Luci and Ian Family Garden at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Austin, TX

It’s a wonderland for play where whimsical features impart valuable lessons about nature, science and history — that dually serves as a testing ground for sustainable landscape performance.

The University of Texas at Austin

  • Branded Environments
  • Landscape Architecture
  • 2015 Texas ASLA Merit Award

Located at one of the nation’s leading institutions on native plants and conservation, the 4.5-acre garden tells a rich story of central Texas ecology and natural sciences through artful play elements. Whimsical features like a walk-in grotto with waterfall, oversized bird nests woven from on-site grapevines, a walk-through Fibonacci spiral forged of mosaic-inlaid limestone walls, karstic limestone boulders with interactive watering holes, and a flowing creek with dinosaur footprints enchant and educate children of all ages. The garden was a Pilot Project for the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES), providing valuable insights into sustainable design and landscape conservation.