Garden art

Fort Worth Botanic Garden's colorful new oasis is a real bee pleaser

Bees can rest and drink from each cup.

Photo courtesy of Fort Worth Botanic Garden

A new sculpture at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden is not only a whimsical piece for visitors to view, but a big help to bees and the work they do as pollinators.

Texas Bee Oasis, a new temporary structure in the Fuller Garden, was made of more than 2,000 "bee cups" by Dallas-based artist Jen Rose. According to a release, bee cups are eco-friendly watering stations made from small hollow porcelain cones that resemble colorful flowers.

"Each one collects a few drops of water from the sprinkler or rain and provides a bee-friendly resting station for active pollinators," the release says. "Placing the bee cups together in groupings, called an 'oasis,' the installations range from a colorful whimsical arrangement of a dozen or so, to a stunning ombre gradiant of over 500."

Texas Bee Oasis debuted on May 27 and will remain in the garden through November 28. Bee cups are also being sold in the Trellis Shop and BRIT gift shops for visitors to experiment with and enjoy in their gardens at home.

According to the release, Rose began exploring the bee cup concept two years ago, seeking answers to questions like, “Do bees have toes?” and “How long is a bee tongue?”

“Pollinating insects are so vital to our ecosystem that I wanted to design something truly helpful, and not cause unintentional harm,” Rose says in the release.

Her final "bee cup" design holds a maximum of 1 cc of liquid and allows for evaporation in the evening hours (thus, eliminating the risk of pesky mosquitoes breeding in the bee cups). Each cup's interior is lined with ridges.

“This gives the bees something to grip onto as they are drinking, much like a shower mat, to prevents falls,” Rose says.

Texas Bee Oasis is one of several pieces connecting art and nature on the Fort Worth garden campus. Also on display are the large LEGO-sculptures in the exhibit "Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects Made with LEGO Bricks," and artist Patrick Dougherty's "Stickwork," a popular interactive sculpture made of sticks.

View them during regular garden hours (daily 8 am-6 pm); exhibits are included with the price of garden admission, $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $6 for children 6-15; kids 5 and under are free. For more information and tickets, visit fwbg.org.

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RIP Diane

Co-founder of Fort Worth's Hip Pocket Theatre has passed away at 80

Photo by Loli Kantor

Diane Simons in her workshop.

A foundational member of Fort Worth theater passed away on January 6. Diane Simons, co-founder of Hip Pocket Theatre, "came to the end of her artful journey" following a lengthy illness, her husband and theater co-founder Johnny Simons announced on Facebook and in an email blast on January 12.

"This uncommonly gifted woman was a devoted wife, mother, and a superb example of a soulfully, loving human being," wrote Johnny.

The obituary he wrote is as follows:

Born May 26, 1944, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, she and her brother Clem moved to Dallas with parents Dr. E.C. Rowand and Mary Louise Rowand, both of whom were ministers in the Disciples of Christ Church.

Diane met her future husband, Johnny Simons, at TCU. Together they worked at Casa Mañana and later at the Alley Theatre in Houston. Further on down the road, the Simons taught theater at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Along the way they became parents of two talented daughters, Lorca and Lake, both of whom are theater artists.

Diane was herself a brilliant costume designer, becoming the first living artist to have her designs exhibited at The Kimbell Art Museum.

In 1976 she, Johnny, and their friend Douglas Balentine created Hip Pocket Theatre in Fort Worth, where she served as producer and costume designer until her untimely retirement due to serious health issues. In her day, Diane was a phenomenal artist, creating beautiful costumes out of scraps and unusual materials.

She is survived by the aforementioned family, plus grandchildren River Barley and Cy Dyer.

Rest well, O queen, as you costume the halls in heaven.

Lorca Simons is the theater's producing artistic director, while Lake Simons is the managing artistic director. Hip Pocket recently hired its first-ever managing director, Gianina Lambert, at the end of 2024.

A private memorial service will be held in the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations to Hip Pocket Theatre in Diane’s memory are requested.

theater hip pocket theatre obituary deaths

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Fort Worth Botanic Garden's colorful new oasis is a real bee pleaser

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