Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens

One of Houston’s largest and most interesting botanical gardens is the Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens. Located near Cypress Creek, the gardens cover over 300 acres of beautiful forests, flowerbeds, and wilderness. The Mercer Arboretum was founded by Thelma and Charles Mercer back in the 1940s, and since then, it has expanded and grown, becoming a public facility in 1974.

The arboretum is actually split by the Aldine Westfield Road. To the east is the beautiful botanic garden. It covers over 20 acres of landscaped gardens that include tropical plants, herbs, endangered species, and bamboo. If you’re looking to get some exercise while enjoying the beautiful plants, you’ll find many different walking paths. One of these is the Remembrance Walk, a path that winds around various memorials. You can also stop by the visitor’s center, the courtyard plaza, and enjoy sitting beside a number of relaxing ponds.

On the west side is the arboretum itself. This area features two different playgrounds for children, a picnic area for those wishing to eat lunch outdoors, a couple of barbecue pavilions, and more. The walking trails that wind around the arboretum pass through many different preserved woods and make for a nice, relaxing hike for those who want a bit more wilderness in their walking.

So what exactly can you do at Mercer besides walk around and enjoy the sites? If you love canoeing, you can make a reservation and head out onto the water. The pavilions and picnic areas make great places to hold family reunions, birthday parties, or other events. There’s also a small tea house in which you can take refreshment and enjoy a time-honored tradition.

During August, you’ll find a number of nice flowers in bloom in Mercer. These include the bright purple thunbergia battiscombie (the scrambling sky flower), the tiny salvia uliginosa (Bog Sage), and the star shaped crinum americanum (seven sisters). These bright flowers are just a few among the many amazing blooms you’ll see while exploring Mercer Arboretum and Botanic Gardens. If you need a relaxing weekend or just want to spend an afternoon under the sun, head out to the gardens and enjoy your day.