Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

"The environment is where we all meet; where we all have a mutual interest;
it is the one thing that all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but
a focusing lens on what we can become..."
- Lady Bird Johnson

I had the pleasure of making an outing to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center earlier this week with my mother-in-law. We've been planning this trip for a while, but life and circumstances have prevented us from making it sooner. I'm lucky to have a mother-in-law who shares many of my interests. We gave our cameras quite a workout. Their trails are short, but wonderful, and their gardens are breathtaking.

I am someone who really desires a sense of place. Although, there is quite a bit of xeriscaping throughout Austin, I saw and learned more about Texas native plants in the few hours that we were there, then I have in the past eleven months we have lived in Austin. These are the type of outings that are making me fall in love with Texas. I'll always be from New York, but Texas is quickly becoming home.

The Wildflower Center also does a huge amount of research and environmental advocacy. It's not just about pretty flowers. In addition to research, their focus is to promote native growth landscaping. Not just in Texas, but nationwide. They have some impressive statistics on how much money, labor, and water are saved by using native growth plants. Plus the ecological benefit is just staggering in terms of promoting biodiversity among both the plant and incest populations, water saved, and the virtual elimination of the need for fertilizer and pesticides.

These are issues that are near and dear to my heart. I feel a definite sense of spiritual renewal.