Austin, Texas, Oct. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Austin, TX – The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center announced today a campaign to inspire homeowners and landowners to put down the rake and leaves some leaves on the ground this fall to improve soil, support wildlife, save time and money – and make yards a healthier part of the natural world.

Leaf layers are a natural part of ecosystems across the globe, and the practice of raking leaves, bagging them and removing them from the landscape deprives the soil of valuable nutrients and a built-in mulching process. Mulching with leaves does everything that commercial mulches do, but better and cheaper, according to Wildflower Center experts.

“Letting leaves compost naturally means recycling the nutrients and protecting the soil surface. This natural cycle is good for the soil,” says Phillip Schulze, the Center’s arboretum and natural areas manager. “Leaves hold moisture, feed the soil and protect the roots. It’s good for water retention and that’s what the trees really want.”

Instead of treating fallen leaves as waste, Schulze says, think of them as free mulch. “Tree roots want that loose, nutrient-rich top layer that forms when leaves decompose naturally. It’s what keeps soil alive, aerated and full of the micro-organisms that plants depend on,” says Schulze.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, yard debris – including leaves – accounts for almost 13 percent of the country’s solid waste.

“Fallen leaves are a natural part of the ecosystem and serve a valuable purpose in landscapes,” said Dr. Sean Griffin, the Center’s science and conservation director. “They’re natural mulch, creating layers underneath trees and other plants which trap air, nutrients and organic matter and hold it there, to be food for insect and plants, and insulation for plant roots in ways that commercial mulch just can’t accommodate.”

Leaving some leaves also supports pollinators and backyard biodiversity, Griffin says. “Even if you prefer a manicured garden, leave a small area a bit more natural to provide nesting habitat for pollinators.”

The Wildlower Center’s experts offer these easy ways to let nature do the work:

• Pile leaves lightly under trees or shrubs to protect roots and retain moisture.
• Leave some stems and wood pieces in garden spaces along with leaves to provide nesting sites for spiders and pollinators.
• Tuck leaves into garden beds or containers for a free layer of mulch.
• Create small piles at the back of yards or in corners and include old bloom stalks, rotting wood or cut-up limbs in your leaf piles.

“It doesn’t have to look messy or scattered everywhere,” notes Hannah Armstrong, the Center’s lead horticulturist. “It's great to have those organic elements scattered throughout the garden but it's ok if you want to concentrate them for formality and neatness.”

And another benefit? It’s free. “I leave my leaves because it’s free mulch,” said Vincent Monaghan, guest services staff member at the Center. “I add them to my container gardens and at the base of trees in my yard in a one-to-two-inch layer. They do everything commercial mulch does – just better and at no cost.”

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For press inquiries, contact Scott Simons, Wildflower Center director of marketing and communications.

About The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the State Botanic Garden & Arboretum of Texas and welcomes more than 276,000 guests annually to its 284 acres of gardens, trails and exhibitions, thus fulfilling its mission of inspiring the conservation of native plants. As a fully self-funded unit of The University of Texas at Austin, the Wildflower Center’s investments in science, conservation and education include a native seed bank, a comprehensive database of North American native plants, and research programs in collaboration with The University. The Center is the embodiment of Mrs. Johnson’s environmental legacy. “The environment is where we all meet, where we all have a mutual interest,” she said. “It is the one thing all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.”

Scott Simons
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
ssimons@wildlfower.org