Bird & Nature Walks

9 am - 11 am: Fall Plant Safari
This pre-sale tour led by the man behind the plants, Director of Horticulture Randy Johnson, shows you how to incorporate native and adapted plants into your landscape. The safari starts at the front of the gardens. Buy your admission before the tour and save time at the line! The lobby opens at 8:45 am for admission sales. Bring exact change for quicker entry. Credit cards and checks will also be accepted. Plant Safari attendees will enter the side gates into the plant sale area at 10 am, at the same time the main plant sale gates open. $15; $10 members.

11 am - 2 pm: Fall Plant Sale
Our fall sale gets bigger and better each year! While we don't offer a preview sale for members, you still receive 10 percent off, so remember to renew your membership! The fall sale offers many of the wonderful host and nectar plants from our spring sale, as well as hard-to-find native trees and shrubs.

Go on a guided tour of the Butterfly House and get a behind the scenes look at these winged wonders. Included with admission ($8/adults, $6/seniors 60+, and $4/children 3-11). Pay at door.

Visitors can tour native gardens outside, including the stunning Grande Allee fountain. Inside, a tropical butterfly house includes hundreds of free flying butterflies with daily butterfly releases at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The annual monarch tagging demonstrations will take place at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. New in 2011, the Texas Discovery Gardens Green Exhibit celebrates fun, easy ways to live more sustainably. Multiple vendors will be on hand with natural treats, eco-friendly transportation, and more. Sculptures and paintings throughout Texas Discovery Gardens connect art with nature, featuring the work of Silvia Thornton, Anne Neal, Dan and Lori Dudley, student sculptors at El Centro College, and more. We are also proud to unveil a public art display with the City of Dallas from Vancouver artists Michael Vandermeer and Cheryl Hamilton, featuring stunning glass and steel nature-themed pieces that hang from our two story lobby ceiling. Open daily from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. $3 admission.

(Girl Scout Basic 8 Camp)

Costs: Children (17 and under) $45 / Adults $60

Length of Time: Class begins Saturday morning at 9:30a.m. and goes through Sunday 2:30p.m.

Class Description

For those of you who want to camp but don't feel quite confident enough to go out on your own, this class will put you at ease in the outdoors for a camping adventure. With supervised guidance, you will easily learn how to use the equipment needed for basic camping, safe fire starting skills and cooking. We'll make sure you not only learn outdoor skills but have fun!!

Any Girl Scout in attendance, will complete and earn their "BASIC 8" patch.

1. Outdoor manners "Rules of the Trail"
2. Proper dress for outdoor activities
3. Basic knots
4. Knife care and handling (please bring sharpened pocket knife)
5. First Aid skills
6. Fire safety, construction, use, and extinguishing
7. Outdoor cooking skills
8. Nature conservation

Additional Topics include:

Costs:$150 for adults 16yrs up, $120 for 12-15yrs, $100 for 8-11yrs with adult.

Length of Time: Begins at 9:30am on the first day and goes through 2:30pm on the last day.  3 FULL days 2 nights.

Class Description

At any time, anywhere, things can go wrong and you might find yourself in a survival situation. You can survive 3 minutes without oxygen, 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food. To stay alive, you must find or build a shelter, obtain "safe" drinking water, start a fire and gather food. Survival 1 class will teach you how to build a simple shelter using natural materials, start a fire without matches, and find safe drinking water.

Costs:  Adults - 17 year olds $75 / 15-12year olds $60 / 11-8year olds $50   ****Call us about large family and group rates.

Length of Time: Begins Sat Morning at 9:30 and ending Sunday Afternoon at 2:30 pm.

Class Description

This class can be taken before or after the Primitive Survival Class 1. The survival sacred order is: Shelter, Water, Fire, Food. This "Class 2" covers the food aspect while "Class 1" covers the shelter, water and fire.

Nature's Supermarket is always open with a buffet of choices. Learning to gather and prepare wild edibles throughout the seasons is an exciting adventure, that includes both plant materials and animals. Then knowing how to prepare them into palatable meals is the next important step. The class cover the three aspects of Wild Edible Plants, Wild Meats, and Primitive Cooking.

Get in free all day.

A trail which is familiar by day becomes a whole new experience at night! Our fearless trail guides will lead you on an adventure in which owls hooting, coyotes howling and strange rustlings in the brush are wonderful possibilities.**

Animals and plants use the nighttime to their advantage, and we can sneak a peek into their world!

Cost: $12 non-members / $10 members

Closed toed shoes, long pants, and bug spray are recommended. Bring a flashlight with a red lens on it to protect your night vision while looking for nocturnal animals! Participants will be outdoors for at least an hour.

**Pre-registration for all Night Hikes is required. E-mail your request or call 972.562.5566 ext. 237.

Are you afraid of the dark? Most humans are. Learn about bats and other creatures that are active at night--their purpose, their habitat and how they live their day at night. Study the moon phases and explore how our human limitations feed our imaginations. Muster the courage to look in your closet. Discover why there is nothing to fear.

Included with Admission:

Adults: $9

Seniors & Kids 3-12: $6

Members & Kids under 2: Free

This family-friendly fall festival features starlight stroll, storytelling, karaoke, pumpkin patch, bounce houses and a variety of children's games, crafts and activities. All proceeds benefit the environmental education programs of River Legacy Living Science Center.

$7.  (Concessions and some acitivities have additional costs.)

October 7-9, 5-9pm daily.