On a Thursday night, local musician Aaron Stephens fills the shaded Mabel Davis Rose Garden with smooth blues melodies for the growing audience. The plush green grass hosts an array of sprawled blankets and towels where Austitinites gather, and the stone flower beds of the garden are filled with tangled rose bushes — their petals delicate and brightly colored. 

This summer, the Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy organized the second annual Music in the Garden series, providing Austinites with a place to enjoy live classical music while relishing the greenery and vibrant array of flowers. While members of the Conservancy may attend for free, any guests can take part in the series on select Thursday nights until July 28, after paying the $6 admission fee.  

Monica Sivilli, the Conservancy’s marketing and public relations coordinator, kickstarted the series last year after discovering many local performers through the Austin Music Foundation. Select performers were invited to play at the series launch last summer, and Sivilli said the event was successful in helping reestablish visitorship after a decline due to the pandemic. 

“We were trying to find ways to entice a new audience,” Sivilli said. “Music made sense … to reach a new demographic and get more people to think of coming to the garden.  I’m really adamant about just getting more eyes on (the garden and) bringing in a younger audience.” 

Anticipating a large UT audience, Sivilli said the music series will make a fun outing for college students looking to enjoy live music.

“I would say right now, Music in the Garden is a fun, easy, Thursday evening activity to come and stop by,” Sivilli said. “You can pack a picnic and hang out with your friends.” 

After moving to Austin from San Marcos, Stephens said the series offered a good chance to interact with the community and immerse himself in the local music scene. 

“They curate the music that they like and (try) to bring people out to explore the garden just (to) see that it’s there and it’s also great,” Stephens said. 

Indie pop musician Aubrey Hays started performing as an 8 year old growing up in a country bluegrass band in Gulfport, Mississippi. Hays said the music series will remind attendees to support independent musicians — a goal they resonate with as a lifelong performer. 

“As musicians, we can struggle with getting the rate of pay to increase along with the housing situation,” Hays said. “Word of mouth is really powerful.”

Alongside musical acts, the Music in the Garden series will also feature local vendors, including Good Juju Austin Flower Farm. Ian Williams, the farm’s head grower, said this collaboration as a city-preferred vendor with Zilker allows him to share what he describes as his passion project. 

From a charming European-style flower truck, Williams said he plans to sell flowers to attendees, including marigold flower crowns, which repel insects. Additionally, 100% of the profit from purchasing strawflowers at the truck will go to supporting charities such as Save an Angel and Austin Pets Alive. 

“The reason we like (South Congress) and other areas in the city is because as you get closer in the city, you get an abundance of really everyone from town and you can really connect to the whole community,” Williams said. “(It’s) really special because you can grow flowers anywhere, but we decided to grow it here because we love this city.”