THE LUCI AND IAN FAMILY GARDEN.LBJ WILDFLOWER CENTER

There is great excitement at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildfower Center as the final touches are being added to the new Luci and Ian Family Garden, which will open to the public on May 4th. The garden is named for Luci Baines Johnson and her husband Ian Turpin who began the fund raising for the garden with a generous donation.

I was fortunate to be invited to visit, a little over a month ago, for a private tour of the garden still in the construction phase.

Watering holes

There remained much work to be done but once construction was over it was time for volunteer gardeners to come in and add native plants. It is going to be a wonderful place for children of all ages to explore just as many of us who enjoyed greater freedoms in our childhood.

Hill Country Grotto

When Mrs Johnson talked about her childhood spent out in the fields picking and examining wildflowers, I could relate to my childhood. With none of the distractions of television, computer and phones I was outside every waking minute. I would spend hours searching for four-leaf clovers and marveling at the tiny flowers on scarlet pimpernels. For many children this will present a special place to connect with nature. A place where no one will tell them not to climb on rocks or step off the trail.

The cave

The stumpery

A young visitor was ready to look for eggs in the Giant birds' nests.

Eleven separate gardens will entertain children and there will be plenty of places for adults to sit and watch children just be children. They are Dinosaur creek, the Dry creek overlook, the Giant birds' nests, the Hill Country grotto, the Metamorphosis maze, Nature's spiral, the Nectar garden, the Play lawn, the Robb Family Pavilion and the Watering holes.

Members of the center have the opportunity to visit the garden the day before the official opening. However, due to the the high volume of expected visitors that day it will be necessary to get a timed ticket. You can get information here. Garden visit May 3rd.

On May4th there will be all kinds of fun entertainment for young and old alike.