Personal Adventure Blog and Professional Portfolio
After returning from Oregon and eco-adventuring around Texas, I got a job as the Marketing and Communications Associate at the Texas Trees Foundation in early September 2018. Texas Trees, an urban forestry nonprofit focused on urban trees in North Central Texas, felt like a natural transition from my return from Oregon — continuing on the path of environmentalism and sustainability, in a place I’m familiar with.
After the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden, I went into the Dallas Arboretum. It had been many years since I had been to the Dallas Arboretum, so a lot has changed — yet remained the same. This is truly a beautiful destinations not only for tourists, but also locals to enjoy the outdoors, walk among the various plant collections, see the seasonal exhibits, and attend various musical and theatrical events hosted throughout the year.
The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden was one of my favorite destinations here in Dallas. I hadn’t been to the Dallas Arboretum since they had open this new section and I was really looking forward to seeing what all had been built in terms of the exhibits.
If you’re interested in some eco-destinations in and around Austin, here are some links to more information! I cover each location in a blog post from one of my previous trips before officially moving to Austin.
As a friendly reminder, some of these locations are free self-guided tours, while others might require fees for tours. If there is a phone number or Facebook page, reach out and ask about scheduling a tour. Calling ahead will help prevent headaches for everyone, and potentially open new doors for opportunity!
After the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, my grandma and I went to check out The Natural Gardener, a very impressive garden center and teaching facility, tucked away on the southwest outskirts of Austin. The offered an educational class a few days before that I came across online, but didn’t manage to attend – but it peaked my interest enough to want to visit the facility itself – and I’m really glad we did!
“The Natural Gardener is one of the most beautiful and unique garden centers in the world. It’s like a candy store for gardeners, but non-gardeners love it, too. It’s a fun, beautiful, educational destination for everyone. Bring the whole family to The Natural Gardener- even the dog! ” — TNG Webpage
While in Austin, my grandma recommended we go see the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. My dad had taken my little brother and I years ago, but I can’t remember that visit – so I felt like it was the first time going to the center, especially with all the funding, improvements and expansions within the past several years.
“The University of Texas at Austin Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is the official state botanic garden and arboretum of Texas. The Center promotes its mission to inspire the conservation of native plants through its internationally recognized sustainable gardens, education and outreach programs, research projects, and consulting work.” — LBJWC Webpage
