Brief History And Basic Information
The Dallas Arboretum And Botanical Garden is built upon what was formerly known as the DeGolyer Estate which had been the property of Everette Lee DeGolyer, a prominent oil company executive, petroleum exploration geophysicist and philanthropist in Dallas, who died in 1956.
The gardens attracted 1,025,052 visitors in 2021. The Dallas Arboretum has one of the country’s premier children’s education programs. The gardens composed of 66 acres include the homes of Everette DeGolyer and Alex and Roberta Camp. The property is situated along White Rock Lake.
A Visit To The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
To celebrate my birthday, I have always liked to travel. As I have grown older, the birthday trip most often includes the visit to a botanical garden or historical site. This year I chose the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. The tickets were $10 per person for the time of year and were easy to select and pay for online. You are required to reserve a time to start your visit. Since it was May and I knew Dallas could be warm at this time of year, I selected the earliest time available which was 9:00am.
You will need to pay for parking as well. You can do this online and my cost was $11. There are 2 entrances and you select one of them for the nearby parking area when purchasing your parking ticket. When we arrived there were plenty of empty parking spaces. However, when we left around 11:30am, the parking lots were full. I therefore recommend that you go early if possible.
When you enter the facility, you will go past a ticket booth where they will scan your tickets and parking pass. I brought them up on my phone, they scanned them, and we were in. Be sure to pick up a free guide book on the right as you enter.
Structures And Features
Although the use of plants was colorful and creative, I most enjoyed the structures and features that had been built or placed in the gardens. I have added pics of some of them below. My favorite was the frog fountain (also shown above under title).
There were a few exotic or unfamiliar plants spread throughout the gardens but I was intrigued by the use of every day plants that most gardeners can purchase at their local garden centers. I especially liked the use of plants I have grown in the borders. Plants such as Dusty Miller, Coleus, Cannas, and Begonias which I currently have in my garden at home. See what I am talking about in the pics below.
My favorite blooms from this visit were the Water Lillies. They were vibrant and placed within a well-designed pool facing White Rock Lake.
There were specific areas of the gardens that were designed to look naturalized with waterfalls, pools, streams, trees and other plants. These were perfect for taking your time and strolling through to look at everything, and for stopping and enjoying the view.
For those who like to visit botanical gardens for ideas to use in their home gardens and landscapes, there were many planters with a variety of plants displayed in a variety of locations such as walkways, bridges, patios, entry ways, etc.
One of the main features of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is the Peacock Topiaries. The birds stand tall facing each other in a large field. The peacocks’ tail feathers are the flowers beds that are laid out behind them. They are quite impressive.
I want to point out that there are many benches and other seating areas around the gardens if you need to stop and rest for a few minutes.
Summary Of Dallas Arboretum And Botanical Garden Visit
Spending a portion of my birthday enjoying the gardens was for me a perfect way to celebrate being blessed with another year of living. If you find yourself near Dallas, Texas, I whole-heartedly recommend a visit to the Dallas Arboretum And Botanical Garden. You can plan your visit and find out more information at their website by clicking here.
If you have never been to Dallas before, one thing you need to be aware of, there is a constant amount of road construction in the city. Give yourself plenty of time to get to places you’ve chosen to visit.
Stop by the gift shop before leaving, they have some fun and interesting items for sale. I purchased a coffee mug shaped like a terra cotta pot as my souvenir of the visit. They have a large variety of different types of products for sale in a wide range of prices.
If you visit the Dallas Arboretum And Botanical Garden, please let me know how it went for you. What did you enjoy most? I’d like to know what caught your attention.