forth in a riot of wildflower bloom in the Hill Country.
Guests have the opportunity to interact with some 30 artists who work with metal, glass, ceramics, and other media, all using natural materials interpreting themes of nature. Shoppers can visit booths in the courtyard and the visitors gallery, and choose from nature- themed handmade items, such as mesquite bowls and clothing, paint- ed silk art, and gold and sculptured jewelry.
The festival, which began in 2000, now draws approximately 4,000 visitors over the two-day weekend.
Want to create art of your own? Bring your sketchbook, easel, and camera. The gardens inspire in all seasons.
There’s more than art to appre- ciate at the Wildflower Center dur- ing festival time and year round, of course. The Center, which straddles Blackland Prairie and Edwards Plateau, opened at this location in 1995 and has grown to encom- pass an award-winning series of buildings showing several distinc- tive architectural styles of Texas, echoing the San Antonio Missions, ranch style, and German heritage.
gree view. Watch for the birds and butterflies, and other wildlife that make the area home. Stroll through pathways lined by wild plantings, or study more formal gardens that show how to use native plants in your own Texas landscaping. Youngsters are welcome! The Stumpery delights kids with an old- fashioned type of play yard inspired by Great Britain. And there’s a 4.5- acre garden just for children, with a creek and a cave feature to explore. The Store carries clothing, an excellent selection of nature-orient- ed books, children’s activity books, ceramics, and garden goods. And there’s a café onsite serving lunch and dinner.
Though bicycles aren’t permit- ted within the Center, you can eas- ily get there by bike (the entrance is located near the Veloway on LaCrosse Ave., and bicycle racks are provided at the front of the Center). Animals (except service animals) are not permitted. Trails are stroller and ADA accessible.
FINE ART: Guests at the Wildflower Center enjoy beautiful handiwork of Texas artists during the annual Artists & Artisans Festival.
trees and flowers, roam miles of footpaths, and learn about water- wise gardening — all within a para- dise that celebrates the diversity of Texas building styles and serves as a
research center for conservation. And there’s no better time to enjoy it than during the Center’s annual Artists & Artisans Festival March 19–20, when spring bursts
Wander the arboretum and spy hundred-year-old trees you can climb, water features to cool the air, and a tower to mount for a 360-de-
SPRING 2016 63
FROM TOP: JIM TURNER; COURTESY OF LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER
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