Botanical Garden Trail

Tuesday, December 19th 2006, 5:20 pm

By: News On 6

Itâ€™s 215 acres of virtually untouched forest tucked in the Osage Hills. In its wild state, itâ€™s known to botanists as "The Cross Timbers." But soon, part of it will be tamed into a botanical garden to celebrate Oklahomaâ€™s centennial.

From biology professors to botanists, these men are in their element. They're walking through the Cross Timbers Woodlands to chart a path for the public. Developers plan to turn parts of this wild terrain into a Botanical Garden for everyone to enjoy.

Dr Ron Tyrl, Oklahoma State University: "The idea is someone can walk through the woods and know and understand what they're seeing and why they're seeing it"

It's a trail first forged by Oklahoma Settlers and developers hope to preserve the land first charted by our ancestors.

Pat Woodrum, Oklahoma Botanical Garden: "One of the beauties about this particular botanical garden is that we will have all of the natural area left in tact along with the planted garden"

It's a region where the great eastern forests meet the tall-grass prairie.. and it still looks much the same as it did a hundred years ago.

Pat Woodrum, Oklahoma Botanical Garden: "This is a centennial project that celebrates the past and prepares for the future and will go on living long after the celebration is completed"

Developers hope these woods will bring as much joy to future generations as it they did to those of the past.

Pat Woodrum, Oklahoma Botanical Garden: "Washington irving was here and he writes about it in one of his diary's so it's a very special place"

And these men, who know the importance of this native wilderness, say they can't wait to share their knowledge with the rest of Green Country.

Dr Bruce Hoagland, University of Oklahoma: "Jay was saying we could have a bench or a place to sit over there. Then they could look out over the hills and have all the flowers in the foreground."

The garden should be finished in three to five years.