First Ann Richards, then Molly Ivins, and now Lady Bird Johnson. Goodbye to a beloved First Lady of Austin.
According to the Statesman, Lady Bird once said, “Man and his needs are filling up the world. . . . Those needs are important, but there is also room for beauty, for the bounty of nature itself is one of the deep needs of mankind.” She was more than a former First Lady and wildflower enthusiast. She was also a pioneering environmentalist. And locally, she made a huge difference through her efforts to clean up Town Lake, beautify Texas highways, promote the use of native plants, and establish the Wildflower Center.
Here’s what I received from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center last night.

With the nation, we mourn the passing of our beloved founder, Lady Bird Johnson, who died at her home in Austin on Wednesday, July 11, surrounded by her loving family.
Mrs. Johnson created the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in 1982 as a place where people could visit beautiful native wildflower gardens, and learn about the role served by native plants and native landscapes in maintaining a healthy environment and defining our sense of place.
Even before this wonderful place existed, Mrs. Johnson was a champion of our natural heritage. As First Lady, Mrs. Johnson traveled all over the country to draw public attention to the need to protect our natural treasures and to address growing environmental problems. She was the driving vision behind the Highway Beautification Act, and a public force for expansion of the National Parks System, the preservation of wilderness, and other initiatives. Her example and her accomplishments laid the groundwork for the later emergence of a national environmental movement.
As Mrs. Johnson said: “The environment is where we all meet; where all have a mutual interest; it is the one thing all of us share. It is not only a mirror of ourselves, but a focusing lens on what we can become.”
Mrs. Johnson’s extraordinary vision and commitment will live on at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. We urge you to visit the Center and enjoy the place she loved so much.

And so do I. The Wildflower Center is where I fell in love with gardening in Austin, and where I learned to love the native plants that make Austin look like Austin. It’s still my favorite public garden to visit in my hometown, and a great place to take visitors. One cool morning or evening, or even a rainy day, go for a visit and you’ll fall in love with it too.