Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
Center
Austin, Texas
November 2007
Anyone who loves the idea of using native plants
in landscaping knows of the work done at the Johnson Wildflower
Center. It is justly famous for the work it does promoting the use
of Texas natives. November is not the best season for wildflowers,
but when you’re near a garden you shouldn’t pass up the opportunity
to visit, and November found me in Austin, Texas.
The address says the garden is in Austin but you drive pretty far
from the city to get to it. It’s pretty easy to find but the
entrance from the road is not well marked. The garden is located
well off the road so when you reach it you really feel like you’ve
escaped civilization. The entrance is across a wide, dry (at least
when we were there) creek bed, through majestic live oaks. The live
oaks are covered in tillandsias, which I found pretty exciting. I
rarely see epiphytes in the wild. Beside the path is a large
cistern connected to a visually interesting aqueduct, all part of
an elaborate water harvesting system.
The
central area of the garden is a courtyard surrounded by buildings
constructed in a way that reminds me of a 19th century Mexican
estate. I know it's not really old but I had to keep reminding
myself of that. The buildings house a very nice gift shop, a
visitor's gallery, as well as research and administrative
areas.
Most of the 42 acre site
is devoted to fields of wildflowers. They were not much to look at
in November, but must be spectacular in spring. Fortunately there
are plenty of other areas of interest here. Beyond the courtyard is a walled area called the
"theme gardens". These beds highlight different combinations of
native plants. Some are designed to highlight grasses or
succulents, others to attract butterflies or
hummingbirds.
All give great ideas of how to use
native plants.
On a terrace above these theme gardens are three "home comparison
gardens". These are designed to show distinctly different landscape
styles, using both native plants and suitable non-natives. A very
educational display.
This is a garden everyone should see. There are excellent
interpretive signs explaining the reasons for things and the plant
identification labels are abundant. The gardens themselves are a
nice mix of manicured gardens and wild areas. Even in November
there was much of interest. Only a few things were in flower but
those few were abuzz with butterflies and other insects. Seed heads
were abundant and beautiful and attracted birds galore. I'm anxious
to go back and see it in spring.
Click here
to see more photos of the Johnson
Wildflower Center.
To visit the official website of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
Center, click here.