The Gardens regularly completes both routine and major maintenance projects through partnerships with various departments and organizations. Check out some of our past, current, and future projects below!
Past Projects
Winter storm Uri (Feb. 2021) and other extreme weather conditions had unfortunately led to the decline and death of several post oaks in the Leach Teaching Gardens Event Lawn Area. These tree were removed from the Event Lawn due to the resulting safety hazard they present. The Gardens team replaced the lost trees with displaced trees from the resigned Horticultural Gardens on Hensel Dr.
Current Projects
The students in HORT 425 (Horticulture Landscape Installation) will be renovating the weary wildflower/prairie grass area to a more manageable native landscape in the Homestead Garden as part of a class project. The plant pallet will consist of native and ornamental grasses, resilient shrubs, and naturalized bulbs that are commonly found on abandoned homestead sites. The new plantings will also add additional plant identification material to teach from.
Homestead Garden Area Renovation Design
Renovations to the Bioswale next to the Event Lawn in the Leach Teaching Gardens are underway to reduce weed control maintenance issues, modify margins to discourage encroachment of turf grasses, and to create more mower friendly edgings. This project is at the control stage for weed removal and will be followed by replanting and mulching. This project is coordinated with the event lawn tree plantings project to create a more sustainable space and improve the biofiltration capabilities of the bioswale.
Due to an irrigation mainline leak under the walkway between the Mexican Heritage Garden and the Vineyard, a section of walkway had to be removed in order to fix it. The leak has been fixed, and this section of concrete will be replaced in the next week or two.
Did you know that wildflower seeds actually get planted in the fall? We are currently in the process of prepping our wildflower and prairie grass areas for seeding here in the next couple of months. We hope you’ll come visit us next spring when they are in full bloom!
Future Projects
The Gardens team will be working with one of the academic classes to develop and build a structure we can utilize during harsh winter weather to protect our young citrus trees in the Citrus Grove.
