Monday, February 18, 2008

Hartman Prehistoric Garden

Copyright © 2007-2008. Suburban Wildlife Garden. All Rights Reserved.

After finding out from the orthopedic surgeon that my son will need spinal surgery this summer, we decided to take a break from our worries and visit the Hartman Prehistoric Garden within the Zilker Botanical Garden.



In 1992 dinosaur tracks were found on this site. They were mapped and preserved. Plants were chosen for the garden that would have been there at the time of the dinosaurs like this Desert Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera)...


What a wonderous waterfall...


My son was excited to find some ammonites...


And we could see something staring at us from across the water as well...



Hard to believe anything could eat these various types of Sagos (Cycas), but we're told some dinosaurs found them quite yummy.

We finally found something blooming as we walked by this Chinese Fringe Flower (Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum)




Uh oh! Cool footprints!


My son went to investigate...



"Do you see anything?"

"What's that you say, dear? It's an Ornithomimus?"
Okay, so he's all about reading the plaque. I'm just glad the creature wasn't alive.
Ornithomimus was 12 foot long and 7 foot high. That's one big turkey. Yikes!

Where's Jeff Goldblum when you need him?




Back to reality...

The winding stream was singing beneath these green branches.


The petrified forest was awesome.


Up close we could still make out the bark of the trees.



The birds and spider webs in this iron gate are amazing.



A purple water lily peeked out of the reflecting pool.



While these annuals popped with color, reminding me that it's time to plant some of my own.


"All my hurts my garden spade can heal."-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Well, almost...

Copyright © 2007-2008. Suburban Wildlife Garden. All Rights Reserved.