It has been a decade since the McGovern Centennial Gardens were founded at Houston's Hermann Park.

According to a Dec. 4 news release from the Hermann Park Conservancy, the nonprofit group, which stewards and aims to improve the park, will host a free celebration on Dec. 7 from 9 a.m.-noon to honor the 10-year anniversary.

The details

The event will feature complimentary coffee, drinks, sweet treats and popcorn, as well as face painting, lawn games, garden-related activities and music.
The 8-acre site has a variety of themed garden rooms arranged around the Centennial Green lawn. (Courtesy Houston First Corporation)
The eight-acre garden is "one of Houston's iconic outdoor destinations for family picnics, relaxing strolls, special events and moments of discovery in its many natural spaces" according to the release.

The main entry into the Gardens is through the Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion, which was designed by Peter Bohlin, architect of Apple stores worldwide, per Hermann Park Conservancy's website.


By the numbers

McGovern has a variety of themed garden rooms—including the Arid, Rose, Celebration and Woodland gardens—all arranged along a spacial central lawn called the Centennial Green.
The Hawkins Sculpture Garden has 10 busts from around the world, according to the Hermann Park Conservancy website. (Houston First Corporation)
Its educational Family Garden produces seasonal vegetables, herbs and fruit trees, according to its website.

The garden also features:
  • Nearly 500 trees
  • 50 tree species
  • 760 hedge shrubs
  • 55,000 perennial bulbs
  • 650 azaleas
  • 4.5 acres of grass
The backstory
McGovern Centennial Gardens boasts thousands of flowers and 4.5 acres of greenery. (Courtesy Hermann Park Conservancy)
Opened in 2014, McGovern Centennial Gardens were transformed from the former Houston Garden Center into the custom-made site to commemorate Hermann Park's 100th anniversary, according to its website.