Fort Worth Botanic Gardens

The Fort Worth Botanic Garden (109 acres)  is open daily; an admission fee is charged for the Conservatory and Japanese Garden. The other gardens are free admission.

The garden was established in 1934, and describes itself as the oldest botanic garden in Texas, with 2,501 species of native and exotic plants in its 21 specialty gardens. In addition to wooded areas, major garden features include:

Conservatory (10,000 square feet) - tropical displays of orchids, bromeliads, and trees.
* currently closed :(

Four Seasons Garden - Hundreds of iris, day-lily, and chrysanthemum varieties.

 
Fragrance Garden - small garden with fragrant plants and fountain. 

Fuller Garden - pathways and lawn; site for weddings and garden parties.

Japanese Garden - three koi ponds, waterfall, bridges, teahouse, pagoda, pavilions, meditation garden. 
 *see previous blog for more info and pics

Lower Rose Garden - rose garden inspired by Villa Lante (Italy). 

 

Oval Rose Garden - hundreds of roses; renovated 2002. 

Perennial Garden - perennials with culinary herb collection, as well as ponds and small waterfall.

Trial Garden - evaluation site for hundreds of species of perennials. 

Water Conservation Garden - demonstration xeriscape garden.

Water Wise Entrance - entry garden with agave, Texas sage, salvia greggii, Mexican Bush sage, red yucca and Esparanza.

Japanese Gardens-- Fort Worth Botanical Gardens

Scott Brooks, the Fort Worth Japanese Garden's senior gardener, reports:

The Fort Worth Japanese Garden was originally constructed with materials donated from numerous individuals, businesses, and institutions in north Texas and elsewhere in the USA. In the 1990s, Fort Worth's Japanese sister city, Nagaoka, donated an authentic Mikoshi (a sacred palanquin) to Fort Worth, which is currently housed within the garden's precincts. Several trees, including pines and flowering cherries, were similarly donated. Finally, Mr. Shigeichi Suzuki, a landscape architect from Nagaoka, donated plans for a karesansui-style addition to the Garden in 1997. The addition was completed in 2000, and is now called the 'Suzuki Garden'.

The Fort Worth Japanese Garden was built into a little valley, originally a gullied bluff, that opened onto the floodplain of the Trinity River's Clear Fork branch. Enlarged as a gravel quarry, the site also served at various times as a watering hole for cattle, a trash dump, and a squatter's camp. Today, the secluded valley serves as a Japanese-style 'stroll garden' (kaiyushiki teien).

At the heart of the landscape is a system of ponds, surrounded by hills (tsukiyama), and enclosed by a network of interconnected paths, pavilions, bridges, and decks. As the name implies, the garden unfolds as an ever-changing series of landscape perspectives to visitors who stroll along those thoroughfares. 

Dallas Bloom!

At the Dallas Arboretum each year they have a huge spring flower festival called Dallas Bloom. This year it ran from March 6 to April 11 and I wanted to make sure I went!!! Not only do I LOVE taking pictures of flowers but spring is my favorite time of the year. I could do without the tons of oak pollen and many other blooming things that I am allergic too but it just comes with the season.

Dallas Bloom was just stunning!! Even driving through the parking lot I was distracted by all the tulips and daffodils everywhere. Once I got inside the Arboretum it was just BEAUTIFUL :)  I only had just over an hour before the garden closed and I was determined to see the entire arboretum-- well lets just say that didn't happen. I was able to see most of the gardens but mostly I stayed near the fields of tulips which happened to be all over the arboretum!! I would recommend anyone in the Dallas area next March/April to definitely go, you won't regret it!!