See the Gardens of Texas… and Magnolia Market, Too!

August 21st, 2018

   I’m not a big fan of all of those house-hunting/house-fixing shows that run one after the other on HGTV these days.

Here’s part of Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Market.
(Credit: Culture Map Dallas)

   I liked HGTV better back when the “G” in the name meant something, and the network actually ran some gardening shows. They ought to call it HHTV now.

   Anyway, I’m apparently in the minority because several of the house shows are very popular – especially “Fixer Upper,” starring Chip and Joanna Gaines.

   When Lowee’s Group Tours and I were planning our 2018 lineup of gardening trips, we thought San Antonio, gardens of Texas, and the LBJ Ranch would make a nice, warm destination as the weather turned cold here. Jo Peachey at Lowee’s suggested that as long as we were in the area, we could head over to Waco where Chip and Joanna have a unique business called the Magnolia Market at the Silos.

   We plugged in an afternoon visit as part of a six-day Texas package and put it out there.

   Wouldn’t you know, I heard more “Oooohs” and “Ahhhhs” on that little side trip out of anything else in the whole year’s lineup. Even my wife, Sue, was more excited about seeing the famous Silos than any of the gardens or Texas landmarks.

   Not surprisingly, the trip has all but filled up. Last I heard, only four more seats are left. So if you’d like to go, call Lowee’s ASAP at 717-657-9658 or toll-free 1-888-345-6933 or email CKelly@Lowees.com.

   The trip runs Nov. 26 through Dec. 1, and the cost is $1,950 per person double, which includes airfare, five nights lodging, and 11 meals.

   We’ll be staying at a hotel at San Antonio’s beautiful Riverwalk, giving you easy access to the dining, shopping, people-watching and river-cruising there.

   Our native guide will show us the town, including Mission San Jose, the Alamo, El Mercado Marketplace, the South Texas Heritage Center, and the trails and new environmental features at the city’s Confluence Park.

An overhead view of the San Antonio Botanical Garden.
(Credit: YouTube)

   We’ll then have a “garden day” touring the San Antonio Botanical Garden and the San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden, followed by another day trip to Austin to see the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

   That second day (a Thursday) is when we’ll spend the afternoon at the Magnolia Market. Chip and Joanna bought the 2½-acre Waco property in 2015 and have turned the abandoned grain facility into a destination with a home-accent and gift shop inside a 20,000-square-foot barn, a Magnolia Seed and Supply shop, and a bakery.

   The signature is the pair of tall grain silos, which has a Chip’s Corner shop in one for now.

   Outside, there’s an artificial-turf lawn for tossing balls or playing cornhole, picnic tables, a series of raised-bed gardens, and food trucks.

   A short distance away is the Magnolia Table restaurant that Joanna opened a year or so ago. We tried to schedule our lunch there, but it’s small, and they don’t take bus groups. But it’s possible to drop in for lunch if anyone really wants to experience it.

   The last full day is a day trip to Fredericksburg to see Wildseed Farms, one of the largest plant nurseries in Texas and home to 200 acres of wildflower-seed production. Then we’ll visit the LBJ Ranch – Lyndon Johnson’s “Texas White House.”

   Come on along. It’ll be fun. If you can’t make this one, we’re looking at another late-year trip to the Southwest in 2019 – to Tucson and Sedona, Arizona, with a day trip to the Grand Canyon. Stay tuned for that one when we have details ready this fall.

   All of my trips are posted here on my George’s Talks and Trips page as soon as they’re ready.