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Lady Bird Day
May 11
Each year on Lady Bird Day, the Wildflower Center honors our namesake and founder and all that she did for our nation’s treasured environment. With her influence, President Johnson’s administration enacted more than 200 environmental laws with lasting national and local impact, including the 1965 Highway Beautification Act.
Ladybird Suite
This year’s celebration will feature the premiere of a 45-minute, site-specific musical composition called Ladybird Suite. The piece — performed by Liz Cass, Leila Henley, Joelle Morales, Seetha Shivaswamy and Carolyn Trowbridge — examines the environmental and artistic contributions of Alice Coltrane, Pauline Oliveros and our founder, Lady Bird Johnson. Guests are invited to meet in the Courtyard at 3 p.m. for a lively procession to the Family Garden.
Ladybird Suite was created by Henna Chou, Sonya Gonzales and Yuilya Lanina. This project was financed in whole or part by the City of Austin’s Elevate Grant Program, the Texas Commission on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and Collide Arts.
Special Classes
Create your own Lady Bird Day souvenir by attending one of the classes below. Pre-registration is required, unless otherwise indicated.
Container Gardening Workshop, 9 – 11 a.m. — Create a portable native plant paradise for your patio, balcony, or in your yard with this hands-on workshop taught by our very own Samantha Elkinton, Gardens Manager.
Mommy & Me Gardening Hour, 10 – 11 a.m. Paint a terracotta pot and learn basic gardening techniques with your little one (18 months – 5 years).
Drop In & Discover, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Discover how to make seed balls during this FREE, family-friendly workshop. No pre-registration required!
Samples
Our friends at Lady Bird Soda Co. will be onsite from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., handing out free samples while supplies last!
Explore Her Story & Her Legacy
Watch this 8-minute video that recaps Mrs. Johnson’s conservation efforts and their impact.
Read this list of Lady Bird’s attributes, think about how you can emulate her best qualities, and share your story on social media using the #BeLikeLadyBird hashtag.
Listen to In Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson, a podcast that uncovers Lady Bird’s surprisingly powerful role in the Johnson presidency, told in her own voice and words.
Listen to “One Man’s Dream of Turning Native Plants Into a Song” from Texas Standard
Listen to the song “The Native Plants of Texas” by Robert Kamper & Bill Hopkins
Listen to Mrs. Johnson in “Welcome to My World” from our free audio tour, or take the whole tour (at the Center or from home!)
Mrs. Johnson’s Recipes
Let Lady Bird Johnson inspire your summer meals. Wouldn’t it be delightful to make your neighbor a batch of her lemon squares? This recipe and many others (LBJ Ranch pickled okra, Pedernales River chili, hush puppies, spoon bread, spiced tea and more!) on the LBJ Presidential Library online collection.
