Alpine
A large crowd of gardeners and garden lovers gathered at the Alpine Public Library on the afternoon of December 6 for the opening of Alpine’s newest garden—the Patty Manning Pollinator Garden. The garden is dedicated to the late Patty Manning, a botanist known state-wide for her botanical talent. Manning was particularly dedicated to the plants of the Trans-Pecos, and the garden reflects this. Its native plants, flowers and trees are enclosed by gravel paths which create an intimacy with each of the garden beds.
The garden, the brain child of Price and Julie Rumbelow, along with the Big Bend Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) and the Tierra Grande chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists, was designed by Marfa landscape designer Jim Martinez, and the plants in it came from last spring’s native plant sale and through the generosity of over 250 donors. With benches and a calming fountain, the park will be not only a great place to rest, read and learn about plants and trees, but it will also be a location for classes and workshops on the Trans-Pecos and the native plants that cover the hills and pastures where we live.
The Alpine Public Library is located at West Ave E and 13th Street. Service dogs only are permitted. Those who would like to make a donation to the future of the garden—for plants, irrigation and maintenance—may send a check to NPSOT, P.O. Box 1265, Alpine, Texas 79831, or you may bring a check to the library’s circulation desk or use the QR code on the library’s website.