Jardin des Racines
Garden of Roots

The Castroville area is a "Little Alsace" geographically as well as culturally.  Big Alsace, in France, is mostly a flat, fertile plain that is bordered on the east by the Rhine River and on the west by the Voges Mountains.  Little Alsace, in Texas, is mostly a flat, fertile plain bordered on the east by the Medina River and on the west by a range of hills.  The similarity is the basis of a generous gesture of friendships by the people of Alsace.

The city of Castroville has set aside a large area in the Regional Park for the "Jardin des Racines," or "Garden of Roots," which includes both hillside and flat areas.  The area is planted in trees and landscaped.  The project is sponsored by the Association Jardin Des Racines, and was planned and carried out by the faculty and students of the Lycee Agricole (Agricultural College) of Rouffach.

In early 1997, a team of students and faculty directed by Prof. Paul Dulin laid out the perimeter of the Garden in the shape of a map of Alsace, and planted trees and shrubs around the plot.  The plan was to plant a tree for each village in Alsace, using funds provided by the people of each village.

In February 2000 a group of students with director Danielle Utard and the president of Association Jardin des Racines, Andre Hartmann, returned to complete the garden and continue work on the Alsatian House.

While here, the students also found time to take in the sites including the San Antonio River Walk and the Rodeo!

One evening they gathered at the Castroville Regional Park for a fun game of soccer and hotdogs cooked on the grill.

On February 18, 2000, a dedication ceremony was held at the garden and a tree was planted representing the city of Ensisheim by the Mayor of Ensisheim,  Michel Habig.