Houston Botanical Garden is off to a green start with sold-out fundraiser netting $400,000

Organizers had little trouble filling the River Oaks Country Club ballroom when the call went out for a luncheon fundraiser benefiting the Houston Botanic Garden. The sell-out gathering of 530 raised over $400,000 as part of the capital funding campaign for the new gardens.

West 8 was selected to design the gardens in April this year, which are to be located on the 120-acre site of the Glenbrook Park Golf Course. West 8 Design Director, Adriaan Geuze, was at the event to share preliminary design concepts for the Houston Botanic Gardens to an enthusiastic audience.

In addition to serving as a guide for the development of the botanic garden, the new master plan will be an important tool for generating interest and understanding among those who will support and share the project. As this is “start from scratch” effort, the masterplanning process also involves extensive public outreach and the development of a sound business plan to ensure the future success of the gardens.

During the event, Houston Botanic Garden board chair Nancy O’Connor Abendshein announced that she and Mel Glasscock will chair the garden’s capital campaign, fundraising for the luncheon spearheaded by chairs Martha and Richard McDugald and Emily and Carlton Wilde. Special guest was Mary Pat Matheson, president and CEO of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, who also shared her enthusiasm for the Houston garden.

The plans for the new gardens should be completed in the Fall of 2015 and will be used to guide the development of the Houston Botanic Garden going forward.