[NFBSATX] info for those going to the Botanical Gardens tomorrow

Fri Apr 24 19:48:23 UTC 2026

We all need to be at the Botanical Gardens tomorrow by 9:45 AM. There will
be about 30 people in the tour so please be on time. When you arrive, let
the staff at the kiosk know you are with the National Federation of the
Blind tour scheduled for 10 AM. The tour will last approximately an hour and
it will be a lot of walking so bring something to keep hydrated. Some might
go out to eat afterwards but that information is not available at this time.
Below you will find a link to audio descriptions of the sculptures currently
displayed at the gardens. There will also be QR codes handed out for those
audio descriptions. Below my signature are text descriptions sent by the
Botanical Gardens of the plants  we will encounter. 

Botanical Gardens

555 Funston Place

San Antonio, TX 78209

Audio tour can be found at 

https://sabgtx.org/exhibition/otherwild/

The front gates to the Garden are located at the intersection of Funston St
and N New Braunfels St. Upon entering, there is a building to your immediate
left. That is a separate building not affiliated with the Garden. On your
right is our Parking Lot A where you will find the closest parking spots to
the Garden entrance. If Lot A is full, you can park in Lot C, just past
theforementioned  building on your left. To enter the Garden after parking,
go to the entrance furthest left, up a wide path where a ticket kiosk is
located at the top of a slight hill. 

See you all there!

Best regards,

Wendy Walker, President

NFBTX San Antonio Chapter

Common Plants at The Garden 

Turk's cap (Malvaviscus arboreus) 

A soft, leafy shrub about waist to chest high. The leaves feel thin and
slightly fuzzy, with a gentle point at the tip and soft, uneven edges. The
flowers are small and tubular, about the size of your thumb, and stay mostly
closed like a tightly twisted ribbon. If you touch one, it feels smooth and
slightly springy. Hummingbirds are often nearby, so you may hear wing buzz
around it. 

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) 

A woody herb that feels like a small, stiff bush. The leaves are narrow and
needle-like, about the length of a fingernail, and slightly rough on top
with a softer underside. When you rub the leaves between your fingers, they
release a strong, sharp, pine-like scent that's unmistakable. The stems are
firm and woody, not soft. 

Sycamore leaves (Platanus occidentalis) 

These leaves are about the size of your open hand or bigger. They feel thin
but slightly leathery, with deep cuts that divide the leaf into several wide
"fingers." The edges are somewhat jagged. If you run your fingers along the
surface, you can feel the thick veins branching out from the center like a
map of raised lines. 

Corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum) 

This plant is known for its dramatic size and smell. When it blooms, the
flower can be as tall as a person. The outer petal feels thick and slightly
waxy. The non-blooming corpse flower does not resemble a flower at all but
instead feels like a small, tree-like plant made from a single structure. A
thick, upright stalk rises from the ground, firm and smooth with a slightly
waxy feel, and may have faintly uneven patches. At the top, it spreads into
a wide, umbrella shape made up of many thin, flexible leaflets that feel
soft and delicate, each with a pointed tip and smooth edges. When you run
your hand along the plant, it feels more like one large, divided leaf than
separate branches. There is no strong odor at this stage-only a mild, fresh,
earthy plant smell, unlike the powerful rotting scent it produces when
blooming.  

Mexican buckeye (Ungnadia speciosa) 

A small tree or large shrub with smooth, slender branches. The leaves are
made of several narrow leaflets arranged along a central stem, each leaflet
about finger-length and smooth-edged. The seed pods are round and firm,
about the size of a ping-pong ball, and feel slightly leathery. When they
dry, they can split open with a noticeable pop. 

Apricot tree (Prunus armeniaca) 

A small to medium tree with a sturdy trunk and spreading branches you can
often reach from the ground. The leaves are palm-sized, smooth, and slightly
heart-shaped with a pointed tip. They feel soft and a bit thin, with fine,
toothed edges. The fruit is about the size of a golf ball with soft,
slightly fuzzy skin. When ripe, it feels tender and gives a little under
gentle pressure, and it has a mild, sweet smell. 

Peach tree (Prunus persica) 

Usually a bit smaller and more delicate feeling than many fruit trees. The
leaves are long and narrow and smooth and flexible, with finely serrated
edges. The fruit is round and covered in a noticeable soft fuzz. When you
hold a ripe peach, it feels velvety and slightly yielding. The scent is
sweet and fragrant, stronger than an apricot. 

Inland sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) 

A clumping grass that grows in loose bunches about knee- to waist-high. The
leaves are long, flat, and flexible, with a smooth surface and a gentle arch
as they grow. The most distinctive feature is the seed heads: they hang down
from thin stems and feel like flat, papery ovals. When dry, they rustle
softly in the wind and can feel crisp and delicate between your fingers. 

Otherwild Exhibition Pieces 

Fountain Floral 

This tree is 10ft high, 9ft wide, and 8.5ft deep, with a sturdy trunk made
of metal that feels smooth but subtly textured, as if it has a faint grain
running along it. The trunk has a slightly irregular, natural shape and
appears layered, with darker and lighter colors blending together. From it
extends many twisting branches, some with small cracks where thick, glossy
forms flow outward like sap that has hardened in place. Hanging from the
branches are clusters of rounded, petal-like shapes made from smooth
acrylic, grouped closely together so they look like bunches of small
flowers. These clusters are lightweight and able to move, gently shifting
and swaying with the wind. Scattered throughout are many flat, thin
elements-like leaves or plates-that catch light and create shifting
reflections and color as they overlap. The overall form feels dense and
full, with hundreds of individual pieces creating a layered surface of
smooth, curved shapes, giving the impression of a lush, flowering tree with
constant subtle motion. 

8-Bit Aspen 

This tree is 17ft high, 11ft deep, and 9.5 feet wide, with a straight,
upright trunk that feels solid and sturdy. The surface of the trunk has a
textured pattern with raised, eye-shaped marks, giving it a slightly bumpy,
irregular feel similar to natural bark. From the trunk extends many branches
that spread outward, forming a broad canopy. Instead of soft, natural
leaves, the canopy is made of countless small, flat, rectangular pieces
arranged in layers. Each piece has straight edges and smooth surfaces,
creating a blocky, geometric texture meant to represent 8-bit processors.
When you move your hand across them, they feel rigid and evenly shaped
rather than curved or flexible. The leaves are packed densely, forming
clusters that feel thick and structured. Some parts may shift slightly with
the wind, but overall the shapes remain flat and orderly. The whole tree has
a distinctly pixelated, constructed look, combining the familiar form of an
aspen tree with sharply defined, repeating shapes. 

Wizened Star Tree 

This wide, low-reaching tree sculpture spreads much farther sideways than it
rises, with a long, dramatic branch that stretches outward like it is
leaning strongly in one direction, as if pushed by constant wind. It is
9.6ft tall, 17ft wide, and 7ft deep. The trunk is thick and heavy, with a
rough, deeply textured surface that feels uneven, almost like twisted rope
or layered strips of metal wrapped and pressed together. The bark-like
texture includes raised lines and ridges that create a veiny, rugged feel
under the hand. The branches extend in irregular angles, some reaching far
out and others bending sharply, giving the whole structure a strained,
off-balance posture. Covering the branches are many small, pointed metal
pieces shaped like sharp leaves that they cluster tightly together, creating
a spiky surface that feels dense and slightly prickly to the touch. Some of
these pieces can shift gently with the wind, adding subtle movement. The
leaves are a smooth acrylic embedded among the metal, catching and
reflecting light so they glint and shimmer against the darker, rough
surface. The overall impression is of a tough, wind-beaten tree with a
jagged, textured form and a strong sense of tension and movement. 

Dichroic Tree 

This tree is 11 feet tall, 18 feet wide, and 18 feet deep. It is made of
many clear, flat, leaf-like pieces that shimmer and change color as they
move in the light, shifting between pink, blue, and gold. The translucent
surfaces catch and scatter sunlight, casting colorful reflections onto the
ground and surrounding areas and creating a sparkling, almost glowing
effect. The pieces gently move in the wind and occasionally touch, producing
a soft clacking sound. Hidden within the branches is a small nest with
crystal-like eggs. 

Spiral Blossom 

This tree is 7 feet wide and 7 feet deep and 10 feet tall, with a dark black
metal trunk that rises from the ground and twists upward like a swirling
column of wind, similar to a small tornado. The steel trunk feels solid and
smooth but has a sense of motion in its shape, widening and narrowing as it
spirals. Around the trunk, several metal branches spread outward, each
holding many small, flat pieces shaped like simple petals. These pieces are
pink and white and attached so they can spin freely, like tiny pinwheels,
creating a sense of constant movement when the wind blows. The branches have
a slightly textured, handcrafted look, with raised lines that resemble veins
in leaves. At the base, the tree sits on a sculpted rock form that feels
like rough stone, with uneven surfaces and embedded strips of smooth, glassy
crystals that catch and reflect light, giving off small sparkles. The
overall impression is of a stylized, whimsical tree that blends natural
shapes with mechanical motion. 

Chime Tree 

A graceful, weeping tree that is 10.2 ft high, 18 ft wide, and 15ft deep. It
is made from smooth, curved steel branches that flow downward like a weeping
willow tree, with clusters of dangling strands that resemble long leaves.
These strands are made of beads, shimmering colored pieces, and soft fabric
streamers that catch the sunlight and glow with hints of red, orange, and
iridescent tones, gently swaying, bouncing, and wiggling in the breeze.
Hidden chimes inside the clusters create soft, varied tinkling sounds when
the wind moves through them, and the overall effect feels fluid and calming.

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