I have been in Oklahoma City for the week since my husband is here for a conference, and I wanted to check another state off my list. So, while he is at his conference during the day, I have been seeing the sights! Or sites? Both I guess. One place I wanted to be sure to visit was the Botanical Gardens in downtown Oklahoma City. I was curious about how they could fit botanical gardens in a downtown area, but it did not disappoint!
Most of the fifteen acres of the gardens are outside and free to the public to walk around. I can imagine working downtown and walking through there everyday during a lunch break from my high-stress job in finance or real estate or whatever it is that people do that work in downtown areas. Glad I’m a teacher. Nothing stressful about that. The beds boast a wide variety of perennials that are planted such that something will be in bloom even through the summer. Right now, some of the plants look a little sparse, but they will be gorgeous later in the season and year. While it is early to see those lush landscapes now, I love how they make use of repetition and year-round foliage to create beautiful settings.
The repetition of the Mexican Feather grass with the stone steps and grassy areas between steps creates a serene, beautiful area even though it is mostly brown now. Drought-tolerant landscaping doesn’t have to look barren with randomly interspersed cacti. It can create stunning visual effects.
The tulips, however, are GORGEOUS. Not much to say about them except that their vibrant colors make any garden bed look better. They transitioned from one color to its analogous color down the whole bed, and it almost made me forget the windy, mid-40s temperature.
In the background, you can see the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. You have to go in through the visitor’s center and pay to experience the tropical paradise that is inside. That is not hyperbole. It is an actual jungle in there. It is worth the price! I have a membership to Cheekwood Botanical Gardens which is part of a reciprocal admissions program through the American Horticultural Society. So, since I have a membership at Cheekwood, I got in free! It’s only $55 a year, and I think it is worth it to be able to get in to any other reciprocal garden as well.
From the second I walked in, a canopy of plants and lights mesmerized me. The farther I went, the more I began to wonder. How long did it take to plant everything in here? How long have some of these plants been here? What spread naturally, and what took some effort? The Gardens look so mature and so natural. There are waterfalls, ponds, trees, orchids, tropical plants, and succulents. It looks and feels like you are in a jungle. When I saw a thermometer reading 83 degrees, it makes sense why it feels that way. Here are just a few of the pictures I took:
I loved seeing orchids growing in the “wild” rather than in those little white pots that you get at Kroger. Don’t get me wrong. I love my orchid from Kroger, but there is something special about seeing orchids growing off a tree in a natural environment.
In addition to the tropical plants, they also had a dry/desert landscape on the far side of the Crystal Bridge. This showcased a wide variety of succulents including a collection of agaves and aloes. The way they planted and arranged the succulents show that they don’t have to look like they are part of a desolate, barren wasteland. Creative containers and groupings of succulents make it look lush.
One last feature of the Crystal Bridge at Myriad Gardens that I loved were various “Scent Sational Plants” throughout where you could rub the leaves and smell various aromas such as root beer, ginger, and cinnamon. Okay. Maybe it doesn’t sound that exciting, but I am a tactile person, so when I was finally allowed to touch a plant, I was on board. My husband doesn’t understand why I have to touch nearly every item of clothing in a store, but I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE. So, to be able to touch and smell a plant puts me in hog heaven.
I would love to go back and perhaps do a guided tour to learn more about the history behind the gardens as well as more about the plants seen throughout. All in all, it was a great way to spend my morning. I even found free parking downtown, which is pretty much unheard of in the downtown of most metropolitan areas. And for those millenials that make decisions because of their dogs rather than spouses or children, there is even an off-leash dog park.
