Nature Inspired Gardens
Let the pollinators do the gardening!
About Oak Woods Manor
Oak Woods Manor is located in South Arlington. My husband and I purchased an acre behind our house in 1995. Since then, we have added landscaping and lots of flowers, bushes and plants that have already attracted many types of pollinators. In the spring and summertime, the garden comes alive with all kinds of movement with all the pollinators and wildlife that is roaming the area. The picture on your left is a Black Eastern Swallowtail that is all over the garden. This one is laying future butterflies on Rue, an herbal plant easily grown from seeds.
Our Philosophy
This garden is striving to meet ecological balance by creating the garden to be used by wildlife such as bees, butterflies and birds by providing the right amount of food, water and shelter. Flowers were planted to attract butterflies and bees. Certain herbs and flowers were planted specifically for caterpillar food. Flowers with seed heads are left for the birds that visit the back yard. Flowers and bushes and planted to attract hummingbirds such as Turks Cap, Honeysuckle and Trumpet Vine. Parts of the acre have been left as wild as it can get to keep the wildlife such as foxes, squirrels, racoons, opossums, armadillos and the coyote that roam the area. We've even had Mallard ducks that visit that comb our backyard and eat the lawn insects plus some cracked corn that I put out for them.
What is a Pollinator?
Oak Woods Manor is designed specifically for nature's pollinators. I've designed the garden to provide food, water and shelter for their existence. The garden was established in 1995 and was taken from an overgrown weed infested acre with an abundance of post, red and black oak trees, countless cedar elms and a few mesquite trees (it is a Texas garden). The gardens have a lot of shade and partial shade so I am working with flowers, plants and shrubs that will thrive in this type of environment that will provide the necessary requirements for pollinators. On this website I will provide photos of the garden was it expands and will provide information on having your own pollinator garden.