Wildflower Guide / Wildflower drives around Texas
April 24, 2024
The Hill Country is blessed with a bountiful bouquet of wildflowers each spring when the weather cooperates. Almost any portion of this route offers the possibility of spotting glorious displays. The roads between Marble Falls, Burnet, Lampasas, San Saba, Mason, Llano, Fredericksburg and JohnsonCity are some of the most tried-and-true trails.
Shield Ranch family celebrates 80 years of ranching and conservation in Austin
August 30, 2019
Situated off Hamilton Pool Road within Austin’s city limits lies Shield Ranch—6,800 acres of conserved land, flowing creeks and long-standing historical structures. The property is owned by the Shield-Ayres family, who decades ago made the decision to commit the land to the
goal of conservation.
Austins historic 70'2 Bloomhouse
March 09,2020
When David and Susan Claunch started their search for short-term rental properties, they didn’t expect to stumble upon a piece of Austin history. Nestled in the woods of West Lake Hills, David recalls finding Bloomhouse listed in the insert of a magazine. With its organic shape and ethereal concrete dome, the structure was far from the investment piece the couple had in mind; the very thing that made it beautiful also rendered it completely impractical for modern life—much less for tenants. But for David, Bloomhouse was a time capsule from a bygone era, a passion project and an opportunity to preserve a piece of Austin’s soul.
Turn your garden into a certified wildlife habitat
August 06, 2018
Being “certifiable” isn’t always a good thing, but having a garden certified as a wildlife habitat is.
Founded in 1936, the National Wildlife Federation works across the country to promote conservation of the natural world. Austin is the home of the South Central Regional Center of NWF, an area that includes 12 states...