Fort Worth horticulturist to share plant selection tips

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Steve Huddleston doesn’t fear unforgiving soil.

The north Texas horticulturist has faced down clay, drought and other garden threats to keep the Fort Worth, Texas, Botanic Garden flourishing for 18 years. He’ll share his expertise at a free lecture Wednesday in Shreveport.

“I’ve been in horticulture since the age of 3,” Huddleston said. “I used to work in the backyard. Dad gave me a little plot of ground to call my own. Even through high school, I worked in landscape jobs. I’ve always liked plants and designing with them.”

Shreveport master gardener Sue Crow sought out Huddleston because north Louisiana gardeners face similar soil and weather problems.

“He’s going to talk about plants that are easy to grow. One of our speakers last time talked about preserving rainwater,” Crow said. “We try to make gardening easy, because it’s really tough, it being so hot and dry.”

Three basic elements apply to designing a backyard or botanic garden: soil, climate and plant choice. Huddleston applies those principles at the 109-acre public garden and in his front yard.

He’s fond of native Texas plants, which are tough and drought tolerant. His personal garden includes red yucca, Turkish cap, buffalo grass and the only palm tree native to north central Texas.

“I put the sprinkler out sometimes but I’m not running an irrigation system,” Huddleston said.

His handiwork at the botanic garden involves a bit more work. During his tenure, workers made significant improvements to the Japanese garden and installed other beds. The property features 23 themed gardens, including the original rose garden built in 1934 as part of the Works Progress Administration.

“The rose garden is now on the National Register of Historic Places,” Huddleston said.

He’s also proud of less-flashy improvements like new parking lots and a $16 million wall on the garden’s western edge.

“We’ve also finalized a master plan, which is beautiful. We just need the money to implement it,” Huddleston said.

Connect with Melody Brumble on Twitter @mbrumble.