Zilker Botanical Garden
Ikebana Flower Demonstration
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesJoin for Austin Ikebana Group’s March meeting. Mr. Don Olsen, a master from Ichiyo School of Ikebana, will demonstrate the art of Ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) with driftwoods. Don Olsen is a pioneer in Ikebana. He became interested in Ikebana when he was serving in Okinawa and later started to learn in Japan under the Headmaster of Ichiyo School of Ikebana. He has been a member of San Antonio Ikebana International for 50 years and president of the group for many years. He has been an Ichiyo master for a long time with students in San Antonio, Austin, and Houston; many of which become instructors under his teaching. Mr. Olsen is well respected in both Ikebana and pottery fields. Presented by the Austin Ikebana Group This event is free to the public (adult only) and open to attend as guest observers (no flower materials provided). With limited seats in Auditorium, pre-registration is required. Register by emailing austinikebanagroup@gmail.com Open to the public, free to attend.
Class: Cooking with Herbs
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesLearn to cook with herbs with Judith Craft, the past VP of Horticulture for Austin Herb Society. She will guide you toward rich flavors in your cooking as well as sharing medicinal, decorative, and environmental benefits. Presented by the Yaupon Garden Club of Austin
Class: An Introduction to Herbal Medicine
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesViolet Crown Garden Club’s March monthly meeting will feature a program on herbal plants presented by Autumn Schulze. Attendees will increase their appreciation for plants with the potential as herbal remedies. Social time starts at 9:30 AM. The program begins at 10 AM with an optional club business meeting after. Both in-person and via Zoom, guests and members are encouraged to participate with like-minded gardeners to appreciate the beauty of nature in our gardens. Autumn Schulze is a Past President of the Austin Herb Society, a biomedical scientist, herbalist, gut health mentor, food as medicine expert, and CEO of Autumn’s Harvest, LLC, in Austin, Texas. This will take place in the Zilker Auditorium. To receive the Zoom link and attend virtually, email rosezavala77@gmail.com
Spirit of Japanese Gardens
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesTake a trip to gardens around the world without even leaving Austin. Please join Dr. Molly Ogorzaly as she contrasts Western and Eastern gardening traditions and explains how religious beliefs influenced the conception and construction of Japanese gardens. Dr. Ogorzaly, will share design principles and identify adapted plants that can be used in Central Texas. These designs and plants are featured in Austin’s Taniguchi Japanese Garden, which opened in 1969 and was built by Isamu Taniguchi. His motivation in building the garden was that “through the construction of this visible garden, I might provide a symbol of universal peace.” After the presentation, we will walk down to enjoy the Taniguchi Japanese Garden, a tranquil, meditative spot in the middle of Zilker Botanical Garden. Enjoy snacks and matcha green tea at 9:30 before the presentation at 10:00. This is the monthly Austin Herb Society club meeting. No registration is required. Attendance at the seminar is free and open to the public.
Austin Ikebana Group Monthly Meeting
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesThe Austin Ikebana Group was founded by Isamu Taniguchi (circa 1902-1992), who started building the Taniguchi Japanese Garden when he was 70 years old. Ikebana is more than simply arranging flowers-its Japanese characters mean “giving life to flowers.” This art form has spiritual and philosophical roots, where the relationship between every flower, stem, branch, leaf, and even container expresses a balanced and harmonious nature. The feelings of the arranger play a key role as well. Members rotate leading demonstrations and workshops. Because members have trained in various schools of Ikebana, including Ohara, Sogetsu, Ikenobo, and Ichiyo, they bring a rich atmosphere of learning and growth to the meetings. This becomes a contemplative practice of expressing gentleness and elegance through the art of flower arrangement. Meetings are monthly on the first Friday at 10am.
The Surreal Garden
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesReturning Spring of 2023! Ion Art will illuminate the Zilker Botanical Garden for the second consecutive year with The Surreal Garden Exhibition. For two weekends - April 7-8 and 13-15, experience this neon phenomenon as it enchants the Garden. Support local artists while simultaneously supporting the Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy. Dress in your best Surreal attire and enjoy a night full of interactive art, music, fantastical costumes, live entertainment, dancing, unlimited photo opportunities, and people-watching. Local food trailers, dessert tables, and cash bars will be served on-site. Vendors available on selective nights: Garbo’s Lobster Rolls, TacoMan 512, Downtown Burgers, Burro Cheese Kitchen, Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop, Zucchini Kill, and Pretty Cute Coffee; cash bar services provided by Black Sheep Lodge.
Austin Herb Society Plant Sale & Garden Expo
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesShop for organic herbs, vegetables, and native plants at great prices! We also sell rare herbs grown by our members. Browse our vendors for daylilies, herbal tinctures, teas, lotions, aromatherapy products, bamboo crafts, jewelry, ceramic plant markers, and more. Chat with our knowledgeable members about growing and using herbs while you shop. Join a guided tour of Zilker Herb Garden to see how your plants will grow! Entertain the kids with hands-on crafts. No sales tax on plant purchases, this is an AHS Tax-Free Sales Day. AHS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Attend educational workshops with expert AHS members on: “The Benefits of Using Ginger,” “Herbal Skincare” & “Best Herbs to Grow for Making Tea.”
Class: Organic Guide To Spring Insects
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesJoin entomologist Wizzie Brown from TAMU for a class that will cover common spring insects found in the vegetable garden. We will discuss identification, biology, and organic control strategies for these insects. Doors open at 6:00 pm, talk starts at 7! Don’t forget to bring seeds and plants to swap afterward. If you can’t make it in person we will also stream the event via YouTube and zoom. About the Presenter Ms. Brown serves as Program Specialist – IPM in the Austin metroplex encompassing Travis County and surrounding counties. Austin is the 4th largest city in Texas and the 13th largest in the nation. From 2000-2006 it was the 3rd fastest-growing U.S. city. The climate is subtropical with hot, humid summers and mild winters. The community is racially mixed, with white and Hispanic as the predominant races. The most important industries are government, computer systems and information technology, colleges and universities, and business headquarters. The music industry and blue-collar industries are also important occupations. The range of political positions among Austinites spans from the very liberal to the very conservative. IPM concepts, however, bridge the political, ethnic, and cultural gaps. They offer common sense solutions to pest problems that provide economic, environmental, human health, and quality of life benefits to people, irrespective of their employment, ethnicity, or political persuasion
Austin Bonsai Society Monthly Meeting
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesBonsai is a living art form, with each plant constantly changing under the hand of the artist. It is a painting never quite finished. Bonsai also change with the seasons, with each plant having its own unique attractiveness during each season. Miniature maples, tiny elms, delicate pines, and junipers reflect both the seasons and the climates where they grow. Under our eyes, and in miniature form, we are privileged to watch the budding and leafing out of spring, followed by the flowers and fruit of summer, and the stark, yet beautiful, effect of bare branches against the winter sky. Bonsai is an exciting adventure that cannot be adequately described to those who have not experienced it personally. Miniature trees and landscapes, carefully nurtured in the seemingly too small containers, return to us much more than they exact in the cost of creating and maintaining these plants, which soon become our “children.” Bonsai is an adventure in which you can participate with us. You can find the Austin Bonsai Society on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Designing Faerie Houses With Locally Sourced Natural Materials Workshop
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesLearn to identify natural building materials to use in your own faerie house designs! Enjoy a guided walk around the garden to practice recognizing building materials found in nature followed by a chance to sketch your own faerie house designs in a scenic area of the garden. The workshop group will meet at the flagpole in front of the garden center at 10 am. The workshop presenter is Lindsay Loftin who is the Culture & Arts Education Specialist at the Zilker Botanical Garden and this year’s Woodland Faerie Trail Coordinator. Lindsay loves designing faerie houses with children and has previously taught faerie house design workshops at Earth Native Wilderness Survival School and Art Outside Festival Included with admission, free for Conservancy members.
Austin Herb Society Monthly Meeting
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesSince 1983, the Austin Herb Society has been educating members and the community about herbs, including propagation, landscaping, history, folklore, and culinary, medicinal, and decorative uses of herbs. While our members are united by an interest in herbs, they are also a diverse group of individuals: from gardeners and herbalists to cooks and business owners. AHS members design and maintain the Zilker Herb Garden-a dazzling landscape of color and fragrance that has become a centerpiece of Zilker Botanical Garden. Here, visitors can touch, taste, and smell they way through nearly 200 varieties of herbs, depending on the season. Bees and butterflies dot the beds of basil, lavender, and calendula. There are classic culinary herbs like rosemary, mint, and thyme alongside herbs revered for their health attributes, including aloe and echinacea. In addition to hands-on learning in the Zilker Herb Garden, members enjoy: Monthly meetings with expert speakers on diverse topics (currently via zoom) Educational workshops and seminars throughout the year Study groups focused on culinary herbs and herbal products Field trips to unique gardens and herb-loving businesses Delicious herbal refreshments at our in-person meetings Fellowship with interesting and informed herb lovers Please join us in exploring the wonderful world of herbs! You can also find us on Facebook
Think Outside The Pot: Alternative Growing Methods With Heart Of Texas Orchid Society
Zilker Botanical Garden 2220 Barton Springs Road, Austin, TX, United StatesJoin us for the Heart of Texas Orchid Society’s May meeting on alternative growing methods for orchids. Clay and plastic pots are tried and true favorites for many orchid growers. They are inexpensive and readily available. In this discussion, we will talk about alternative methods that mimic natural orchid environments: rafts, baskets, wood & mounts, the PET method, and Japanese kokedama. If you have an orchid that is grown in something besides a pot, consider bringing it to the meeting. Seeing other growers’ creativity may inspire us to try something new. Open to the public, free to attend.