Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Wednesday - May 20, 2009

From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Wildflower Center
Title: What is the acreage of your gardens?
Answered by: Joe Marcus

QUESTION:

The wildflower gardens and display areas comprise about how much, either percentage or acreage, of the entire 279 acres at the Wildflower Center? Does that also include areas for growing flowers for sales and if so, how big is that area(s)? Thanks

ANSWER:

The public areas that we consider the Wildflower Center gardens amounts to about 12 acres.  If you exclude buildings, trails, growing areas, parking and other paved areas within the gardens, there are more or less four acres of planted garden beds.  The space devoted to growing plants in pots - both greenhouse and outdoor growing areas - occupies less than one acre.  A new childrens' garden (currently in the design phase) will add a little more than three acres of garden spaces.  A planned arboretum will increase the area of the gardens by about 16 acres.  Finally, there are about 80 acres of managed research areas on the Wildflower Center grounds.  The remaining acreage is, for the most part, disturbed as little as possible and is slowly recovering from about a century of ranching activity.

 

More Wildflower Center Questions

Why is Hamelia patens, a species listed as invasive, in the Wildflower Center database?
September 29, 2010 - Hamelia patens (Firebush) is listed as an invasive plant at Invasive.Org, the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, which partners with the US Forest Service, Univ of GA and others. LBJ ...
view the full question and answer

Medicinal plants at the Wildflower Center
April 19, 2006 - What kinds of medicinal plants do you have at the Wildflower Center?
view the full question and answer

Information on green roof demonstration site at Wildflower Center
March 10, 2006 - I visited your green roof demonstration site and am interested in putting a green roof on a structure. There seemed to be at least two layers of growing medium in the planters; one layer looked like r...
view the full question and answer

Location of Elbow Bush and Gregg's Saddlebush at the Wildflower Center
March 10, 2016 - I have twice looked for Forestiera pubescens (Elbow Plant) and Mortonia greggi (Gregg's Saddlebush) in your gardens and have been unable to find. I have looked on the trails as well. Would you be a...
view the full question and answer

Design and installation of trails at Wildflower Center
July 24, 2005 - I am a Park Commissioner in a city near Austin and am researching a firm to help design a trail system in our park. Would you please tell me who designed and installed the trails at the Wildflower Ce...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.