Lady Bird Johnson Loved & Conserved Them
I'm not a Texas girl. Yet one of the things that I like best about Texas are the wildflowers. With 268,000 square miles - most of it undeveloped - there is plenty of room for a riot of wildflowers! Bluebonnets, paintbrushes, phlox and salvia are just the beginning.
Here's a brief introduction to Wildflowers in Texas, and Lady Bird Johnson, the First Lady of America that actively worked to conserve this terrific heritage.
This introduction picture is of the Mexican Hat wildflower:
Ratibida columnaris (Asteraceae) A robust, drought tolerant annual to perennial variety native to the mid west and has naturalized throughout North America. The characteristic black, cone-shaped heads are surrounded by drooping, fire-red ray flowers with a splash of yellow accent. At maturity the upright branching stems may become woody.
An Influential Powerhouse in Her Own Right!
Ahead of her time.
At a time when campaigns weren't publicly funded, Mrs. Johnson invested her inheritance into the campaign for her husband to run for Congress. He was elected during the Great Depression, a challenging time for any politician.However, LBJ also during World War II, enlisted as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy, serving in the Pacific, 1941-1942.
While he was serving his country in both ways, Lady Bird Johnson ran his congressional office, doing the correspondence, dealing with political problems, meeting with constituents and in general being her husband's prime representative.
In 1943 she invested what remained of the settlement from her mother's estate into a nearly bankrupt radio station, which she operated and managed herself, and built it into a media conglomerate. As the station grew in influence and earnings, she invested in ranching properties, also managing these herself.
When First Lady Jackie Kennedy was unable to meet her engagements due to pregnancy, Second Lady Lady Bird Johnson filled in for her, travelling the country, campaigning on behalf of the Democratic Presidential ticket, and almost single handedly 'carried Texas' for their party.
She supported integration, even being spit on by segregationists, received prominent black women in the White House, and dealt with race issues with grace and poise.
She was present during the hideous assassination on JFK, assisted the First Lady to deal with that trauma, and unexpectedly took on the role of First Lady.
"Lady Bird Johnson also continued to manage her business and her success was publicly recognized when she was presented in 1961 with the Businesswoman's Award by the Business and Professional Women's Club, and in 1963 with an Industry Citation from the American Women in Radio & Television. She also was an active fundraiser for heart disease prevention in the Washington community and in 1962 received the Distinguished Achievement Award, from the Washington Heart Association." From First Ladies
The Texas Paintbrush
Indian Paintbrushes
Texas PaintbrushCastilleja indivisa (Scrophulariaceae)
An upright, hairy annual, perennial or biennial herb native to Texas with single erect stems and a slender taproot. The terminal red-orange flower color is a misconception. Actually the flower is tiny, creamy white to pale yellow, encircled by the red-orange leaf-like bracts.
Wildflower Resources
Wildflowers have a special tradition in Texas. Here are some of my favorite links to cool sites.
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- The place to go if you love wildflowers. For lifelong Texans, Lady Bird is the queen of wildflowers. She was instrumental in roadside beautification projects back in the 1960s before it was the cool thing to do. Now, the center is recognized internationally for the work it does.
- WildflowerHaven Reports
- Excellent forum with postings about wildflower sightings. They are just getting started for 2007, but if you live in Texas, stop by this web site before you start touring.
- Native American Seed
- These folks love helping preserve the natural environment. I'm not one of the true treehuggers, but I am totally impressed with the work these guys do. If you want wildflowers on your own property, check out their amazing catalog.
- Wildflower Identification
- This page is an excellent resource if you are trying to identify a Texas wildflower. Click on the flower name, and a window with a photo, growing area, and more details will pop up. Excellent!
- Wildflowers of Texas
- A celebratory website of the beautiful wildflowers in Texas
- Wildseed Farms of Texas
- John R. Thomas, Wildseed's founder and president, knows that color reigns on the vast, open fields along the highways. In 1983, there were very few sources for wildflower seeds; the seeds that were available were prohibitively expensive. The public's love of wildflowers and demands from landscape contractors and the highway department motivated Thomas to turn his sideline turf seeding business into a full-time wildflower farm. In addition, he developed a machine to plant the tiny seeds and another to harvest them. Then the new company pioneered the practice of planting wildflowers in rows on large acreage.
Spreading Wildflowers!
Learn about Texas wildflowers, wear a flower, enjoy some play time! That's what enjoying life in Texas is all about.
Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (Texas Natural History Guides)
Back when I was in school, every school kid had to do a project on Texas wildflowers. This looks exactly like the book I remember using in Mr. Petty's eighth grade science class - an updated version, of course. Wow, what wonderful memories!
Amazon Price: $15.56 (as of 01/04/2010) 
Howard Garrett's Plants for Texas
Howard Garrett is the god of Texas native landscaping and growing. While he includes many other kinds of native plants, this is an excellent resource on native Texas flowering plants. And of course, that means wildflowers!
Amazon Price: $14.93 (as of 01/04/2010)
Wildflowers in Texas, Wildflowers Note Card, 5x7
Just one of over 10,000 prints from Azaleas to Zinnias in the artist's Botanical gallery. Get one today.
Amazon Price: (as of 01/04/2010)
Texas Bluebonnet- the State Flower
Blue Texas Wildflower
Texas Bluebonnet: Lupinus texensis (Fabaceae)A hardy winter annual native to Texas. Adopted as the "State Flower of Texas", this is the most commonly seen variety along roadsides and in uncultivated pastures throughout the state. Flowers are densely arranged on a spike with a characteristic ice white terminal tip.
Ahead of Her Time? Ecology Minded All Her Life!
Conservationist Extraordinare!
"On her 70th birthday in 1982, Mrs. Johnson founded the National Wildflower Research Center, a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the preservation and re-establishment of native plants in natural and planned landscapes. She donated 60 acres of land and a sum of money to establish the Center which serves as a clearing house of information for people all over the country. She realized her long-held dream in 1995 when the Center moved into its new and larger facility. In December, 1997, the Center was renamed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in honor of Mrs. Johnson's 85th birthday. Mrs. Johnson is chairman of the Wildflower Center's board of directors.In honor of her 80th birthday and many contributions to the betterment of our environment, the Lady Bird Johnson Conservation Award was established in 1992 by the LBJ Foundation Board of Directors."
From the LBJ Presidential Library
Special Lady Bird Johnson Links
- Biography of Lady Bird Johnson
- Biography of First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, wife of President Lyndon Johnson.
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin
- "We are obligated to leave the country looking as good, if not better, than we found it." Lady Bird Johnson
- Images of Lady Bird Johnson: Introduction Page
- Images of Lady Bird Johnson Introduction Page from the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library
From the Presidential Library
Simple Loves of Her Husband, America, Wildflowers
"Mrs. Johnson is the author of A White House Diary, a record of her activities which she kept during the years her husband served as the 36th President of the United States. About writing A White House Diary, Mrs. Johnson has said, "I was keenly aware that I had a unique opportunity, a front row seat, on an unfolding story and nobody else was going to see it from quite the vantage point that I saw it." She also co-authored Wildflowers Across America with Carlton Lees." Lady Bird Johnson
First Lady, Queen of the Texas Wildflowers
Wildflowers Across America
Amazon Price: (as of 01/04/2010)
Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers: How a First Lady Changed America
Amazon Price: $14.03 (as of 01/04/2010)
Lady Bird: A Biography of Mrs. Johnson
Amazon Price: $26.95 (as of 01/04/2010)
A Texas Bluebonnet: Lady Bird Johnson (Presidential Wives Series)
Amazon Price: $35.00 (as of 01/04/2010)
Lady Bird Johnson on Wikipedia
Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson (December 22, 1912 - July 11, 2007)"Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady, Dies at 94", The New York Times, Associated Press, July 11, 2007 was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 during the presidency of her husband Lyndon B. Johnson. Throughout her life, she was an advocate for beautification of the nation's cities and highways and conservation of natural resources and she made that her major initiative as First Lady. After leaving the White House in 1969 and her husband's death in 1973, Lady Bird became an entrepreneur, creating the $150 million LBJ Holdings Company, and was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honors.
Visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Other Great Field Guides
Wildflowers of the Central South
Amazon Price: (as of 01/04/2010)
Wildflowers of North America: A Guide to Field Identification (Golden Field Guide from St. Martin's Press)
Amazon Price: $12.78 (as of 01/04/2010)
A Field Guide to Southwestern and Texas Wildflowers (Peterson Field Guide Series)
Amazon Price: $14.28 (as of 01/04/2010)
After a Full and Busy Life of Service, Lady Bird Johnson Passed Away
Thank You For Everything, Lady Bird!
The Former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson, nee Claudia Alta Taylor, widow of former US President Lyndon B Johnson, has died on July 11, 2007, at the age of 94. She was born in Karnack, Texas, and was living there at her death, a home which was the heritage plantation of her parents.She studied journalism and art and graduated from the University of Texas in 1934. She married Mr Johnson later that year. Her husband - who was the US president in 1963-1969 - died in 1973.
After leaving the White House, the couple returned to live in Austin.
She came to be First Lady during one of the most wrenching, heart breaking episodes in American history, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
She has left a wonderful legacy in her Texas wildflowers. My hope is that she will long be remembered for this with great affection and appreciation.
Her Passage was Beautiful
She will be laid in state at the President Lyndon Baines Johnson Library, in the exact spot her husband was.
Saying Goodbye to Lady Bird
We will surely miss her!
One of the GREAT Americans, Lady Bird Johnson had a beautiful and dignified farewell.
- BBC NEWS | Americas | US farewell to former first lady
- US ex-presidents pay respects to Lady Bird Johnson, the late wife of ex-President Lyndon B Johnson.
- President, Lady Bird Johnson had long association with Catholics - Catholic Online
- Lady Bird Johnson, an Episcopalian, died just after a Catholic priest finished reciting the litany of the saints with her family at her bedside in Austin, Texas.
- Lady Bird Johnson Receives Her Goodbye - New York Times
- Representatives of first families stretching back almost a half-century came to pay respect at the funeral of Lady Bird Johnson.
- Former presidents gather to bid farewell to Lady Bird Johnson
- AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Thousands of visitors streamed past the casket of Lady Bird Johnson on Saturday as former presidents and first ladies headed to Texas for her funeral service.
- Yankton Press & Dakotan: AP.Yankton.net
- AUSTIN, Texas ? Lady Bird Johnson's wit, wisdom and love of beauty ? in nature, in children and in democracy ? were remembered Saturday as family, friends and presidents bade farewell at her funeral.
"It is unthinkable to me that she's gone. She was so much a part of our landscape, so much a part of our lives," Bill Moyers, a television host and former aide to President Lyndon Johnson, said at the service.
The former first lady died Wednesday at age 94 of natural causes.
Along with her devotion to preserving wildflowers and native plants, Lady Bird Johnson worked tirelessly for her husband's political career, Moyers said. He recalled her marathon stumping through the South during the 1964 presidential campaign amid anger that raged at Lyndon Johnson over his signing of the Civil Rights Act. - Friends, family remember Lady Bird through stories, hymns - USATODAY.com
- Thousands of visitors streamed past the casket of Lady Bird Johnson as former presidents and first ladies headed to Texas for her funeral service Saturday.
- BBC NEWS | Americas | US former First Lady Johnson dies
- Claudia Alta Taylor Johnson, the wife of former US President Lyndon B Johnson, dies aged 94.
- BBC NEWS | Americas | Lady Bird Johnson buried in Texas
- Hundreds of people attend the burial in Texas of the wife of former US President Lyndon B Johnson.
These may interest you!
-
Amish Recipes
-
There is a lot made of certain Amish recipes, and it seems that every Amish recipe book and site has the same ones. That list is so short that it is a miracle the Amish can survive on such a limited diet! The truth is that the Amish have far more rec...
-
Spring Season Crocus
-
Hope Springs Eternal, and crocuses are a big part of the reason! In spite of repeated snows and frost, crocuses survive brightly, poking delicate heads over their icy blanket. Everyone seeks out the crocus as the first sign of sprin...
Another Honor that Really Belongs to Lady Bird Johnson
Lens of the Day
This lens first started out as purely about Texas Wildflowers. I later added information about Lady Bird Johnson, because of her incredible influence in protecting Texas wildflowers, and her drive to beautify and improve America. I didn't think about her age at the time, because she was still so healthy. The real interest in this page came at her death, a great loss for all of us. Due to all of that, this lens received the honor of Lens of the Day. I think this honor should be hers, in respect of the passing of one of the greatest First Ladies America has ever had. My take on Spring Season flowers- Crocus!
- Hope where we can find it- spring season crocus
- Mother nature cherishes the tender, the weak, the fragile. Mother nature nourishes new and precious life and makes a home for everyone, everything.
Another Incredible Human Being
If you liked this page about Lady Bird Johnson, Look Here Too!
I LOVE great people and the extraordinary things they do. I invite you to visit this short page about a human being I so admire! His is an amazing story, and the world is better off because of his perceptivity and strength!-
Andrew Vachss: Protector of Children, Rescuer of Dogs, Agent of Change
-
Andrew Vachss is not especially well known, in the celebrity sense. Yet he is an important, influential and even heroic man in the best sense of the word. Some know him as a top-notch crime writer, others as a lawyer, others as someone who works with...
Please Leave Your Comments, Gratitude and Condolences.
Lady Bird Johnson was so important to her people!
In the event the family or other loved ones see this page, they will be pleased with your memories of Lady Bird, of your impressions of her, what you found significant, and how you will remember her.
submit
-
Reply
- NickJ1000 NickJ1000 Dec 17, 2009 @ 9:31 am
- Its the sky in Texas - so huge and bright. The flowers are spectacular too as you have eloquently pointed out! Texas is where my heart is and I will return there one day. Thanks for evoking such rich memories.
tanzanite rings
-
Reply
- Nikki Nikki Dec 13, 2009 @ 8:23 am
- Texas was my favourite place, loved the spirit there and being a farmer have always been interested in nature and all it's glories.
Resveratrol Extenze Colon Cleanse Acai Berry Teeth whitening
-
Reply
- boutiqueshops boutiqueshops Aug 13, 2009 @ 10:38 pm
- Great tribute to a great lady! lensrolled to my Claudia Lady Bird Johnson lens!
-
Reply
- Heather426 Heather426 Mar 24, 2009 @ 1:23 pm
- great lady, great state, great lens. My family roots are in Tx on both sides. Graduated from high school there, and went to UT Austin where I went to church with Luci Baines Johnson and used to talk to her there. Always loved the Bluebonnets and Indian Paint Brush and was proud of Lady Bird for her advocacy for the flowers. The LBJ library is built on land where I lived in college.So this lens brought nostalgic thoughts. 5*
-
Reply
- KimGiancaterino KimGiancaterino Mar 10, 2009 @ 2:56 pm
- Wonderful lens... it also reminds me that I have two packets of Arizona wildflowers to plant!
-
Reply
- Spook Spook Mar 7, 2009 @ 11:37 am
- Another masterpiece so typical of everything you do. I'm not American but have always loved it and it's people. When I toured America in my youth, Texas was my favourite place, loved the spirit there and being a farmer have always been interested in nature and all it's glories.
-
Reply
- Spook Spook Mar 7, 2009 @ 11:37 am
- Another masterpiece so typical of everything you do. I'm not American but have always loved it and it's people. When I toured America in my youth, Texas was my favourite place, loved the spirit there and being a farmer have always been interested in nature and all it's glories.
-
Reply
- dugu dugu Feb 21, 2009 @ 12:46 pm
- Really loved those flowers. I guess I miss texas
Dugu
Eczema
-
Reply
- darlkay52 darlkay52 Feb 6, 2009 @ 3:59 am
- I'm a fan of Kansas Wildflowers, but have always admired Ladybird Johnson and her promotion of Texas wilflowers. Inspiring lens!
-
Reply
- msbaby msbaby Jan 1, 2009 @ 7:22 pm
- Lady Bird Johnson was a Steel Magnolia of the first water. A lady to be admired not only for her love of beauty but her willingness to actually do something to foster and preserve it. Your article is very inspiring and I'm glad I found it.
-
Reply
- OhMe OhMe Nov 9, 2008 @ 5:50 am
- A beautiful tribute to an amazing woman. Very well done. I do love Wildflowers and greatly appreciate all the efforts and hard work of Lady Bird Johnson.
-
Reply
- coopd coopd Sep 8, 2008 @ 12:25 pm
- Lady Bird Johnson was a remarkable woman. Great information!
-
Reply
- Tiddledeewinks Tiddledeewinks Aug 20, 2008 @ 2:34 pm
- Sounds like she was a great lady! Nice tribute lens.
-
Reply
- CherylK CherylK Jun 23, 2008 @ 8:19 pm
- What a lovely tribute. Beautiful lens.
-
Reply
- dc64 dc64 Jun 18, 2008 @ 2:16 pm
- Superb!
-
Reply
- ElizabethJeanAllen ElizabethJeanAllen May 31, 2008 @ 7:59 pm
- Lady Bird is an inspiration to us all.
5*
Lizzy
-
Reply
- SusanVillasLewis SusanVillasLewis May 22, 2008 @ 1:48 pm
- Welcome to the Lone Star State group! Happy you could come play with us Texans.
-
Reply
- newsgirl newsgirl May 14, 2008 @ 12:16 am
- What an admirable woman! Worked so hard for the country, and with such dignity! Proof positive that you can make a huge difference all your life!
-
Reply
- chefkeem chefkeem Apr 10, 2008 @ 1:19 am
- Are you telling me you live in my neck of the woods, Margaret? Austin? Hill Country? The LBJ Wildflower Center sells my line of chocolates with beautiful flower wrappers I've created for them. I describe my custom chocolate business on my lens "Cool Gift Ideas".
-
Reply
- Eclectic_Muse Eclectic_Muse Mar 17, 2008 @ 11:51 am
- Super lens! I am a Texas girl and I can tell you that the wildflowers are absolutly spectacular! I spent many hours at LBJ park, it's a little piece of heaven. Thanks for taking me back to my youth.
- Load More
Margaret Schaut blog
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byby Margaret_Schaut
After the Kennedys, the Johnsons were the first Presidential couple I was old enough to remember. I recall that I found great comfort in President an...
(more)Explore related pages
Fabulous Chili Recipes- As we chili lovers know, there a many different type of chili. There are also mi...
Erte & The Golden Age of Hollywood- Before Erte, women were stuck in Victorian Era clothing- corsets, button up boot...
Technocalypse: Scientists Proclaim Transhumanism, Nanotech & the End of the World- It wasn't long ago that our media and our scientists were ridiculing everyone wh...
The Louvre: Essential, Little Known Tourist Tips- Paris had never been on my 'places to go' list. I believed the stereotypes about...
Rumor has it ....: Gossip, Scandals & Rumors -Celebrities, Business, Politics & Everywhere- It's all about the rumors and gossip, isn't it? We love hearing 'secret' things...
Squidoo It All:: Why Should YOU Squidoo?- LOTS of folks have asked me, would Squidooing help me? Why should I Squidoo when...
