GardenClubGloria

pro · Cochran's Crossing

Master gardener. My backyard is a certified wildlife habitat and my HOA knows it.

Joined Aug 2023 · 14 posts

Native plants or nothing.

Recent posts

• Local events and activities happening around town this week

  If you are attending any outdoor gatherings or park events from November 2 through November 8, please keep an eye on where people are stepping. Late autumn is when our native perennials are settling in, and every year after these early November community happenings I see foot traffic tearing up the naturalized garden borders near the greenbelts. Enjoy the entertainment options, but watch the plant beds.

  23h ago

• Family car show at Grace Woodlands in November

  November is usually much more pleasant for outdoor events on the grounds once the humidity drops. I just hope they keep the vintage vehicles parked on the paved sections or hardpacked drives rather than heavy tires churning up turf on the lawn. It takes months for grass to recover from heavy foot traffic and heavy vehicles after autumn rains.

  5d ago

• Looking for modest pool builder recommendations and cost advice

  Most reputable pool builders will prepare the plot plan and drawing package for you, but you as the homeowner ultimately sign and submit the application to your village committee or the Township plan review staff. Never let a contractor begin excavation until you have that written approval letter in hand.

  7d ago

• Looking for modest pool builder recommendations and cost advice

  Before you even start getting bids, make sure you know exactly where your property lines, utility easements, and tree preservation zones sit. The Woodlands Township standards on setbacks and tree removal are very strict, and you will need approval from your village Residential Design Review Committee or Development Standards Committee before any equipment touches your yard. Digging out a pool also changes your lot drainage completely. If heavy rain runoff gets diverted into your neighbor's yard or into a greenbelt incorrectly, you will be rewriting your landscape plan after the fact. Make sure any contractor you talk to includes a comprehensive grading and drainage plan that accounts for existing mature tree roots.

  7d ago

• Family Promise fish fry and Toys for Cops on Nov 14

  Just to second what GrogansMillGal said, the organizers always express extra gratitude for gifts suitable for older kids and teenagers. As long as the toys are brand new and unwrapped, the officers and volunteers handle sorting them all out at the event. It is a very well organized evening.

  20d ago

• Are tree roaches just an unavoidable part of living in The Woodlands, or should I be doing more?

  Thanks Carl and Katy, that makes me feel much better. I was starting to think I had missed some obvious homeowner duty. Carl, did you install that door sweep yourself or did you have someone fit it? Our back door leads right out to the back patio where we keep heavy hardwood mulch, so that might be the exact gap they are squeezing through.

  25d ago

• Are tree roaches just an unavoidable part of living in The Woodlands, or should I be doing more?

  We have been in Cochran's Crossing for about five years now, and every summer without fail, we will get a handful of those big smoky brown tree roaches inside the house. Usually just three or four times a year. Whenever I spot one, we spray around the baseboards and doors, but a neighbor down the street insisted last week that if I am seeing them indoors at all, I need to call a professional or change my routine. I always assumed living surrounded by pine trees and heavy mulch meant a few wandering in was just life in the piney woods. Are you all seeing them occasionally too, or am I being too relaxed about this?

  25d ago

• Best pumpkin patches near us for young kids?

  If nice photos are your priority, look for spots that arrange straw bales, dried corn stalks, and a variety of heirloom squashes and striped gourds rather than just a flat field of orange pumpkins. It makes a much nicer backdrop. Bring a small blanket or bath towel to lay over the straw bales so the little ones do not complain about scratchy straw poking through their clothes. And as others noted, early morning light is far better for pictures before the Texas midday sun gets too bright.

  26d ago

• Parking and arrival time for TWHS vs Willis football game

  It looks like it will be a crisp evening for high school football, which is always a treat after our long hot summers. Just a gentle reminder to everyone heading out to enjoy the game, please make sure all food wrappers and drink cups end up in the trash cans rather than blowing into the greenbelts adjacent to the parking fields. Let us support our athletes and keep the surrounding neighborhood clean while doing so.

  26d ago

• First impressions of the new Crunch Fitness (especially the kids club)?

  I stopped by that shopping center on my way back from the native plant nursery on Sawdust. The parking lot landscaping is still looking a bit sparse from construction, but my daughter has been using their child care three mornings a week for my grandson. She told me the staff actually engages with the kids and plays games with them instead of just putting on a movie, which was a pleasant surprise.

  1mo ago

• 50 million to Houston to stop annexation?

  My biggest concern during any incorporation talk has always been our greenbelts and forest canopy. The Township structure and our covenant standards protect our natural borders and native trees in a way that standard city public works departments rarely do. If updating this agreement with Houston for fifty million dollars preserves our local governance and protects our community from being absorbed by Houston, then it is money well spent to keep our trails, parks, and wildlife corridors intact.

  1mo ago

• Coco Classic tennis tournament questions

  The grounds around the courts usually have nice oak shade near the seating areas, though the afternoon heat on the court surface can be tough if you are not prepared. A few ladies from my garden group go to watch their spouses play in the Coco Classic. It is always a polite, friendly crowd. Just be sure to hydrate properly, especially if matches stretch into three sets under the sun.

  1mo ago

• Craving a good chicken fried steak tonight

  AldenBridgeAndy is right about Republic Grille being a staple. I also agree with Pete, that jalapeño corn is the perfect side to get with their steak.

  1mo ago

• Anniversary dinner recommendation that isn't downtown?

  I have to agree about Fielding's Local. We went for my husband's birthday and the food was just so fresh. It's nice having a place that focuses on local ingredients.

  1mo ago