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A memorial garden honoring Carroll Abbott, founder of the Native Plant Society of Texas, was dedicated at Riverside Nature Center on April 23.
The ceremony took place during the annual festival and native plant sale held at the nature center in Kerrville. Lonnie Childs, a local member of the Native Plant Society, presented a brief program describing Abbott’s life. Several of Carroll Abbott’s family members including sons Mark and Patrick, and friends who were close to the family, stood with the public, visitors and garden tenders.
Early in his career Abbott was involved in writing and editing for the Kerrville Daily Times. He became involved in politics in Austin and traveled around Texas on behalf of candidates. He assisted Lady Bird Johnson’s promotion of the National Highway Beautification Act. In 1970 he quit politics and devoted his time to wildflower preservation, started a seed company, and began publishing the Texas Wildflower Newsletter, in which he proposed the creation of the Native Plant Society of Texas.
He is best remembered for his work on behalf of Texas native plants. The fact that he lived most of his life in Kerrville motivated the Kerrville Chapter to make plans for a garden dedicated to his memory. Chapter members planted the garden with 65 of Abbott’s favorite plants, and will maintain the memorial. (See what they planted.)
The next time you are in Kerrville, check out some of Carroll Abbott’s favorite native plants at the Riverside Nature Center.
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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: Bill Hopkins
