Lady Bird Johnson passed away this afternoon at 4:12 pm. We should remember her not for being the wife of LBJ, but for being a pioneer of the environmental movement in the U.S. In Texas she'll be remembered for her work in promoting and studying native wildflowers, culminating in the establishment of the National Wildflower Research Center in Austin, TX. (Now renamed the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center).
Central Texans also have Lady Bird to thank for the hike and bike trail along town lake, as well as the spectacular fields of wildflowers seen every spring and summer along Texas highways. Her work also ushered in the modern vogue of native planting in this area. It's no longer uncommon to see private properties planted entirely with native species. There's a home near my office with a lawn entirely composed of wildflowers. With all the rain we've had this year, it's lovely.
In many ways, Texas sucks. But you can't drive in the Texas hillcountry during the springtime and not thank both God and Lady Bird for the gifts she's given all of us.
Johnson was 94.
Some photos of our texas landscape.
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7 comments:
I was 12 when she became First Lady,and even at this young age, I felt she took Jaqueline's place admirably. She was a LADY. A very SMART, well spoken, gracious LADY. I felt she was smarter than her husband, and was more politically savvy than her husband (though I did not put it in these terms at the time)She added much to this country. R.I.P., Lady Bird
what a wonderful tribute, 4LG. I did not know about her texan wildflowers. What a nice way to remember her.
I love the photos, FLG, thank you.
You're welcome guys.
It's one of the few things about texas I really like.
Nicely said, FLG. The planting of native species is now used by highway depts across the country. It's so common sense that it's no wonder it took so long to become commonplace, and Ladybird was the one who started the whole thing.
She was a good and decent human being.
What the hell else is there? G_d bless her.
.GWPDA
My partner lived for 11 years in San Antonio and also went up to the Hill Country often and always remembers the bluebonnets between San Antonio and there... thanks to Lady Bird.
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