Students gather seeds to spread along the north end of Mason Park next to Buffalo Bayou as part of beautification efforts. The initiative honors former first lady Lady Bird Johnson. | Brenda Franco/The Daily Cougar
UH’s Honors College Student Government Board Volunteer Committee took part in the fifth annual Lady Bird Tribute Wildflower Planting event Saturday at Mason Park to commemorate the former first lady’s appreciation for preserving the native wildflowers, plants and landscapes of Texas.
Honors College members, along with students from UH-Downtown and local high schools, helped sow seeds along 22 acres in one of four Houston-area parks and esplanades.
“It was really cool to get to talk to our sister school that is just a couple of miles away,” said Julie Heffler, co-chair of the Honors College SGB Volunteer Committee.
Heffler, a freshman in biochemistry who helped organize the event, said that Saturday’s mild and rainy weather was a good sign to see after they scattered seeds along the north end of Mason Park next to the Buffalo Bayou.
October is an opportune time to plant wildflowers like Bluebonnets because after germination, they are expected to be in full bloom by the spring.
The Houston Parks and Recreation Department provided the seeds and equipment needed for the event.
This was the first year the volunteer committee took part in the event.
The sowing of the seeds is done around the same time each year.
According to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Flower Center’s website, early October is the best time to sow Texas Bluebonnet seeds because this type of flower is an annual flower that germinates in the fall, grows through the winter and usually blooms towards the end of March to mid-May.
Nhon Le, a freshman biochemistry major at UH who is co-chair with Heffler for the SGB Volunteer Committee, said what he enjoyed most about this event was seeing the different groups of people participating at the event.
“It’s nice to be involved and to feel like I am a part of something,” Le said.
“I’m hoping I can find more events to help our group.”
Heffler said she hopes the committee can be part of the wildflower planting event again next year.
