Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the state botanical garden and arboretum of Texas. The center features more than 800 species of native Texas plants in both garden and natural settings and is home to a breadth of educational programs and family events. The 284-acre Wildflower Center attracts more than 140,000 annual visitors. It was a quiet late morning when we arrived. Perhaps the Texas heat of high 90's already kept people at bay. 

The center is dedicated to "inspiring the conservation of native plants" and promoting the environmental benefits of native-plant landscapes. It is home to the most comprehensive native plant database in the U.S., which features profiles of more than 9,000 North American native plants along with a number of other resources. The Wildflower Center has 9 acres of cultivated gardens, including the Luci and Ian Family Garden and the Ann and O.J. Weber Pollinator Habitat Garden. Its 16-acre Mollie Steves Zachry Texas Arboretum features collections of tree and shrub species from across the state of Texas. Miles of walking trails, educational exhibits, a gift store, cafe and biannual sales of native plants round out the offerings. We liked how organized and well maintained the grounds were with a kid friendly section perfect for exploration with all sorts of nooks and crannies. 

Outdoor greenhouse for master gardeners.

After a leisurely stroll around the grounds lunch in an air conditioned cafe was a welcome relief from the heat. 

The rest of the day was spent exploring the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum. Now that's a whole blog in itself for next time with so much to see and reflect on.

Ending with this Lady Bird stone etched quote in front of the LBJ Library that preserves her environmental message.