PLAN YOUR VISIT
Find information about hours, admission, accessibility, and everything you need to know before you arrive.
BECOME A MEMBER
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FEATURED ARTICLE
Less mowing, more blooms. Learn why researchers say a slightly wilder lawn can provide valuable habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.
EVENTS & CLASSES
Join us for one of our exciting classes, programs or events
Nature Immersion Walk
Sunday, October 11
Tuesday Twilights Feat. Live Jukebox Trio
Tuesday, October 13
Fall Native Plant Sale
Weekends, Oct. 9 – Nov. 1
Lady Bird Day
Sunday, October 18
GARDEN VIEWS
An inside glimpse of the gardens from our Instagram feed
The Fall Native Plant Sale is open today for our first members-only Friday of the season!
TODAY: 9 a.m.–1 p.m. (Last entry at 12:30 p.m.)
Today’s sale is exclusively for Wildflower Center members.
Planning to visit this weekend? Members get exclusive early access from 8–9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, then the sale opens to the general public from 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Bring a cart if you have one, and allow extra time for parking and walking to the sale. The sale is located in our Nursery, and garden admission is required.
See the plant list and plan your visit: wildflower.org/plant-sales
Oct 9
The plant people have spoken. 🌱 We asked our team what they’d be looking for at the Fall Native Plant Sale, and these are some of their picks.
The full plant list is LIVE! Check it out and start planning your haul.
The Fall Native Plant Sale starts this Friday, Oct. 9, and runs every weekend in October.
Members: Fridays + 8 - 9 a.m. Saturdays & Sundays
Everyone: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays
Please note: General admission is required to access the Plant Sale. Entry is always free for members!
Find more info at wildflower.org/plant-sales
Oct 7
The gardens are getting ready for their holiday glow. ✨ Luminations returns to the Wildflower Center November 20 - December 31. And if you’re a Wildflower Center member, you’ll get first access to tickets at our lowest price of the season - an extra-special member presale price - starting October 16.
Wander through the gardens under twinkling lights, enjoy live music, grab a hot chocolate or treat, and make an evening of it with family and friends.
Not a member yet? Now’s a good time to join or renew so you’re ready for the presale.
🎟️ Member presale: Oct. 16–22
🎟️ Public tickets: Oct. 23
wildflower.org/luminations (link in our Stories!)
Photos by @ticomendoza
Oct 6
The weekend’s rain has brought a welcome flush of green to the Wildflower Center, with rain lilies, Maximilian sunflowers and plenty of new growth popping up across the gardens.
We’re especially enjoying seeing the rain lilies blooming among the remains of our September prescribed burns.
And after a very rainy Fortlandia opening weekend, thank you to everyone who came out to explore with us! Here’s to a sunnier week ahead. ☀️
Plan your visit: wildflower.org/fortlandia
#Fortlandia #AustinTX
Oct 5
Rain or shine, Fortlandia is ready for adventure! ☔️🏕️ Opening weekend is here, and the forts are looking pretty fun in the rain.
Dust off your rain boots and come explore eight all-new hideouts, including a giant cicada and climbable armadillo, and make time for a few epic puddle jumps along the way.
Fortlandia is included with general admission. More info at wildflower.org/fortlandia
Oct 2
GIVEAWAY CLOSED!
Want to spend an evening exploring the world of monarch butterflies?
We’re giving away two tickets to @natgeo Live: An Evening with Jaime Rojo at The Long Center on Monday, October 5!
National Geographic Explorer and wildlife photographer Jaime Rojo will share incredible photos and stories from his work documenting monarch butterflies and their winter migration to Mexico. He’ll be joined in conversation by the Wildflower Center’s own Leslie Uppinghouse, who will moderate the evening.
To enter:
• Follow @longcenter and @wildflowercenter
• Tag a friend in the comments below
The winner will receive two tickets to Monday evening’s show. Enter by Sunday at noon!
Learn more about the event at the link in our bio.
Oct 2
What’s a weed? It’s a surprisingly subjective question, and one we think about a lot at the Wildflower Center.
In this week’s video, Director of Gardens and Collections Kyle Cheesborough takes us through a few native plants that some gardeners might consider “weedy”: broomweed (Amphiachyris amoena), Gregg’s mistflower (Conoclinium dissectum) and morning glory (Ipomoea cordatotriloba).
These plants can provide important habitat and food for pollinators, fill ecological niches and add beauty to the landscape. Whether a plant is a problem often comes down to where it’s growing and whether it’s causing a problem in that particular space.
Rather than automatically removing every plant that pops up where we didn’t put it, it can be worth taking a moment to consider what role it might be playing and whether we can coexist with it.
Got a strong opinion about a “weed” in your garden? We want to hear it.
Oct 1
Due to anticipated weather, the Fortlandia Grand Opening Party scheduled for tomorrow, October 1, has been canceled.
If you purchased tickets to the Grand Opening Party, you’ll receive an email with options to attend Fort Night on Sunday, November 1, from 5 - 8 p.m., or receive a refund.
We’re disappointed we won’t be able to celebrate Fortlandia’s return with you tomorrow, but we’re looking forward to welcoming you to the forts soon!
Learn more about Fort Night and what’s planned at the link in our bio.
Sep 30
While the Family Garden is closed this week for Fortlandia installation, you’ll find games and activities on the way to the Arboretum, plus more to explore inside the Little House.
There’s plenty to do while we get the forts ready for Fortlandia’s big debut!
Plan your visit: wildflower.org/visit
Sep 28
We’re proud to share that the McDermott Carriage House has received a Preservation Award for Rehabilitation + Sustainability from @preservationaustin! 🏆
Built in 1885 behind the Driskill family mansion, the carriage house was the only structure to survive when the mansion burned in 1998. It later found a home at the Wildflower Center, where it has hosted learning, art and events for more than 20 years.
In 2025, we worked with @architexas1 to return the building to its original open-air design, conserving energy and creating a place for visitors to pause and enjoy the gardens. We’re so pleased to see this piece of Austin history recognized.
Swipe through for a closer look at the Carriage House and a glimpse at what it looked like before renovations!
Photos by Kensey Wiggins
#preservationmeritawards
Sep 27
The Fall Native Plant Sale is open today for our first members-only Friday of the season!
TODAY: 9 a.m.–1 p.m. (Last entry at 12:30 p.m.)
Today’s sale is exclusively for Wildflower Center members.
Planning to visit this weekend? Members get exclusive early access from 8–9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, then the sale opens to the general public from 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Bring a cart if you have one, and allow extra time for parking and walking to the sale. The sale is located in our Nursery, and garden admission is required.
See the plant list and plan your visit: wildflower.org/plant-sales
Oct 9
The plant people have spoken. 🌱 We asked our team what they’d be looking for at the Fall Native Plant Sale, and these are some of their picks.
The full plant list is LIVE! Check it out and start planning your haul.
The Fall Native Plant Sale starts this Friday, Oct. 9, and runs every weekend in October.
Members: Fridays + 8 - 9 a.m. Saturdays & Sundays
Everyone: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays
Please note: General admission is required to access the Plant Sale. Entry is always free for members!
Find more info at wildflower.org/plant-sales
Oct 7
The gardens are getting ready for their holiday glow. ✨ Luminations returns to the Wildflower Center November 20 - December 31. And if you’re a Wildflower Center member, you’ll get first access to tickets at our lowest price of the season - an extra-special member presale price - starting October 16.
Wander through the gardens under twinkling lights, enjoy live music, grab a hot chocolate or treat, and make an evening of it with family and friends.
Not a member yet? Now’s a good time to join or renew so you’re ready for the presale.
🎟️ Member presale: Oct. 16–22
🎟️ Public tickets: Oct. 23
wildflower.org/luminations (link in our Stories!)
Photos by @ticomendoza
Oct 6
The weekend’s rain has brought a welcome flush of green to the Wildflower Center, with rain lilies, Maximilian sunflowers and plenty of new growth popping up across the gardens.
We’re especially enjoying seeing the rain lilies blooming among the remains of our September prescribed burns.
And after a very rainy Fortlandia opening weekend, thank you to everyone who came out to explore with us! Here’s to a sunnier week ahead. ☀️
Plan your visit: wildflower.org/fortlandia
#Fortlandia #AustinTX
Oct 5
Rain or shine, Fortlandia is ready for adventure! ☔️🏕️ Opening weekend is here, and the forts are looking pretty fun in the rain.
Dust off your rain boots and come explore eight all-new hideouts, including a giant cicada and climbable armadillo, and make time for a few epic puddle jumps along the way.
Fortlandia is included with general admission. More info at wildflower.org/fortlandia
Oct 2
GIVEAWAY CLOSED!
Want to spend an evening exploring the world of monarch butterflies?
We’re giving away two tickets to @natgeo Live: An Evening with Jaime Rojo at The Long Center on Monday, October 5!
National Geographic Explorer and wildlife photographer Jaime Rojo will share incredible photos and stories from his work documenting monarch butterflies and their winter migration to Mexico. He’ll be joined in conversation by the Wildflower Center’s own Leslie Uppinghouse, who will moderate the evening.
To enter:
• Follow @longcenter and @wildflowercenter
• Tag a friend in the comments below
The winner will receive two tickets to Monday evening’s show. Enter by Sunday at noon!
Learn more about the event at the link in our bio.
Oct 2
What’s a weed? It’s a surprisingly subjective question, and one we think about a lot at the Wildflower Center.
In this week’s video, Director of Gardens and Collections Kyle Cheesborough takes us through a few native plants that some gardeners might consider “weedy”: broomweed (Amphiachyris amoena), Gregg’s mistflower (Conoclinium dissectum) and morning glory (Ipomoea cordatotriloba).
These plants can provide important habitat and food for pollinators, fill ecological niches and add beauty to the landscape. Whether a plant is a problem often comes down to where it’s growing and whether it’s causing a problem in that particular space.
Rather than automatically removing every plant that pops up where we didn’t put it, it can be worth taking a moment to consider what role it might be playing and whether we can coexist with it.
Got a strong opinion about a “weed” in your garden? We want to hear it.
Oct 1
Due to anticipated weather, the Fortlandia Grand Opening Party scheduled for tomorrow, October 1, has been canceled.
If you purchased tickets to the Grand Opening Party, you’ll receive an email with options to attend Fort Night on Sunday, November 1, from 5 - 8 p.m., or receive a refund.
We’re disappointed we won’t be able to celebrate Fortlandia’s return with you tomorrow, but we’re looking forward to welcoming you to the forts soon!
Learn more about Fort Night and what’s planned at the link in our bio.
Sep 30
While the Family Garden is closed this week for Fortlandia installation, you’ll find games and activities on the way to the Arboretum, plus more to explore inside the Little House.
There’s plenty to do while we get the forts ready for Fortlandia’s big debut!
Plan your visit: wildflower.org/visit
Sep 28
We’re proud to share that the McDermott Carriage House has received a Preservation Award for Rehabilitation + Sustainability from @preservationaustin! 🏆
Built in 1885 behind the Driskill family mansion, the carriage house was the only structure to survive when the mansion burned in 1998. It later found a home at the Wildflower Center, where it has hosted learning, art and events for more than 20 years.
In 2025, we worked with @architexas1 to return the building to its original open-air design, conserving energy and creating a place for visitors to pause and enjoy the gardens. We’re so pleased to see this piece of Austin history recognized.
Swipe through for a closer look at the Carriage House and a glimpse at what it looked like before renovations!
Photos by Kensey Wiggins
#preservationmeritawards
Sep 27
Help us spread the beauty!
EXPLORE MORE
Expert advice, plant nerdery and inspiring stories
A Garden Grows at Ann Richards School
How one student got the courtyard blooming
Beyond the Blossoms
The team of volunteers documenting Wildflower Center fauna
Power the Migration
Thirteen plants to help monarch butterflies