Houston Botanic Garden - Botanic Beginnings

Houston’s first botanic garden will open to the public in fall 2020 with the completion of Phase One, “Botanic Beginnings.” 120-acres of botanic gardens, wetlands, a children’s garden and nature play area, picnic groves, tree farm, trails and events lawns will welcome Houstonians from all walks of life.

Houston Botanic Garden’s first phase will be emblematic of the energy, diversity and spirit of Houston, America’s fastest growing, most multi-cultural metropolis. Like the world’s preeminent botanic gardens, this garden will showcase international plant collections to inspire, share beauty and bring joy, but also to support a greater mission of conserving the diversity of plants from Houston and around the world.

An incredible rolling site bisected by Sims Channel and ringed by an ancient bayou will offer a true escape from the city. Guests will arrive from Park Place Boulevard via a new vehicular bridge crossing the verdant bayou to be greeted by an allée of Live Oaks interplanted with diverse trees from all over the world. Passing through a shady grove, guests will enter the gardens, and be welcomed by groves of pines and a shady patio for dining and viewing the gardens. The main Phase One collections will be located on the highpoint of the island.

Here, the “Global Collection Garden” is the setting for Houston Botanic Garden’s diverse collections and spectacular displays. Three zones within the garden organize Tropical and Subtropical, Arid, and Mediterranean collections from around the globe into a meandering, romantic garden for wandering, respite and events. Within the Global Garden, the site is broken up by undulating topography, stepping stones, secret pathways, and occasional surprises such as a pergola and small children’s discovery trails. The experience of the garden will be immersive and surprising, with romantic pathways allowing all users to explore the gardens for hours.

Houston’s rich diversity of cuisine is combined with the beauty of food and joy of eating in the Edible Garden. Here, the garden showcases the diverse array of fruits, vegetables, nuts and more, and the incredible techniques for growing them. Small pockets offer places to gather, including a small terrace in an olive grove, and a children’s kitchen.

Childhood in Houston Botanic Garden reaches its pinnacle at the Susan Garver Discovery Garden. By redesigning an existing pond, the design team has created a new, two-acre garden that exhibits some of the wildest and most appealing plants for children, including carnivorous plants and water-loving species. A maze of boardwalks, a sandy beach, and naturalistic play structures in the forest allow children to spend time in the garden exploring the natural world in every way.

Leaving the cultivated gardens, guests can wander the 120-acre site via repurposed trails, attend events on generous lawn areas, or participate in a range of educational programming.

For more information on Houston Botanic Garden: http://hbg.org

Houston Botanic Garden team:

• West 8 – Prime Consultant, Masterplan Vision & Landscape Architect
• Clark Condon Associates Inc. – Role: Landscape Architects, Planting & Soil Design
• Overland Partners – Role: Architects – Welcome Pavilion
• Walter P. Moore Engineers – Role: Civil, Structural, and Bridge Engineering
• I.A. Naman + Associates Inc. – Role: Electrical Engineering
• Sweeney & Associates Inc. – Role: Irrigation Design
• Dykema Architects Inc. Role: Architects – Lagoon Pavilion
• Greenscape Pump Services Inc. – Role: Water Feature Engineering
• Olsson and Associates – Role: Soil Design Consultation
• Minor Design, Role: Signage and Wayfinding
• Berg-Oliver Associates, Inc. Role: Environmental Services & Land Use Consultation

Client

Houston Botanic Garden

Awards

Architects Newspaper’s Best of Design Awards Editor’s Pick, US | Landscape | Houston Botanic Garden, US