Botanical Gardens presents educational ‘WATER-SMART Plant Sale’
10 am-5 pm, April 25, on $2 “Blooms & Birds” Community Day!
Lesson learned from 2025: “People are gonna’ buy plants!” The Botanical Gardens is teaching
them attractive most water-smart ways to attractive landscapes—while CONSERVING
WATER, part of our mission!
HELPFUL HINTS: In a critical water shortage, we all should try alternatives more open & airy
than a solid collar of shrubs! For example, blending water-smart plantings with various
decorative hardscape elements–rocks, colorful containers, imaginative wood pieces,
sculpture, colorful metal décor! Also consider well-placed mulched empty spaces,
contrasting with highlighted plant groupings. You don’t have to fill every empty space.
We’re leaving Big Bloom and traditional water-thirsty shrubs, perennials and tropicals behind
for a while for the new WATER-SMART Plant Sale! We do the homework for you by ordering
super water-thrifty plants like natives, succulents, cacti, water-wise perennials, blooming
nectar and larval butterfly attractor plants and more. (We’re adding plumeria starts; and
orchids propagated from our collection.) Vendors will sell art and plants!
No shortages that day in entertainment! Traditional butterfly and lady bug releases, and
animal ambassadors will be back, with bonus ‘Raptor Project’ presentations and fun
Exhibitor Tent from Birdiest Festival in America, based at the Gardens that week.
Food trucks will be on site for lunch. Explore the Gardens & Nature Center at its prettiest,
and shop Nature’s Boutique. New memberships also will be on sale, with members
receiving 10 percent discount on Botanical Gardens plants and Gift Shop merchandise!
You will be surprised finding out which colorful blooming plants require significantly less
water to survive once established—and the importance of correct planting and good
drainage! You’ll see flash-backs to previous Big Bloom sales, too, plants you didn’t know were
water-smart! Look for Duranta, Pride of Barbados, Bougainvillea, Esperanza, Lantana, Texas
Sage, Firecracker Plant, Flame Acanthas, Turk’s Cap, Salvias, Cenizo, Frog Fruit, Rock Rose,
Agaves, Desert Rose, Ornamental Grasses, Thryallis . . .
“We plan to offer education that day on Designing for Xeriscape, Creative Water Capture &
Reuse plus large signs listing Xeriscape and Water-Smart plants which may be
photographed to keep in phones,” said Executive Director Dr Michael Womack.
He added Corpus Christi Water (CCW) will have rain storage barrels for purchase, with water
conservation materials available. H-E-B will have FREE Bird House Kits for the first 150
children at their booth to assemble on-site and take home.
To apply for Birding Festival Artisan Vendors, email denise@aquariaservicesinc.com. Applicants for Plant or Water Conservation-related Vendors, should email kathie@stxbot.org. For more
information and schedule, follow www.stxbot.org, South Texas Botanical Gardens Facebook page,
or 361-852-2100.
And don’t forget rainwater harvesting—from your roof to your landscape!
Since We Missed Last Year,
This year will be twice the fun!
Watch the website, or follow us on Facebook for exact schedule closer to the event…
https://www.facebook.com/stxbot
