Dallas Arboretum offers beauty inside and out
A Woman’s Garden at the Dallas Arboretum overlooks White Rock Lake.
From Sunday’s Life section of The Oklahoman
Dallas Arboretum showcases natural beauty
DALLAS – The grounds of the Dallas Arboretum were ablaze with pinks, yellows and reds as an array of spring blossoms brightened a recent unseasonably chilly and dreary day.
Along with towering trees, beds of poppies, violas and azaleas cheerfully endured the brisk winds and served as a testament to nature’s fortitude.
Many people associate flowers only with April showers and May sunshine, but the arboretum is open and in bloom year round. And staffers expect 2009 to be a busy year.
“With the economy, it really benefits us because people are staying close and we’re just $9.50,” said public relations manager Terry Ann Lendecker.
In gardens
The arboretum consists of several gardens, including the formal A Woman’s Garden featuring a reflecting pool with a water-on-water view overlooking White Rock Lake; the lush Jonsson Color Garden planted with more than 2,000 varieties of azaleas; and the Lay Ornamental Garden decorated with perennials, bronze wildlife sculptures and a dramatic water feature.
In May
Beginning May 1, arboretum staff change out the color beds with more than 80,000 vivid spring-blooming annuals. The switch marks the start of the month-long May Flowers event.
The festivities include Mommy & Me Mondays and Tiny Tot Tuesdays, with activities such as arts and crafts, face painting and a petting zoo. Mother’s Day weekend events include live music, family portraits and a May 10 brunch. On May 25, the arboretum will offer its yearly Memorial Day Picnic and Children’s Concert.
Through July 30, the Cool Thursday Concert Series will bring live music from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. every fifth day of the week.
Indoors
Along with multitudes of plants, the 66-acre arboretum features the Spanish Revival mansion Rancho Encinal, or Ranch of the Live Oak. Built in 1939-40, it is the former home of oilman Everette Lee DeGolyer, a University of Oklahoma graduate, and his wife Nell.
The house features an impressive collection of 18th and 19th century antiques, tapestries and art objects. Highlights include the distinctive coffered living room ceiling, the 14-foot, 600-pound silver-wash chandelier in the dining room and the stately library with its two hidden rooms.
The manor houses the DeGolyer Garden Cafe, where three-course afternoon tea is served at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday-Saturday. The May Flowers menu includes zucchini dill soup, orange currant scones and more.
In stories
Through Dec. 31, visitors can explore the arboretum’s “Storybook Playhouses,” a juried exhibit of 14 whimsical buildings based on beloved children’s stories. Each one was designed and constructed by a local architectural firm.
The playhouses range from a stylized dragon-like structure from “Eragon” to the pirate ship Jolly Roger from “Peter Pan.” The best in show prize went to the squat house of the “The Lorax,” which is made of hay bales and recycled materials.
“It’s a neat way for families to get into reading together,” Lendecker said.
If you go
Dallas Arboretum
Location: 8525 Garland Road, on the shores of White Rock Lake.
Hours: Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Admission: $9.50 for adults; $8 for seniors 65 and older; $6 for children 3-12; free for children 2 and younger. Group discount available.
Parking: $5 onsite.
Information: (214) 515-6500 orwww.dallasarboretum.org.
-BAM
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Sounds like a place to put on the do visit list for my trip. Thank you!