Additional information on Texas native trees, benefits, and care:
Best Management Practices
Hire an arborist or tree specialist to aid in developing a planting plan and establish a tree care program.
A tree inventory should be developed, outlining tree species; map of location; age; condition; life expectancy; monetary value.
Annual evaluation of tree condition should be conducted to support decision-making regarding removals, pruning, thinning, fertility, pest control requirements.
Regular inspection throughout the year is important, to establish pruning requirements. Most trees should be pruned during cool seasons of the year. This is essential for safety purposes, and the health of the tree by removing dead, poorly attached, or overcrowded branches.
For safety purposes use staff or an arborist for small scale pruning, pest management, and some tree removal. Use an outside professional tree service to handle large scale spray applications and removals that require climbing and bucket work.
Use paint to improve the appearance of a wound when in a highly visible location.
Tree canopy can be raised from the ground to improve air movement and light for better turfgrass growth. Dense canopies can be crown thinned to increase light penetration and wind resistance.
Root pruning can be done with a trencher, vibratory plow, backhoe, or cutting saw to reduce competition for water between the turfgrass versus trees.
