The Zilker Botanical Garden is under full city of Austin management starting Thursday. Up until now, the city has only been in charge of maintenance of grounds. Several garden clubs also help supplement care of the gardens, shrubs, trees and ponds.
A statement released Thursday from the city’s Parks and Recreation Department said the conservancy voted last month to not renew its contract with the city. That meant that starting Oct. 1, the city would resume full management and operations of the garden.
“Drawing on decades of experience operating the facility, the department is well-positioned for a seamless transition back to full municipal management,” city officials said in a statement. “Austin Parks and Recreation sincerely appreciates the Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy for its decade of support, leadership, and service to the community. The City will fully honor current Conservancy memberships and remains dedicated to continuing its essential partnership with the Austin Area Garden Council.”
In a statement that has since been removed from the garden’s social media pages and website, the Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy, the nonprofit that runs and operates the garden, did not say why the partnership with the city ended but “was proud of the work they had been able to contribute and were grateful to everyone who made it possible.”
The shift is also coming as the garden prepares to close for the next few weeks. Starting Thursday until Oct. 16, the botanical gardens will shutter for facility abatement, renovation and maintenance.
The Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy has run the gardens since at least 2015. The nonprofit ceased operations of the facility at the end of September.
The garden, which sits at the far corner of Zilker Park, encompasses 28 acres with koi ponds, walking trails, native plants and waterfalls.
The city and Austin Area Garden Council have maintained a public-private partnership of the gardens for over 50 years. In 2015, the AAGC created the Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy “to guide, enhance, and help co-fund operations and community outreach” at the gardens, according to city documents. Four years later, the council transitioned full financial operations and programming operations over to the conservancy. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department and the conservancy signed their first public-private partnership agreement that year, though it ended Sept. 30.
The nonprofit ran the facility since, providing educational programming, plant shows and sales, and other community activities. The group also operates the gift shop and admissions.