Houston's Azalea Trail

When the azaleas start blooming, you know Spring is right around the corner. Flourishing in the Texas climate, Azaleas make their debut in a dazzling array of pinks, reds, purples, and whites around March of each year. Starting in 1935, The River Oaks Garden Club has hosted a yearly event to tour local gardens. Now in its 81st year, the Azalea Trail has become a favorite way for many Houstonians to welcome in the Spring. This year the trail included 7 stops all within River Oaks:

1. The Forum  2503 Westheimer
2. St John the Divine  2450 River Oaks
3. Home and Garden  3238 Huntingdon Place
4. Home and Garden  3456 Inwood Drive
5. Bayou Bend  5201 Memorial Drive
6. Rienzi  1406 Kirby Drive
7. Home and Garden  3452 Del Monte

My first stop on the tour was Bayou Bend.  I have never seen Bayou Bend look so beautiful or so loved by visitors. Along with the Azaleas, Tulips and Camellias were both in bloom.

A trolley was available to shuttle guests between locations. 

My next stop was the private residence on Inwood Drive. Built in the 1920's, the Sewall House was inspired by El Greco's house in Toledo, Spain and still contains original tiles, fountains, fireplaces and beams in the main house. The home does an incredible job of combining interior and exterior features bringing in elements of the outdoors into the living space.

My third stop was a private Residence on Del Monte. The residence was built in the late 1920's by Houston architect John Staub who was inspired by 18th century homes in Salem, Massachusetts.

It was very generous for the private residences to open their homes and gardens to visitors during the Azalea Trail. Tips for next year: 1. Make sure to schedule enough time to see all of the stops. I had just one day and felt rushed.  2.  Houston heat = Bring a water bottle, a hat, and sunscreen with you 3. There are no bathrooms, so plan accordingly 4. Parking is limited so try to be dropped off or take an uber.

While the private homes are of course off limits, you can still enjoy the Gardens at the Forum, St John the Divine, Bayou Bend, and Rienzi.

Forum open to the public on Monday 9:30-3:30PM and by appointment Wednesday and Thursday.
Bayou Bend open Tuesday - Saturday, 10AM- 5PM, Sunday 1-5PM
Rienzi open  Wednesday - Saturday, 10AM- 5PM, Sunday, 1-5PM


Enjoy the Spring Blooms!
xo,
The Bayou Botanist

Events in Houston: Azaleas, a Regatta, and the French!

A lot of fun events are happening this coming weekend March 11-13, 2016 in Houston's Green Spaces:

1. The Azalea Trail at the Bayou Bend

Friday, Saturday, Sunday
March 11–13, 2016
11 a.m.–5 p.m.

Bayou Bend participates in the annual Azalea Trail, presented in March by River Oaks Garden Club. Azalea Trail showcases the colorful azaleas at Bayou Bend, Rienzi, private homes, and the garden club's Forum of Civics.

At Bayou Bend, guests enjoy the splendor of spring among the woodland gardens and glimpse the collection of American decorative arts in the main hall of the house. For more details, contact River Oaks Garden Club. Tickets are also available at Bayou Bend beginning in February. Azalea Trail admission is the only way to view Bayou Bend during this weekend. Proceeds support local organizations including Bayou Bend and Rienzi.

(Information from the Bayou Bend Website; Read more here)
Tickets are $25 for all 6 locations (map); $10 for a single location

2. The Buffalo Bayou Regatta
Saturday
March 12, 2016
7:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

Join us for Texas’ largest canoe and kayak race – the 44th Annual Buffalo Bayou Partnership Regatta! Paddlers, ages 12 and up, are encouraged to participate in the 15-mile American Canoe Association sanctioned race along the scenic Buffalo Bayou. Whether you are entering competitively or paddling for pleasure, you won’t want to miss out on this longstanding Houston tradition!
Those not wanting to paddle can cheer on racers along the race route or catch the outdoor fun at the finish line festivities at Sesquicentennial Park (500 block of Preston Street).

(Information from the Buffalo Bayou Partnership Website; Read more here)
Those signing up the day of for the race: the cost is $60 per person; $25 for student or military ID

3. The French Culture Festival at the Discovery Green
Friday
March 11, 2016
6p.m.– 10 p.m.


A free kick-off concert of the 2016 French Cultures Festival will showcase a bouncing mix of rock, pop and blues-hiphop sounds with three bands: The Blind Suns (Angers, France), Wild Moccasins (Houston, Texas), and Scarecrow (Toulouse, France). The event will take place on Friday, March 11 at Discovery Green located at 1500 McKinney, Houston, Texas 77010 from 6 to 10 p.m. It is open to the public and family-friendly.

(Information found on www.FrenchCulture.org; You can learn more about the concert and bands can be found here.)


4. The Bluebonnets are coming!!  While this is not an event. . .Who doesn't love fields of wildflowers? www.bluebonnetlove.com is a great website to locate areas across the state of Texas where Bluebonnets have been seen in bloom. 

I hope to see you all outdoors enjoying the good weather (fingers crossed)! 
xoxo, 
The Bayou Botanist 

Christmas Village at Bayou Bend

Santa has set up shop at the Christmas Village at Bayou Bend! Little elves have transformed the Bayou Bend grounds into a festive winter wonderland with a Spiegeltent (visit with Mr. and Mrs. Claus), story time for kids, and a tour of Ima Hogg's mansion with decorations and historical reenactments. You can read more about the event here. 

Dates for the Christmas Village at Bayou Bend:

December 17–23 & December 26–30, 6–9:30 p.m.

 

Entrance to Bayou Bend

Crossing the magical bridge aglow with lights

Little elf running through the maze

Spiegeltent for drinks, snacks, crafts, and Santa.

Mr. and Mrs. Claus in the Spiegeltent

Ima Hogg's Residence

While waiting in line for the house tour, visitors can watch a fun animation that was projected onto the back of the home.

Dates for the Christmas Village at Bayou Bend:

December 17–23 & December 26–30, 6–9:30 p.m.

Admission:
Members: $12 adult (ages 13+), $8 youth (ages 5–12)
• Nonmembers: $15 adult (ages 13+), $10 youth (ages 5–12)
• Free for ages 4 & younger
Cash bar and light refreshments. Closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Enjoy the Christmas Cheer,
The Bayou Botanist

An afternoon at Rienzi: You had me at Porcelain

A view of the back of Rienzi in the Gardens 

Some of my favorite museums around the world are in former private homes; the Rodin Museum in Paris, the Leighton House in London, The Contemporary at Laguna Gloria in Austin, and the Bayou Bend in Houston. Down the street from the Bayou Bend, the Rienzi is the former estate of philanthropists Carroll Sterling Masterson and Harris Masterson III who generously donated the home and grounds to the Museum of Fine Arts of Houston to house it's European decorative arts collection, including paintings, furnishings, sculptures and one of the largest collections of Worcester porcelain in the United States. The variety of color and form of the individual pieces in the collection makes the tour through the Rienzi feel like a treasure hunt.

The grand ballroom of the Rienzi house 

Every Wednesday, Rienzi opens its doors for open drawing sessions from 1:30pm -4:30pm.  I spent the entire afternoon engrossed in drawing one of the porcelain vases in the main Ballroom.

Sketching in the Rienzi

After a tour of the house, take a moment to wander through the Rienzi Gardens. The grounds are 4.4 acres of Texas woodlands and formal gardens including stunning southern magnolias. Also, make sure to include the Rienzi as part of your annual Azalea Trail in March 2016.

Magnolias and hedge gardens leading up to the entrance of the main house 

Finished version of drawing from the Rienzi; color added in my studio 

The Annual "Punch Party" will be hosted by MFAH tomorrow night from 7-9pm at the Rienzi! Try a historic English punch while wearing your pompadours and listening to a string quartet on the terrace!

Keep Exploring!
xoxo,
The Bayou Botanist


Read more about the Rienzi here.

Rienzi Hours: 
Wednesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, 1–5 p.m.Visits are by docent-led tour only.

An Oasis in the City

The entire experience of visiting the The Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens makes you feel as though you've been thrown back in time. To enter the estate you must cross over the buffalo bayou on a swinging suspension bridge.

Crossing the Bridge

You can no longer see the city skyline or hear the busy traffic even though you're in the heart of Houston. The 14 acre estate is a tranquil combination of formal English gardens, native woodlands, and lush vegetation lining walking paths. The Bayou Bend, formally the estate of the incredible Ima Hogg, was donated to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston in 1957.  It is now the house museum for American decorative arts and paintings. 

CLIO GARDEN

Azaleas along the paths

Bayou Bend Main House

DIANA GARDEN

THE WOODLAND RAVINES boast native plants and carry rainwater to the Bayou 

Fun Facts:
**Bayou Bend has 7 trees on its property that are considered "Harris County champions" (exceptionally large trees): Yaupon Holly, Flowering Dogwood, American Sycamore, Maidenhair Tree (Gingko), Two Winged Silverbell, PawPaw, Yellow Poplar, Winged Elm
** The River Oaks Garden Club has supervised the gardens since 1961.
** Ima Hogg is credited with bringing azaleas to Houston. (See Houston's annual Azalea Trail in April)
** The Bayou Bend is the first historic public garden in Texas to practice organic gardening. 

Upcoming Events in May:
Every Tuesday 1:30pm - 4:30pm  Sketching in the Gardens
Every Saturday 1:30-4:30pm  Photography in the Gardens
May 17     Texas Children's Art Festival  1-5pm (FREE)


Keep Exploring! xo The Bayou Botanist