STAFF REPORTS The Price Center’s chief gardener Dianne Wassenich is collaborating with other local volunteers and the San Marcos Discovery Center to plant a new pollinator garden on the Comanche side of the Price Center property.
Earlier this year, the Center installed a new Hummingbird Mural by local artist Michelle Wilson on the west side of the building, which served as the inspiration for the project.
“Our front garden is such a draw for people, insects, and wildlife that we wanted to expand it with an even stronger focus on native species and pollinators in particular,” said Clay DeStefdano, executive director.
The Centers garden is a certified-sustainable habitat due to its use of native species, low-water techniques and a wide variety of native and non-native pollinators that attract birds, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators year-round.
Planning for the new space began shortly after the mural completion.
DeStefano and Wassenich met with Discovery Center staff to select a cross-section of donated plants that were native, sun-loving, pollinators. The garden will include kidney wood tree, Texas sage, flameleaf sumac, red yucca and standing cypress.
Wassenich and fellow volunteer Carondelet Dember began prepping an area approximately 22’ x 4’ in late fall. As this is the sunniest and hottest side of the property, the plan is to plant the new bed in early winter to give things time to take root before the summer heat.
As part of the improvement efforts, the Center is also seeking donations of larger terracotta, ceramic, and/or cement planters (three gallon or larger) and larger garden art to incorporate into the new and existing garden spaces.
“A lot of our outdoor specimen plants are in plastic containers, which tend to crack and break from our weather extremes, and we’d like to convert them all to something more substantial,” said Wassenich. “If you have any extra planters or yard art and would like to donate them to the effort, please call or stop by the Center. We can even pick things up,” she added.
In addition to the Hummingbird Mural, the Center’s garden also features a growing display of other permanent art, including another mural, one of the San Marcos Mermaid statues, painted picnic tables, a giant Peacock, glass wind chimes and a mosaic sculpture and garden benches.
Stop by 222 W. San Antonio St. downtown for a closer look at this ever-changing and magical greenspace.
