The Rice Organization - Laura Neff

08/24/2026

Joe Pye W**d is one of the most spectacular native perennials you can grow and late summer is when it absolutely shines. 🌸

Why we love it...
🦋 An absolute monarch butterfly magnet: one of the top late summer nectar sources for migrating monarchs passing through Houston
🌸 Stunning vanilla scented dusty pink to purple dome shaped flower clusters that bloom mid summer through fall
📏 Grows 4-7 feet tall making it a dramatic statement plant in the back of any garden bed
💧 Loves moisture: perfect for Houston's wetter areas or low spots in the yard that stay damp
🌿 Native to North America and thrives in partial shade: a great option for those trickier spots in your landscape

Houston growing tips:
- Plant in moist, well amended organic soil
- Works beautifully alongside Gulf Muhly, Gregg's Mistflower, and native grasses for a late summer pollinator garden
-Leave seed heads through winter ~ birds love them

Just in time for monarch migration season. 🦋🌿

**d

08/23/2026

🌿 Layered texture done right🌿 This Houston front bed is a great example of what thoughtful organic landscaping looks like up close. Variegated liriope and asparagus fern layered together under an existing tree ~ different textures, different heights, one cohesive and low-maintenance design.

The natural river rock border ties it all together beautifully while keeping organic mulch in place and reducing soil erosion. 🌱

08/23/2026

08/19/2026

💧 TOMORROW💧 Join us for OHBApalooza Lite: an evening of water-wise landscaping, sustainable horticulture, and great community. We're welcoming Nessa Spence to share practical strategies for growing beautiful, resilient landscapes while conserving one of our most valuable resources.

📅 Thursday, August 20, 2026 🕠 5:30 – 8:00 PM 📍 University of St. Thomas – Black Lab: 4100 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77098

Register at ohbaonline.org/register 🌿

08/18/2026

Hurry and register, it's two days away!

08/18/2026

Routine chemical treatments don't just target pests; they harm the beneficial insects, pollinators, and soil life that keep a landscape thriving on its own. Our approach works with nature instead of against it, building healthier gardens that are more resilient over time. Read our latest blog post to learn why we've never sprayed synthetic pesticides, and what we do instead. 🌿 🐝

Read the full blog post 🔗 https://www.riceorginc.com/post/why-we-never-use-synthetic-pesticides-in-houston-landscapes

08/17/2026

08/16/2026

Carpenter bees are among Houston’s most effective native pollinators, and their large, fuzzy bodies make them powerful workers in local gardens. 🐝 They practice “buzz pollination,” vibrating their flight muscles to shake loose pollen that many plants won’t release otherwise, a technique that benefits tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and native wildflowers common across the Gulf Coast.

Because they’re active in Houston’s warm, extended growing season, they help keep home vegetable gardens and pollinator plants productive from early spring through fall.

While their nest-boring in untreated wood can worry homeowners, carpenter bees are docile (males can’t even sting) and rarely cause structural damage when nests are managed with simple deterrents like painted or sealed wood. Supporting them means supporting Houston’s broader ecosystem: more pollinators means healthier gardens, stronger native plant populations, and food sources for local birds.

08/14/2026

Native plants like purple coneflower and coreopsis
(tickseed) are pollinator powerhouses, and they belong
in your Houston landscape. 🌸

Because they’re adapted to our Gulf Coast climate,
natives thrive with less water, less maintenance, and no
chemical help. Purple coneflower draws in bees,
butterflies, and even goldfinches that feast on its seeds
come fall, while cheerful tickseed blooms for months and keeps pollinators fed all season long. Fill your yard with natives and you’ll get a garden that’s easier to care for and buzzing with life. 🦋🐝

08/13/2026

💧 How can we create landscapes that thrive while using less water?

Join us for OHBApalooza Lite: an evening of water-wise landscaping, sustainable horticulture, and great community. We're welcoming Nessa Spence to share practical strategies for growing beautiful, resilient landscapes while conserving one of our most valuable resources.

📅 Thursday, August 20, 2026
🕠 5:30 – 8:00 PM
📍 University of St. Thomas – Black Lab
4100 Montrose Blvd., Houston, TX 77098

Register at ohbaonline.org/register 🌿