A Glimpse at What You’ll See!

Visit the South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center

South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center

The South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center is one of Corpus Christi’s five major attractions, and a leading South Texas nature tourism destination.

Venture into the delightful 2600 square-foot screened Butterfly House, and new Bromeliad Conservatory. Experience 2000 orchids, 300 breathtaking roses, quaint Hummingbird Garden, imaginative Sensory Garden with fascinating artscape, Arid Garden and colorful EarthKind Demonstration Trial Gardens. And during our eight warmer months, enjoy the fragrant tropical Plumeria Garden with elevated viewing ramp. Your visits to the Botanical Gardens & Nature Center in Corpus Christi will immerse you in serene beauty, followed by an adventurous ‘walk on the wild side’ with 11 uniquely stunning floral exhibits and gardens shouting color, followed by quiet trails and boardwalk through identified native habitat and natural wetlands.

This 180-acre showcase on Oso Creek offers a unique and varied take on botanical gardens-- beautiful new Exotic Parrots, or native wildlife in the new Reptiles in Residents exhibit; artistic decorative water features, or vast natural wetlands; majestic Rose Pavilion; or rustic Palapa Grande on scenic Gator Lake-- Corpus Christi’s South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center will impress you with its unusual approach to environmental education through creative horticultural design, and fascinating naturescape of natural wetlands and trails through native mesquite forest. Definitely not your grandmother’s botanical garden!

The Botanical Gardens & Nature Center is a Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail site. Save some time for Nature’s Boutique in the Visitors Center, for unique gifts and ‘must haves’! We also host hundreds of school and adult tours, and rent our facilities to members for private parties.

Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Educational & Garden Events

Exhibits at the South Texas Botanical Gardens

For more information click her for a complete 2013 Calendar

South Texas Botanical Gardens © Web Design Search Engine Optimization by Branded By Web Design

Announcement from the Gardens

KIDS SUMMER DAY CAMP

June and July choices. Monday through Friday. 9 am to noon. Kids Summer Day Camp

Tuition: $75 members, $90 non-members.

Download Wilderness Camp Application

REGISTRATION MUST BE PREPAID!

AGES 5-6 AGES 7-9

June 3-7 June 10-14

June 17-21 July 8-12 COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION

July 15-19 July 22-26

Underwritten By:

Botanical Gardens open normal hours during
gift shop expansion & remodel

CORPUS CHRISTI—The South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center will be

open its normal hours, 9 am to 6 pm daily, while Nature’s Boutique gift shop undergoes

expansion and remodeling. Visitors will be directed to the Visitors Center’s second entrance to pay admission and explore Resident Reptiles before continuing to outside floral exhibits, gardens, trails and wetlands. Nature’s Boutique and visitor welcome area will approximately double its size, with new displays, flooring and merchandise lines. Space for the larger gift shop and  new reptile exhibit were made possible with the addition of modular education and

administrative buildings built with private, corporate and foundation donations. The Botanical Gardens & Nature Center is at 8545 S. Staples St. For more information, call 361.852.2100.

2013

INTRODUCTION TO THE FASCINATING WORLD OF BIRDS: BASIC BLACKLOCK ONE-DAY SHORT COURSE

Class Session: Saturday, June 1, 9:15 am - noon; Fieldtrip: 1- 4:30 pm.

A short course and basic introduction designed especially for beginning birders.  Study some of the more than 450 known bird species in South Texas, with acclaimed birder and naturalist Gene Blacklock. The Botanical Gardens & Nature Center is a Texas Coastal Birding Trail site. Class session held in Botanical Gardens new Education Station.  $36 members; $40 non-members including Gardens general admission. Class maximum 30, minimum 12.  Prepaid registration fee required by May 25.

BEGINNING BIRD ID 101 SERIES
—10 CLASSES & 3 FIELD TRIPS

Begins Monday, September 23, running through December 7

Classes:  Mondays, 6-9 pm; Sept 23, 30; Oct 7, 14, 21, 28; Nov 4, 11, 18; Dec 2.

All-Day Field Trips:  Saturdays, Oct 19, Nov 2, Dec 7.

With award-winning & entertaining birder/naturalist, Gene Blacklock, co-author of Birds of Texas-a Field Guide & Birds of the Texas Coastal Bend; former environmental educator for Welder Wildlife Foundation; Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program; and Texas Parks & Wildlife field biologist in colonial water bird management. This series is designed for people who wish to know more about bird identification but have little or no experience in the sport of field identification.  Class sessions held in Botanical Gardens new Education Station.  The Botanical Gardens & Nature Center is a Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail site.  Class maximum is 18, minimum 12. $165 members, $200 non-members, including all Botanical Gardens general admissions. (Non-member fee includes one-year Botanical Gardens individual membership.) Prepaid registration required by September 18.  For curriculum questions, call Blacklock, 361-558-1829.

2014

WINTER FINCH / SPARROW IDENTIFICATION

CLASS & FIELD TRIP

Class--Monday, January 20, 6:30-9:15 pm; and Field Trip--Saturday, January 25, 7:15 am-1pm.

With award-winning & entertaining birder/naturalist, Gene Blacklock. Winter Finch / Sparrow Identification & Natural History Class is designed for participants with a special interest in the skill of field identification and natural history of winter finches and sparrows, including several FLAT HEADS.  Class session held at new Education Station at South Texas Botanical Garden & Nature Center.  Prepaid registration fees, required by January 15, are $45 members, and $80 non-members including Gardens general admission. Class maximum is 20 students, minimum 12.

BLACKLOCK’S ADVANCED BIRD ID ‘GRAD’ SCHOOL—10 CLASSES & 3 FIELD TRIPS

Begins Monday, February 10, running through May 5.

Classes: Mondays, 6:30-9:15 pm; Feb 10, 17, 24; Mar 3, 10, 17, 24; Apr 7, 21; May 5.

All-Day Field Trips: Saturdays, March 29, April 19, May 3.

With entertaining birder/naturalist, Gene Blacklock, co-author of Birds of Texas-a Field Guide & Birds of the Texas Coastal Bend; former environmental educator for Welder Wildlife Foundation; Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program; and Texas Parks & Wildlife field biologist in colonial water bird management. Completion of Blacklock’s Beginning Bird ID 101 series, or the equivalent prior birding education classes, is recommended to enroll in ‘Grad School’. The Botanical Gardens & Nature Center is a Great Texas Coastal Bend Birding Trail site.  Class sessions held at new Education Station at South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center.  Series tuition is $165 members, $200 non-members, including all Gardens general admissions. (Non-member fee includes a one-year Botanical Gardens individual membership.) Prepaid registration required by February 5.  Class maximum is 18, minimum 12.

(For curriculum questions, call Blacklock, 361.547.0855.)

Designers

may pick up  

‘naked’ flamingos NOW!

download app.

Botanical Gardens’ Flamingo Fandango opens July 1

CORPUS CHRISTI—The South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center announces the on-time arrival of pink plastic bird bodies, for designers to check-out and costume, for its seventh annual Flamingo Fandango design competition, sponsored this year by CITGO.   

Artists of all skill levels may pick up their ‘naked’ flamingos, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, at the Botanical Gardens Visitors Center, 8545 S. Staples St.  A $25 deposit is required for one or a pair of bird bodies, and will be returned once the birds come back ‘dressed’--no later than June 20.  Elementary and middle school competitors also are welcome, as are corporate entries. (Birds not deemed in good taste may be banned from the flock!)

In addition to elaborately-costumed birds, Flamingo Fandango, which opens Monday, July 1, running through Wednesday July 31, includes an additional feathers-only flock of 200 birds for some flam-tastic visitor foto ops.  A Flamingo Preview Party will be held Sunday, June 30, for designers who turn in completed birds.

For more information, call the Gardens & Nature Center, 361-852-2100

Scroll Down
for More Events…