Western Heights Guiding Principles

Long-term Design & Maintenance 
First draft 9/21/23
Revised 12/16/23

1. PERIMETER FENCE

Keep clear for visibility and security to reduce vandalism. Remove existing brush and trees in fence. Do not plant desirable plants along fence because will make it harder to maintain. (The exception would be the decorative fence along Fort Worth Avenue since that has a concrete footing underneath which greatly simplifies vegetation maintenance. Nevertheless, only low plants shold be planted there to maintain open sightlines.)

2. SIGHTLINES 

Keep most plantings (other than trees) to plants under 3 ft tall to help maintain open sightlines and reduce vandalism. For the same reason, as well as for pedestrian safety, also limb up low hanging tree branches

3. LEGACY PLANTS

Do not remove ANY legacy plants. Irises and lantana especially have historically been planted to mark graves in Texas. Even non-native lantanas should be left. There are several crape myrtles which may also indicate locations of graves. If the headstone is missing, plantings may be the only indication of a grave site.

4. RECORDS

When older trees need to be cut down, permanently document the exact location because that may be a grave marker. A large pine tree is dying and may need to be removed. 5 years from now we wouldn't want to find documentation that someone was buried and a pine tree was planted there to mark the location but we no longer remember where the pine tree was. (There are several Chinaberries that need to be removed -- they are very fast growing trees and probably have not been there that long and probably were not used to mark graves.)

5. INVASIVES

The other invasives should be removed including Chinaberries, privet, and at least 7 locations of poison ivy. (Despite the strange cultural prejudice prevalent in Dallas against hackberry trees, as the number one bird tree and the number one butterfly tree they are VERY desirable and should not be removed solely on the basis of their species. Unhealthy/ unsafe

individuals of any species can be removed of course.)

6. NATIVES PREFERRED 

Mostly natives should be added. Constellation of Living Memorials guidelines specify at least 75% of new plantings should be native plants. The rest can be non-invasive, well-adapted plants of high pollinator value. The CLM guideline of 75% native plants is a minimum -- a higher percentage of natives is allowed of course. If high habitat value non-native plants are added, let's try to do that outside of the grant and also attempt to not expend any funds if possible -- try to get them donated from local gardeners.

7. TRAFFIC DANGER

Keep high habitat-value plants away from Fort Worth Avenue. We do not want to incentivize butterflies, hummingbirds, and other wildlife to cross busy streets. Many butterflies in Texas die on car radiator grilles especially during the fall migration. The problem is definitely worse in South Texas but let's try to not contribute to this.

8. PROGRESSION OF BLOOM

Plantings should be planned to provide for progression of bloom for both season-long nectar availability as well as aesthetic value to human visitors.

9. SIMPLICITY 

Large perennial beds consisting each of one species have greater visual impact and are much easier to maintain, even by volunteers without much gardening experience. Beds of mixed annual wildflower seeds are still allowed and desirable, however. At some point in the year these are usually mowed down to not only help spread and mix seeds but also to control weeds.

10. SUSTAINABILITY

To the extent possible, gasoline powered equipment should be avoided. Exceptions for now are chainsaws. In the past gasoline powered mowers have been used but as areas are converted to habitat and pedestrian pathways are created, battery-operated string trimmers should suffice. No leaf blowers of any kind should be ever be used. 

11. DESIGN FOR MAINTENANCE

As a volunteer-based organization, plantings should be designed with ease of long term maintenance in mind:

• Plants most likely to need supplemental irrigation during drought should be planted closest to the water source.

• Plants with aggressively colonizing rhizomes should be contained via existing concrete barriers (family plot borders).

• Limit plants needing frequent pruning, deadheading, or other human interventions