A Visitor's Guide to the Dallas Arboretum

Situated on the southeastern shore of beautiful White Rock Lake, the Dallas Arboretum occupies the former DeGolyer Estate, and the adjacent Camp Estate. The original homes figure prominently in the site plans of this 66 acre complex that has become the Dallas Arboretum. The DeGolyer house and its impressive library can be toured as part of your Arboretum visit. In 2003, the new Trammell Crow Pavilion was opened and now serves as the official entry.

The Dallas Arboretum hosts 4 major changeable floral shows each year, with the first and most impressive being Dallas Blooms, celebrating its 25year anniversary with the March 7^th 2009 opening. Dallas Blooms will cover the 6 week period from March 7^th through April 12, 2009. Traditionally, the third week in March marks the peak period for the 450,000 spring bulbs timed to bloom in tandem with the Dallas Arboretum's 3,000 flowering Azaleas. Each week presents a different palette of tulips, daffodils, Dutch iris, and hyacinths and each is rather remarkable, if for no other reason than sheer scale. Even if you are a frequent Dallas Arboretum visitor, you can't help but be struck by the visual impact achieved by large beds planted with hundreds of a single variety of tulip liberally backed up by over 100,000 pansies, violas, and poppies. It is an experience limited to estates and public gardens and Dallas Arboretum is one of our country's finest.

May Flowers follows on the heels of Dallas Blooms starting May 1^st. The beds are completely changed out and filled with over 80,000 spring annuals. During all these floral shows, many special events encourage participation at every age: Mommy and Me, Tiny Tots, live music, a Fine Art Sale, and Senior days are examples.

Autumn at the Arboretum runs from September through October. The 150,000 summer annuals have reached full bloom and are complimented by an additional 6,000 chrysanthemums. The fall colored Coleus have grown into impressive chest high almost shrub like bushes, but the centerpiece is the 20,000 pumpkins which comprise the Pumpkin Patch, and its 15 foot tall Pumpkin House. A fall garden of pumpkins and gourds surrounds the Pumpkin House.

Holiday at the Arboretum begins in the day after Thanksgiving and continues through December 31^st. It is hosted in the DeGolyer house while the cycle begins again and the surrounding gardens are planted with the 450,000 bulbs for the next spring Dallas Blooms.

The Spring Dallas Blooms and the fall Autumn at the Arboretum draw crowds in excess of 150,000. Strategic planning will insure an enjoyable visit during these busy times. See the shows on a weekday, if possible. Recognize that you'll be walking greater distances than you might normally and wear comfortable shoes and take along something to drink. If your group has special needs, do your research prior to arriving at the Arboretum. The police keep traffic moving and their job isn't to act as the information booth. Overflow parking is directed offsite and a shuttle runs between these lots and the Dallas Arboretum Main Ticket Booth.

Other Dallas Arboretum Signature Events are the two series of Cool Thursdays Concerts. The Spring series begins in May and carries through June and July. These tickets are one of Dallas's hottest "gets" although very inexpensive; they sell out early every year. Many members join solely for ticket access which is more liberal for members. The concerts are held on the Martin Rutchik Concert Stage and Lawn, another recent addition to the Dallas Arboretum. Both reserved seating as well as lawn seating is available and Dallas shows its more opulent tendencies when the picnic baskets come out for dinner. There is another miniseries in the fall which starts mid September and finishes at the end of October. Both series list a wide range of music genres from Beatles to Broadway. (The inaugural group Hard Day's Night sells out in a heartbeat every year.) Complete event listings and ticket and pass information are available here.

Adult Admission is $9.50, Seniors 65+ $8, Children 3-12 $6, and free for Dallas Arboretum Members and children under 3. Arboretum memberships are $60 for individuals and $95 for families up to 6. Dallas Arboretum membership includes free parking, advance ticket sales and merchandise discounts.

For additional events, discounts and information go to www.dallasarboretum.org or call: 214-515-6500. The Dallas Arboretum is located on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake in the middle of Dallas, Texas. Its address is 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas, 75218 and hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.