Tree Flagging
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During the winter of 2024, Houston Botanic Garden’s horticulture team, with the help of volunteers, staked, flagged, and mapped 116 young trees in its South Gardens. Staking, flagging, and mapping these young trees ensures they are properly cared for and protected during routine site maintenance. It also ensures they are included in the Garden’s drought watering program maps, which are important in the event of a not-unusual-for-Houston hot, dry summer.
The Dopest Historian
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Whitney Brantley, a.k.a. The Dopest Historian, served as the official historian of the Garden’s Juneteenth celebration, A Wine Walk to Remember, last year and frequently hosts a variety of tours and talks related to Black history and Houston history.
Better Impact
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Recently, Houston Botanic Garden took the first step toward upgrading the system for managing volunteer recruitment and activities. After a successful testing period, a complete transition to the new volunteer management software by Better Impact is underway in February 2024.
Radiant Nature Signage
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When you attend Radiant Nature, be sure to watch for the informative signage that accompanies many of the installations with interesting plant information, courtesy of members of the Garden’s horticulture staff.
Mary Carol Edwards
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Beginning in 2024, the Houston Botanic Garden is proud to host a first-of-its-kind opportunity in the city: the Land Care Institute’s Certification Program. One of the course instructors is Mary Carol Edwards, the owner of Green Star Wetland Plant Farm and an advocate and expert in sustainable landscapes.
Houston Airports
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As part of the Houston Airport System’s cultural collaboration efforts, which draw on local artistic talent and promote the city’s cultural institutions to establish a sense of place, an installation inspired by the Houston Botanic Garden was unveiled in a lounge area at Hobby Airport in the fall of 2022. The installation is getting an upgrade this year, along with a relocation within Hobby Airport.
Amazing Amaryllis
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The Stories Plants Tell… Plants tell stories, without saying a single word. Picture a cherry tree in full bloom; big blackberries bursting with flavor; orange, red, and yellow leaves on a deciduous tree; or bare branches covered in snow. What do those images bring to mind? If you thought spring, summer, fall, and winter, you understood the story told by just the sight of those plants, without…
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David Cobb
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David Cobb, who has painted murals for schools, businesses, and nonprofits, was selected to create a mural for the Houston Botanic Garden funded through a civic art grant from TIRZ #8.
Tianyu Arts & Culture
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Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc. is the largest Chinese lantern festival producer in North America. More than 4.5 million visitors have experienced Tianyu light festivals at zoos, parks, and other outdoor venues in more than 30 U.S. cities. They employ traditional Chinese lantern makers to produce the impressive pieces included in their light shows. The Garden recently interviewed the group to better understand the artisanal process and cultural significance of Chinese lanterns.