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The “EXPLORE MORE BY H-E-B TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS” program provides free admission to the Botanical Gardens & Nature Center FRIDAYS in November and December, beginning November 6! This support aims to promote educational experiences and cultural arts by providing local families and visitors ways to enjoy attractions during the holidays. H-E-B remains committed to making educational enrichment and discovery more accessible—when it comes to Texans helping Texans, learning should be within everyone’s reach. “Explore More” also includes three other local museums.

This is a first! The Botanical Gardens is looking for VOLUNTEERS to work with Grounds Staff helping with daily hand-watering, mowing, weeding, edging! Coastal rains made the grass grow, and watering restrictions still make us hand-water! We’ll work with your schedule, except (watering must be done before 10 am), other work between 9 and 6. Please call Kathie for details, 361-852-2100, x 225.

South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center invites the public to celebrate H-E-B’s Texas Recycles Day, November 13, 14 & 15. Each visitor who brings a plastic bottle or single-use plastic bag from any retailer receives FREE ADMISSION that day to the Botanical Gardens, normally a $12 value for adults! Start saving your bags and bottles now, bring as many as you like to help us win the $1000 Gift Card for volume/weight! Enjoy the Gardens in fall bloom and learn how H-E-B has recycled 50 million pounds of plastic bags since 2004!

For your convenience, we’re providing a schedule of SATURDAY MORNING Horticulture & Environmental Education classes! All except BONSAI, begin at 9:30 am, Education Station classroom, with spaced seating for 40. Unless noted, all are covered by that day’s general admission, membership, or $5 each. Educational, fun, meet new friends. Make your reservation at 361-852-2100.

Learn while encountering different Garden & Nature Center areas—
Butterfly House, Reptile Room, Sensory Garden, Parrot Enclosures,
Brennecke Nature Trail, more!

Tears flowed like “rain” realizing we shouldn’t have the annual BIG BLOOM Plant Sale this
year, due to drought-caused water shortages and resulting watering restrictions! New Plants take lots of water. What if people couldn’t keep their plants alive? If sponsors weren’t interested? If attendance was down? What would public perception be if we had the fundraiser? We conserve our natural resources! Ignoring our critical water situation is not the image we want to project. No BIG BLOOM, but SEE MORE for how we make it up to you!

We’ve all been waiting for the annual PLUMERIA SOCIETY OF SOUTH TEXAS Plumeria Sale, coming 10am-1pm, Saturday, July 18. This year, it’s at the Garden Senior Center, 5325 Greely. Seminar is 9:30 am, Saturday, July11, at Botanical Gardens.

MOONLIGHT MAGIC in the GARDENS entertained close to 600 people who dined, danced, drank, bid and saw the Gardens during a “magical” relaxing evening, Friday, October 9! The Botanical Gardens thanks Presenting Sponsor CITGO, plus dozens of supporting sponsors on large signs in the Gardens until MOOONLIGHT ‘27! Click to SEE MORE for those generous sponsors, entertainers, our Event Chairs, restaurant and beverage sponsors. . . with new Moonlight SLIDE SHOW now up!

Guests visiting Saturdays or Sundays are treated to REP-TALES,10:30 am, on the Festival Lawn. Meet and learn about some our Reptile Animal Ambassadors including tortoises, iguanas, snakes and other creatures (specific animal ambassadors and species vary daily). Included with membership or general admission. Feed these reptiles for additional fee.

PRIVATE ENCOUNTERS are now more fun, more personal with more learning! Small groups can enjoy fun interactions with either parrots, reptiles or both, with guests holding each animal, giving them snacks, taking photos in a private setting. A great party, birthday, anniversary, or friend treat! Fees go to our Veterinary Fund!