South Texas Botanical Garden Corpus Christi Texas

We thoroughly enjoyed the Orchid Conservatory 

Corpus Christi is home to a hidden gem. The South Texas Botanical Garden is located in a mostly residential neighborhood. It's 180 acres is surrounded by housing developments and a large ranch right off of South Staples Street. It includes natural wet lands and is bordered by the Oso Creek.

Specimen from the Bromelaid Conservatory

A tour of the gardens begins at the Visitor's Center where knowledgeable volunteers showed us a site map and pointed out highlights. They encouraged to visit the reptile center at the rear of the building. The Botanical Gardens are home to 30-40 reptiles at any given time.  Snakes, Lizards and Tortoises that have been rescued from life threatening situations or donated by families who once kept them as pets have found a safe haven here.
There are also 40 Parrots and Macaws donated by the Coastal Bend Companion Bird Club that have found a home in the garden.
The smaller specimens are kept in the reptile house, The larger birds and the tortoises have protected quarters outdoors.

These sunny orange blossoms beckoned us into the gardens

We walked around the Visitor Center and passed a Koi filled pond. Beyond the pond is a Plumeria garden.  In February the trees are bare except for a few early leaves. There are more than 100 specimens of the fragrant tropical flower located here in Southern Texas.We spent some time speaking with one of the gardeners who was very enthusiastic about them. She explained that the Botanical Garden had an association with a garden in Australia that shared specimens of Plumeria. The blooms are called Frangipani there.
There are 2 large Conservatories on the grounds. They are home to a Bromelaid collection and a large number of Orchids.

A mass of epiphytes in the Bromelaid Conservatory

The Bromelaid Conservatory contains many epiphytes. I find these air plants to be so strange and otherworldly. Their ariel roots and hanging masses create such a spooky atmosphere. They hung from fences and wires and coconut fiber baskets on the walls. There were also terrestrial bromelaids with long spiky leaves and unsusual brightly colored flowers. Pot after pot of various succulents filled the shelves.

The Orchid Conservatory is amazing. So many beautiful fragile flowers in one place.We are told that they include Cattleya, Phaleonopsis, Paphiopedlum and Dendrobium genera. The orchids were part of the Don Larkin Collection, willed by him to the Botanical Garden . It is the largest public orchid display in the state of Texas.


The organization is currently seeking funding for a Tropical Rainforest Conservatory to round out it's indoor collection.
Fred finally pulled me away from the orchids and we began to wander the outdoor gardens.  We were pleasantly surprised at the variety of flowers and plants that were in bloom in early February.
There is a Tropical Garden right outside the Conservatories that is full of lush foliage and shade trees. Hibiscus are plentiful here as well as huge Elephant Ears and low growing greenery. The tropical birds are housed here and there are future plans for an aviary.  We enjoyed the garden seating area set up in the shade.

Bloom from the Hummingbird Narden

Beyond the tropicals we found a Hummingbird Garden and one dedicated to butterflies complete with a Butterfly House.  These gardens as well as an Arid garden located on the other side of the property are designed as landscape examples for local Texan gardeners. The Botanical Gardens Earth Kind Demonstration Trial Gardens are meant to help people chose the hardiest, most pest and disease-resistant plants.that are appropriate for the South Texas environment.

Butterfly Garden

The Butterfly Garden is on the edge of the wetlands. We followed an extensive trail and boardwalk system that lead us around and over the water to view birds and native water plants. There were many warning signs about native rattlesnakes. Thankfully they were in hiding during our visit.  
A stroll around the Oso Creek Trail brings you to the cactus filled Arid Garden and an area of more formal raised bed plantings that include roses, herbs and Vegetables.

Arid Garden

We stopped and sat for a while in the lovely Sensory Garden before heading back inside to thank our hosts. We enjoyed the sculptures there and in fact were delighted and impressed to see so much artwork featured in the gardens and on the trails.

Seating in the Sensory Garden made of concrete and mosaic tiles

Rose garden

If you visit Corpus Christi we highly recommend the South Texas Botanical Garden. it is an organization still in it's growing phase and utilizes community volunteers to do much of the work. It is beautiful now and will only improve with time. 

To see more photos of these lovely gardens visit our Flickr album

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South Texas Botanical Gardens
8545 South Staples 
Corpus Christi TX. 78413
(361)852-2100

http://www.stxbot.org

The Gardens contained many sculptures, this one near the wetland boardwalk

Wildflowers of Canada



We are enjoying seeing more flowers and wildflowers in Canada.  Orange Day Lilies, Daisys and Queen Anne's Lace fight for space with wild roses and Fireweed in roadside ditches. The Lupines are almost done but their furry purple seed pods are everywhere.   Wild Sweet Pea with its purple grapelike flowers vines around everything .  St Johnswort  pops it sunny yellow flowers up in the mosy unexpected rocky places.   Thistle  is in full purple bloom. It is so appropriate for Nova Scotia and even appears on the provinces Coat of Arms.  I have never seen Yarrow in anything but white, pink or yellow. Here it is pale purple.   There are many that I don't recognize.

The flowers seem to thrive in the coastal air. I wonder if it is because of the fog that rolls in every evening and burns off mid morning.  Do they  enjoy that moisture after a day in the sun and wind?

 

Here are some of the flowers  we have been seeing on our daily walks.

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Maine Wildflowers

Mountain Laurel was thriving at the top of Cadillac Mountain

Traveling North has given us an extended view of the blooming season from Georgia to Maine.
It has been a beautiful journey (all sneezing aside) and we have enjoyed watching the roadside fields and ditches for wildflowers and the birds and butterflies that enjoy them.
These are some of the beauties that we have been seeing in Maine.

Lupines in coastal Maine

A perennial favorite, Queen Anne's Lace

 

The air was full of the scent of Milkweed calling butterflies.

Hawkweed

Perennial Sweet Pea

Marginal Way, Ogunquit Maine

Overlooking Perkins Cove

Ogunquit means Beautiful Place by the Sea in the Abanaki language, and this tiny seaside village lives up to the name.
The Marginal Way is a 1 1/2 mile paved walkway between Ogunquit and Perkins Cove.
The cliff edged path is a paved walkway that provides spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean. The Perkins cove end of the walkway is shaded with a canopy of evergreens that have been sculpted by wind and storms to overhang the path. Beach roses in bright pink and white border the path adding a sweet fragrance to the ocean air.

White  Beach Roses

Pink Beach Roses

Bayberry

There are oceanfront homes with formal gardens to the left and the ocean to the right as you head toward Ogunquit.
The Ogunquit end of the Marginal Way is bright and more exposed to the sun. Here you will find steep cliffs and amazing rock formations with the sandy expanse of Ogunquit and Moody beaches in the background.



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We saw lobster boats, sailboats, kayaks and paddleboards.
Vacationers were enjoying the beach, climbing the rocks and sitting of benches to rest a while.
Seagulls flew overhead and ducks floated in the surf.

We were pleased to see that there was a gardening effort underway to remove invasive nonnative species and restore native plants.
It is a happy place and one that is beautiful in all seasons. We have walked it in the Spring and Fall and found it to be just as lovely.

Ogunquit Beach

The Marginal way is a paved 1 1/2 mile walkway.
The walk is easy but bring water in warmer weather.
It is handicapped and stroller accessible.
No dogs allowed during the Summer months.
No roller skates, rollerblades or skateboards.

Farmer's market: Market of Marion

There were Hibiscus in pink, red, orange and yellow

The Market of Marion is a combination Flea Market and Farmers Market held every Friday-Sunday in Belleview, Florida. it is a short drive from Ocala.
Fred and I have been visiting it for fresh fruits and vegetables every weekend since we have been here.
The market has several nurseries that participate as vendors and this weekend I explored them all.
It was so joyful to walk among the blossoms and greenery.

I was reminded of all of the Easter flowers that I have gifted and received over the years. There were orchids in every color, beautiful hibiscus, sweet smelling gardenias as well as palms and ferns in many varieties.  I particularly liked the Bottle Brush and Mimosa trees.

Happy Easter  friends and family members these are my virtual floral gifts to you.

Pitcher plants to catch those pesky flies



Cascading purple blossoms

Shrimp plant

These scent of beautiful gardenias reminded me of Mom's Pensacola garden

These red tipped white beauty's remind me of bleeding heart

Today is our 5th and final day of black and white photographs. This picture of wildflowers was taken in May of 2013 in Robert Whele State Park in Henderson new York, on lake Ontario. It seemed appropriate to share it with today's floral post.
 I have run out of bloggers who want to be nominated to share a black and white photo each day for 5 days and to challenge another to do the same, so this is an open invitation for anyone to participate. Let us know if you decide to play so that we can check out your beautiful pix.


Wildflowers in Upstate New York