Shelby's Social Diary
Houston's own world-class Botanical Garden? Power brokers are closer than ever to making it sprout
Although the seeds were planted in 2002 by founder Nancy Thomas, plans for a Houston Botanic Garden are only now making strides forward in fundraising and development. Case in point, the inaugural fundraising luncheon held recently at River Oaks Country Club.
Inspiring participation in the Houston project was Mary Pat Matheson, president and CEO of Atlanta Botanical Garden, a 30-acre oasis next to Piedmont Park in midtown Atlanta. She wowed the gathering with her eye-popping visual presentation of the lush garden vistas, an example of what Houston could have. Even with the serene Japanese Garden and the 15-acre McGovern Centennial Gardens both in Hermann Park, organizers feel the city has room for an area dedicated strictly to botanicals.
Consider the dedicated botanical parklands across the country — 55 acres in San Francisco, 52 acres in Vancouver and 250 acres for the New York Botanical Garden.
Jeff Ross, president and CEO of Houston Botanic Garden, explained to the gathering that Houston could achieve similar botanic greatness. All that remains to make it happen is finalizing and acquisition of a garden site, he said.
Nancy Abendshein and Emily Wilde chaired the luncheon that grew garden enthusiasts including Mayor Annise Parker, Lisa Mears, Mary Eads, Susie and Mel Glasscock, Elizabeth and Albert Kidd, Courtney Sarofim, Marcy Taub, Ann Lents, Ellie Camberg, Laura Bacon and Jill and Dunham Jewett.