Texas Discovery Gardens

Nestled in beautiful Fair Park, the Texas Discovery Gardens is a beautiful place to escape the sounds of the city and enjoy a day in nature.  We made a list of some of my kid's favorite things to do when we are visiting. 

  The Daily Butterfly Release and Talk at noon in the Rosine Smith Sammons Butterfly House & Insectarium.  The Butterfly house is amazing, with butterlies from all over the world flying free among the beautiful and exotic plants.  Yes, the sights and smells are overwhelming, but even better is taking away a little knowledge.  Each day at noon they release newly "emerged" butterflies, and talk about them and the facility.  Although we have visited for the talks many times, I learn something new each visit, such as that the butterflies will only lay eggs on a host plant that the caterpillars will eat.  An example is the monarch, which only lays eggs on milkweed.  If none of the plants are around, the butterflies simply "holds on" to her eggs until she finds an appropriate host.   

Enjoy a picnic in The Meadows.  Pack a lunch and set up at the picnic table or on a blanket under the beautiful and shady live oak and pecan trees in the garden.  Squirrels entertain you with their arboreal acrobatics, and native butterflies dance around.  It's one of our favorite places to spend a leisurely afternoon reading or watching the clouds drift by. 


Spot frogs and turtles in Leftwich Pond.  A native habitat pond, they will only come out if you are very still.  My kids make a game of it, seeing how close they can get before they jump back in the water.  It's usually followed by a game of who can jump the farthest. 

The Grand Allee Du Meadows  Grab a shaded bench and relax to the lulling sound of the fountain.  The kids will love walking around the paths, and mine proclaim the grass to be "the softest in Texas". 

Butterfly Garden  Are you a Butterfly Watcher?  Butterfly watching, similar to bird watching, is a fun hobby for families to encourage spending time outside and increase your awareness of our natural world.  Bring, or start a butterfly list and visit the garden, where native Texas butterflies can be found.  It's also a great place to learn about differnt plants to grow to attract them to your garden.  For more information on Butterfly Watching, Texas Parks and Wildlife has a introductory pamplet you can print out;  http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0752.pdf

Texas Nature Challenge  The Texas Discovery Gardens has participated in the Texas Nature Challenge for the past three years.  For more information on the Texas Nature Challenge;  http://naturechallenge.tamu.edu/

Cool off and get wet  You aren't going to find this on their map, or website.  But speaking from experience, take a towel.  My kids even wear their bathing suits, because.... it's a garden.  They are constantly watering something, and take no objection to letting the kids cool off in the sprinklers!  Just be respectful!  If you happen to catch them on a day when the water's not spraying, just step outside the garden to the fountain on First Avenue, to really get soaked! 

Attend a special event  Take a class, a naturalist led walk, or attend a festival at the garden, such as the Basically Bethoven each Sunday in July, and the Bugs n' Butterflies Festival in September.  The Fancy Nancy Tea Parties are one of my daughter's favorites.  Visit the Texas Discovery Gardens website for more information on Upcoming Events at http://texasdiscoverygardens.org/index.php


My Mommy Tip: They allow you to bring in lunch boxes and coolers, etc. You can stash them in the beehive like cubbies near the restrooms while you explore the gardens. They have a couple of soda machines near the restrooms, but otherwise you must leave the gardens to get food. The Museum of Nature and Science has a nice cafe, which you can visit without paying admission to the museum. For a nicer, sit down fare, The Old Mill Inn Restaurant is open year round inside Fair Park. There is also a McDonalds located just outside Fair Park.