The Ultimate Guide to Texas’ Gardens & Orchards

By theadmin

In the Comanche folktale “The Legend of the Bluebonnet,” the Native peoples of Texas are suffering from a long drought. According to the shaman, the drought was caused by the selfishness of humanity, who had taken too much from the land without giving anything back. To end the drought, they must show great acts of generosity. The tribe is reluctant, but then one young girl brings forward her most precious possession: a warrior doll, made by her late mother, that she burns on a hill. To reward the little girl’s generosity, the Great Spirits shower the hill with bluebonnets, and the drought-stricken Earth returns to life.

This old story captures something about Texas that still rings true today. Each spring, after the long, sometimes harsh, cold, and dry winters, fresh rains revive Texas’ countryside. It is an annual tradition to head out in search of bluebonnets and wildflowers this time of year when Texas’ landscapes are arguably their prettiest. But there are so many ways to experience the spring beauty of the Lone Star State.

Texas is home to many world-class botanical gardens that preserve and celebrate native flora as well as rare and beautiful plants and flowers from around the world. Spring is also a wonderful time to head to local farms, pick fresh fruit and berries, or swing by one of Texas’ famous roadside fruit and vegetable stands to enjoy the early harvest. So, pack up the family, fuel the car, and hit the road as we tour the best of Texas’ gardens and orchards.

Texas gardens — Photo courtesy of Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden

The Great Texas Botanical Gardens Tour

A trip to all of Texas’ great botanical gardens doubles as a flora and fauna tour of both the state and the world. From celebrations of Texas’ native species to elegant Japanese gardens, here’s what you will find along your botanical journey.

Amarillo Botanical Gardens, Amarillo: This garden began as a challenge to the harsh conditions of the Texas Panhandle. In 1929, a group of intrepid women created Amarillo’s first garden club with the explicit mission to prove that gardening was possible on the Texas high plains. That effort cultivated intimate familiarity with the area’s soil conditions and resilient native plant species. Today, that effort has grown into a botanical garden and conservatory that celebrates the distinct beauty of the Panhandle.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin: A true jewel of Texas’ natural places, the Lady Bird Wildflower Center is a champion of native plants. With over 900 species of flora and fauna on display in both garden and natural settings, this is a fantastic place to discover the beauty of Texas — and get inspired for your own green- thumbed adventures.

Zilker Botanical Garden, Austin: Located within Zilker Metropolitan Park in central Austin, this urban oasis features themed gardens interconnected with pathways leading visitors under canopies of live oaks, bubbling streams, and koi-filled ponds. Kids will enjoy the Hartman Prehistoric Garden, with its waterfall, dinosaur sculpture, and reconstructed dino footprints.

South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center, Corpus Christi: The coastal climate makes this a perfect home for an orchid house containing 3,000 orchid species. Other highlights include hibiscus and hummingbird gardens and a mesquite nature trail that winds through 30 acres of habitat home to white-tailed deer, collared peccaries, and coyotes.

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, Dallas: Nestled against the backdrop of White Rock Lake lies this network of beautifully considered, immaculately maintained gardens that act as both an event space and outdoor gallery featuring year-round programming and occasional exhibitions. While you enjoy the tranquil serenity of the gardens, kids will love exploring the Children’s Adventure Garden, an interactive educational playground.

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens, Fort Davis: Nestled in the foothills of the Davis Mountains, the subtle beauty of desert life and the region’s unique sky island ecology is on full display at this West Texas treasure. Visitors will enjoy paths that wind through grasslands, oak-studded hillsides, volcanic mountain tops, canyon springs, and even the seasonal wetland pools in the otherwise bone-dry Chihuahuan Desert.

Fort Worth Botanic Garden, Fort Worth: This 120-acre garden features beautiful walking paths, horticultural displays, a meticulously maintained Japanese garden, gift shops, cafes, and more. There are more than 2,500 species of plants to be discovered at the garden, but the most celebrated flower here is the rose, which is featured in the terraced Rose Garden.

Mercer Botanic Gardens, Humble: This hidden treasure was established on 14 acres that were once the home and property of Thelma and Charles Mercer, avid gardeners and naturalists who preserved native dogwoods, palmettos, rusty blackhaw viburnum, as well as introduced exotic species like ginkgo and tung oil trees. Harris County purchased the property in 1974 and helped develop a series of gardens that continue this legacy of Texas plant life preservation.

The National Butterfly Center, Mission: This 100-acre wildlife center near the Texas-Mexico border is one of the United States’ most important natural preserves. It’s located at a critical juncture of the butterfly migration path and helps maintain the Rio Grande Valley’s biodiversity and educate visitors on the importance of wild butterflies and their habitats.

San Antonio Botanical Garden, San Antonio: Perhaps the most memorable aspect of this garden is the Lucile Halsell Conservatory, which was designed by Argentine architect Emilio Ambasz. This subterranean structure features five greenhouses with finely tuned climates that recreate ecosystems ranging from alpine elevations to aquatic wetlands to arid deserts.

5 Pick-Your-Own Orchards

Nothing tastes better than biting into a fresh piece of fruit or delicious berry you have plucked from the vine or branch yourself. Here are some of our favorite pick-your-own farms, where you can gather the spring harvest to brighten your dining room table.

Jenschke Orchards, Fredericksburg: What began as a roadside peach stand has grown into a Texas institution. At Jenschke, you can pick over 30 varieties of peaches, as well as strawberries and blackberries. Don’t forget to stop by the farm store to stock up on fresh eggs and homemade ice cream.

Lavender Ridge Farms, Gainesville: Pick-your-own adventures in Texas aren’t all about fruits and berries. At Lavender Ridge, guests can wander through the beautiful lavender-strewn fields and cut bunches to take home during peak blooming season (May through July). The experience wouldn’t be complete without a bit of bird-watching in the fecund fields or a lunch of lavender-inspired dishes at the farm’s café.

Chmielewski’s Blueberry Farm, Hockley: Northwest of Houston, the Chmielewski farm features acres of blueberries that offer an opportunity for an exhilarating and delicious family outing when its harvest time. Visitors can fill up buckets and bags of blueberries that are so plump and juicy they fall right off the vine. Be sure to check the farm’s website before heading out, as it is only open when the berries are ripe.

Idalou Harvest Co., Idalou: Anyone who thinks that West Texas is barren needs to head to The Orchard in Idalou. The farm features a pick-your-own orchard with 30 varieties of apples, peaches, and some of the best honey in Texas.

Omi’s Blackberry Farm, Paige: Although this farm has been in the same family for more than 70 years, it only began focusing on blackberry farming after owners Omi and Opi retired from nonfarm life and wanted to return to the land. After careful experimentation with various varietals, they settled on a species of blackberry that thrives in the soil of the 3-acre patch in Paige.

4 Great Roadside Farm Stands

Vogel Orchard, Fredericksburg: Find varieties of peaches as they ripen throughout the spring.
Burg’s Corner, Stonewall: Find all kinds of fresh local produce. Peaches, peaches, peaches are the star here.
Ham Orchards, Terrell: Find peaches, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, and more.
Hutton Peach Farm, Weatherford: Find watermelon, peaches, and plums, as well as a variety of locally grown vegetables

Recipe: Blackberry Cobbler

Texas blackberries are prolific, easy to pick, and delicious. The berry offers a perfect balance of sweet and tart, which makes them perfect for pie. Here’s one our favorite blackberry recipes, from Omi’s Blackberry Farm.

Ingredients:
1 stick margarine
1 1⁄2 cup sugar, divided
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder cup whole milk
4 cups blackberries

Method: Melt margarine in a deep pan. Mix 1 cup sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, and milk until smooth. Add melted margarine. Pour in pan, ladle fruit over batter, and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until brown.

Displaying Spring Flowers

There’s no better way to celebrate the beauty of Texas springtime than to bring some of that spring bling into your home. One word of warning, however, before you pull over on the highway and start gathering wildflowers for your home arrangements. While there is no state law specifically forbidding picking bluebonnets, in some areas of the state, local statutes prohibit picking wildflowers. Be mindful before plucking from a rich wildflower patch: If everyone gathered up all the flowers they could pick each spring, we’d have many fewer flowers to enjoy. Our advice: Start a wildflower patch in your own yard or cultivate your own mini-botanical garden so you have plenty of flowers to enjoy each spring!

Keep It Fresh

Cut your spring flowers when they are still healthy and fresh.
Keep flowers in clean, room-temperature water.
Display them in a cool location.
Recut stems every few days to maintain freshness.

Get Creative

Weave flowers into a floral wreath.
Use an old picture frame to create a floral artwork.
Press flowers to dry and preserve them for years.
Candy edible flowers for dessert and drink garnishes.
Display flowers in jars or bowls around the house.

While you’re exploring Texas in full bloom, check out our complete Texas wildflower guide.