Mayor Linda Anthony told City Council on July 13 she wants to turn the plants, trees and shrubbery around City Hall into an educational demonstration site where citizens can learn about native plant species, erosion and horticulture.

“It would be a place where people would want to come, maybe sit out and have lunch, come read a book,” she said.

Anthony said she has received citizen feedback about the lack of a city park and hopes the new site could serve as a city park.

She said her vision includes removing the invasive plants found around the city facility and planting new, indigenous vegetation. She said she wants to model the “teaching garden” after the restoration project at The University of Texas’ Neill-Cochran House Museum, where native plants were added.

Anthony said she would like to install educational markers identifying the plants and is also interested in using an interactive mobile application that identifies plants.

She said she would also like to have an educational blog on the city’s website to identify the plants outside City Hall, chronicle the area’s restoration, and feature a “plant of the month.”