Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin

This oak was blown over, but continued to thrive from some undamaged roots

There is a whole section of tree swings for all ages

We were there on a perfect day!  It was a bit warm, but there was a wonderful cool breeze.  The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a treat!  The wildflowers were in bloom and there were delights around every bend.  A great horned owl made a nest on a ledge at the entrance.  A naturalist had binoculars so we could observe the bird.  It was an amazing sight.  It was hard to get pictures, but there is a nice picture on the Center's website.  

I think the real stars of the Center are the wonderful oak trees.  There is a tribute to the "hero" oaks of Texas.  There is a plaque honoring the many historic oaks and there is a cutting from each growing in the park.  So, the trees have babies at the Center.

Bluebonnets and primroses

The butterflies were surprisingly wary and hard to photograph

The tower

There was a plethora of butterflies of many types flittering around.  We enjoyed wandering along the paths and we certainly didn't see it all.  There were also many birds, including cardinals.The emphasis is on the natural landscape, but there is a section of planted gardens.  There is also a large tower to climb to get an overview of the grounds.

There is a cafe, but we had already eaten.  It looked nice.  There is an attractive visitors center.  The parking is a bit chaotic.