“When the Czech and German immigrants who founded the town [of Schulenburg] first came to Texas, they found themselves missing the comforts of home and went about building churches to bring the old world to Texas. The result was the creation of some of the most beautiful churches in the nation, full of stained glass and elaborate paintings.”
(From “Historic Painted Churches of the Texas Hill Country”)
To honor the 13th anniversary of Rich’s passing (on September 8, 2022) I wanted to go to a place I thought he would enjoy. Since I have moved to Texas, visiting the Northern California coast was not an option.
Instead, I decided to visit a botanic garden – an activity that we had enjoyed together, most notably in Santa Cruz and in Amsterdam.
(And nine years ago, while traveling in New Zealand, I visited the most spectacular garden in Dunedin! It’s my absolute favorite, and I think Rich would have loved it too!)
Earlier this year, while a California friend was visiting, we went to Austin’s Zilker Botanical Garden. It’s a lovely garden, but I wanted to get out and explore a little further from home.
So I decided to travel north and check out Fort Worth Botanic Garden. It was the perfect place to honor Rich’s memory.
(Note: Unless otherwise noted, the following information – in italic type – is from the Fort Worth Botanic Garden website.)
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden was established in 1934 and is the oldest major botanic garden in Texas. It contains a collection of more than 2,500 species of plants. Long celebrated for its beautiful rose, perennial and Japanese gardens, the FWBG is composed of twenty-three specialty gardens, including a tropical conservatory, a forest boardwalk, and a water conservation garden.
The Garden’s 10,000 square foot conservatory contains plants from tropical rainforests all over the world and an on-site greenhouse is home to the largest begonia collection in North America.
(I failed to visit the greenhouse conservatory. Obviously I need to go back – probably next spring!)
The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) began in 1987 as a nonprofit overseeing the former Southern Methodist University 450,000-specimen herbarium and 75,000-volume botanical library relocated to a 20th century warehouse in downtown Fort Worth. The nonprofit eventually built and moved to a Platinum LEED-certified building on grounds adjacent to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.
Since that time, BRIT has grown into a renowned scientific research, education, and conservation center with a state-of-the-art molecular and structural lab, conservation seed bank, an established press and 1.5 million-specimen herbarium.
On October 1, 2020, after two years of successful partnership initiatives (involving Education, Volunteer and Membership programs) the two organizations with similar plant-based missions combined to become a single nonprofit.
Spend the day strolling through the Japanese Garden with its koi-filled pools, landscaped hillsides, crafted stonework and dramatic waterfalls.
I did just that, and found that this garden to be a favorite spot, both for reflection and photography!
Nearby, visit the iconic and historic Rose Garden, which includes a terraced ramp featuring walks that border colorful rose beds amidst a cascade of water down the center.
Unfortunately, there was no cascade of water when I visited. Another reason to return!
I found most of the garden to be wheelchair accessible. There was a detour around the Native Forest Boardwalk, and the path became packed mulch rather than pavement. A motorized wheelchair or scooter could have navigated it easily; a manual wheelchair might have a bit of trouble.
Manual wheelchairs are available free to our guests on a first-come, first-served basis. These mobility aids are not available by reservation.
Electric scooters may be rented for $30 per day, with no in/out privileges. This rental fee is not eligible for a member discount. Scooter maximum carrying capacity is 400 pounds per person. Scooters are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are not available by reservation.
There were wide paved and, mostly, level pathways throughout the garden.
Frequently when I encountered stairs I also found an alternate route that was wheelchair accessible.
Of course I spent most of the day wandering and taking photos.
I think Rich would have enjoyed this botanical gem. I certainly did!
Do you have a favorite botanical garden? If so, I’d love to hear about it!
(All photos: ©Jeri Murphy Photography)
Anything Is Possible Travel 