The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centre's mission is to conserve the state's native wildflowers, plants and landscapes. Spanning 113 hectares, you will find expansive gardens of local plants and native animals.
The centre was the brainchild of Lady Bird Johnson, the former First Lady of the United States. She first noticed that the country was losing its natural beauty and landscapes to urban development in the early 1980s and, with the help of actress Helen Hayes, founded the National Wildflower Research Centre in 1982. The centre advocates for native plants, believing that these plants provide better habitats for native wildlife, such as birds and butterflies. They would also conserve water and reduce pesticide costs.
With fascinating plants and picturesque gardens, there's plenty to fill an afternoon here. Begin your visit at the Entrance Trail, where large live oaks, cedar elms and ashe junipers usher you in. As you walk towards the gardens, you will feel your stress melting away amidst the rustling trees. Look up and try to spot fuzzy ball moss growing in the canopy.
In the Entrance Garden, walk along the arching aqueduct used for rainwater harvesting, and you will arrive at the Courtyard, where you will find toilets, a gift shop and the Wildflower Café.
Grab a map from the Visitor's Gallery and choose the route which best suits you before embarking on your tour through the centre.
For a view of the whole place from the top, climb up the spiral staircase of the Observation Tower, a charming stone construction modelled after watchtowers from the Spanish missions. In spring when the Texas wildflowers are blooming, this spot is a great vantage point to capture photos of The Meadows in all their blossoming glory.
Watch red-eared slider turtles swimming about in the Wetland Pond or enjoy the butterflies in the Ann and O.J. Weber Butterfly Garden. Acquire techniques on growing a gorgeous garden at the Display Gardens, where 23 demonstration beds exhibit the varieties, uses and adaptations of the native plants.
While the park is beautiful throughout the year, visit during spring for the best show of wildflowers. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Centre is located 19 kilometres southeast of downtown, and the easiest way to get there is by car. Free parking is available. There is an admission charge.
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