Designing botanical gardens that appeal to kids is an art that has recently, well, blossomed. Whether set on single-acre plots, expansive formal estates, free-flowing meadows or in glass conservatories, many gardens now invite you to smell flowers, touch fuzzy leaves, feed fish and splash in fountains.

Spring is a great time to get reacquainted with the green outdoors, as tulips and azaleas provide the color you've craved all winter. At the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, your family will encounter an array of unusual flowers and participate in many festive activities.

AUSTIN, TEXAS

LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER:
Colorful year-round, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a 42-acre wildflower showcase that is especially beautiful from early spring, when bluebonnets bloom, through July. Climb the Observation Tower's spiral stone staircase to see the rainwater harvesting system and view the surrounding Hill Country. The Wildflower Days Festival offers scavenger hunts, arts, crafts and music. Free events at Children's Little House include food tasting, nature crafts, and visits with artists and entomologists. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for students, $2.50 for children five through 12, and free for kids four and under. Call (512) 292-4200.



Joan Huyser-Honig is a freelance writer in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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