ALL MOPS ACTIVITY: Friday, October 22nd

The Natural Gardener

8648 Old Bee Caves Road

Austin, Texas 78735

Phone (512) 288-6113 Fax (512) 288-6114

www.naturalgardeneraustin.com

Our first All-MOPS Activity will be on Friday, October 22nd. We will be going to The Natural Gardener. We will meet there at 9:45 a.m., have a tour from 10:00-11:00 a.m., then picnic together on the grounds. We hope you'll join us! All-MOPS Activities are a great way to hang out with your MOPS friends and their kiddos! Directions from the Natural Gardener website:

From the north:
Heading south on MoPac, take the Southwest Parkway exit. Turn right onto Southwest Parkway. Check the odometer, go 4.5 miles and turn left onto Travis Cook Road. Go about 1/2 mile on Travis Cook Road until it dead ends into Old Bee Caves Road. The Natural Gardener is at that intersection on the right.

From the south:
Take Hwy 290/Hwy 71 West into Oak Hill. When you reach the "Y" take Hwy. 71 west. Go about 1 mile to traffic light at Fletcher. Turn right onto Fletcher and go about 1/4 mile until it dead ends into Old Bee Caves Road. Turn left onto Old Bee Caves Road and go 1/2 to 3/4 mile. The Natural Gardener is on the right.

Activity Day Contacts:
Karol M 661-330-6913(c) or Janna V 293-1357(c)

There will be...

* A butterfly garden
* A vegetable garden
* An herb garden
* Donkeys
* Chickens
* Goats
...and more

*IMPORTANT--PLEASE READ*
Natural Gardener Tour Policy

The Natural Gardener is a wonderful tour site for all ages. We are situated on eight acres, featuring vegetable and herb gardens, an orchard, a butterfly garden, native and adapted plant gardens, a labyrinth, a tipi, waterfalls, and a wildflower meadow, along with donkeys, chickens, and goats. We are a full-scale plant nursery specializing in native and well-adapted trees, shrubs, vines, xeric plants, and perennials, and offering a fabulous selection of herbs and vegetables, too. The Natural Gardener is also known for the quality of our soils, composts, and mulches, available bagged, bag-your-own, and in bulk. We are a world class gardening destination and teaching facility, dedicated to promoting time-tested organic gardening practices.

Because we enjoy sharing our love of gardening and organic practices with the public, we welcome youth and adult groups to tour our facility. In order to allow customers to shop in a carefree environment, to provide the most pleasant field trip experience, and for tours to run as smoothly as possible, the following are our expectations. Please review these expectations, and share them with each and every tour group member.

Thank you for your interest in touring The Natural Gardener, and your commitment in following these guidelines:

1. All visitors, children and adults, are expected to stay in their group with the tour guide. If visitors are on a self-guided tour, children must stay in their group under the constant supervision of the adults.

2. All visitors are expected to listen to the tour guide and participate in the discussion by raising a hand before talking. Visitors are asked to turn cell phones off or to a low volume. If a visitor receives an urgent call, we ask that they take the call away from the group so as not to disturb the tour.

3. The Natural Gardener is a working facility. Visitors are expected to be cautious of tools, stakes, and other hazards, as well as respecting the time and working space of our staff. In addition, we ask that visitors be respectful of our customers, keeping pathways clear and talking in relatively quiet tones.

4. Visitors should be safety-conscious at all times. Be aware of roadways within the property; be cautious around cacti, yuccas, and other spiny plants; don’t swat at bees or wasps; be aware of uneven walking surfaces; be on the lookout for snakes and keep your distance from them.

5. Visitors are expected to walk, not run, while on the property. Walk on the designated paths only, unless instructed otherwise. Be cautious not to step on plants or in garden beds.

6. Visitors are expected to respect all living things on the property. Please do not pick leaves, flowers, or other plant parts unless instructed otherwise, and do not kill any insects (except for mosquitoes)! Visitors are not to chase chickens or otherwise harass any of our animals. Please place litter and recyclables in their proper places.

7. Visitors are expected to respect boundaries and instructional signage. For example, do not cross the rope barrier at the waterfalls, nor enter the gates to the chicken, donkey, or goat pens.

8. Adults are expected to help enforce these guidelines with all of the students in their group. Tour groups are expected to have one adult supervisor for every ten children.

If these guidelines are not being followed, we reserve the right to ask visitors to leave the property.

Visiting The Natural Gardener is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a relaxing park-like setting and to learn about plants, ecology, organic gardening, and the natural world. Thank you for choosing to tour The Natural Gardener, and for seeking to learn more about our natural world. We hope that you enjoy your visit here!

Frequently Asked Questions about our Tours

When can we schedule a guided tour?

Guided tours may be scheduled any time of the year that the Natural Gardener is open except for the spring season: late February, March, April, and May. During spring, all of our staff is dedicated to customer service in the store and nursery, as it is our busiest season. From June through the beginning of February, we schedule tours on weekdays only, except by special arrangement.

Can we go on a self-guided tour?

Groups are certainly invited to schedule a self-guided tour with us. Group leaders are asked to schedule any self-guided tour with the tour coordinator at the Natural Gardener so that we have it on our calendar and we are aware that your group is coming. Also, self-guided tour leaders are expected to share the tour policy with their entire group, adults and children, and are expected to follow the guidelines. Groups any larger than 20 members must make special arrangements with the Natural Gardener tour coordinator. We may not be able to accommodate larger groups during the spring: February through May.

Are the facilities/grounds stroller/wheelchair friendly?

The grounds are stroller and wheelchair friendly in most areas, and adequate in others. The pathways are mostly compressed granite gravel, which is firm but sometimes bumpy. There are a couple of places where there is a significant incline. The vegetable garden paths are pine needle mulch, not granite, and may be more difficult to maneuver in a wheelchair.

Is there a place to eat lunch or have a picnic on the grounds?

We have one large picnic table, one set of bleachers, and a few tables and chairs in the orchard area. There is also a grassy area here if members of your group would like to lay out a blanket for a picnic. Please make sure that trash and recyclables are put in their proper place. Also, please do not block the passageways for other visitors walking through the orchard.

Where do we park?

We have 3 parking lots on the property. We would encourage folks to carpool whenever possible, and there is a possibility of more parking along Bell Road, which is just to the west of our property. Based on availability, we may ask large busses or large numbers of cars to park off site, but nearby.

Do we need to pay in advance or do we pay upon arrival? What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept cash, check, and Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. We prefer one single transaction (rather than multiple, individual payments). You can pay upon arrival, or in advance. Our cash registers can accept a maximum of 3 payment methods for a single transaction. For example, we can accept 3 different credit cards OR 1 credit card, 1 check, and the rest in cash, etc. – no more than 3 separate payments.

What is the cancellation policy?

Just give us a call in advance – there’s no problem with cancelling.

Will the tour happen rain or shine or will we reschedule in the event of rain?

We can reschedule if it’s raining or bad weather, based on availability.