The center also features North America's largest rooftop rainwater collection system, which provides water for all the gardens. The place to begin the tour of this unique center, however, is at the Visitor Gallery. Here, visitors are introduced to the Wildflower Center and can view interesting displays on the region's plant life. Young children especially will delight in hearing Ralph, the talking lawn mower, just one of the many features designed to appeal to children. Those interested in finding out more about specific plants can browse the research library.
Education remains the center's primary goal.
To that end, the center sponsors a number of conferences, lectures and workshops on a variety of topics, many in the center's 232-seat auditorium. It also operates a clearinghouse so people from across the country can obtain information about plants native to their region. The Wildflower Handbook , a source book on wildflowers and native plant landscaping, with nursery and information directories for all 50 states, is published by the Wildflower Center. The Visitors Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 AM to 4 PM, and from 1 PM to 4 PM on Sunday. After King Louis Philippe of France officially recognized the fledgling Republic of Texas in 1939, he named Alphonse Dubois de Saligny as charge d'affaires and sent him to Austin.