Dallas Arboretum – Dallas, Texas
Dallas Arboretum – Dallas, Texas
The Arboretum consists of 66 acres of floral splendor where there is a peaceful counterbalance to the hectic life of the city. There are also two historical mansions on the grounds; the DeGolyer House and the Camp Estate, which were built in 1939 and feature 17th and 18th century art and furniture. These mansions overlook White Rock Lake.
There are a number of different gardens for you to enjoy. There is the Martha Brooks Camellia Garden with its space of wintertime color with more than 200 exquisite camellias of 30 different cultivars. Then the Pecan grove which is filled with large pecan trees and a great place to picnic. At the end of Crape Myrtle Alle is the Toad Corners where you will find a quartet of giant bronze toads spouting 20 foot streams of water, a great play area for children, especially in the summertime.
Now go on to Texas Town which features seven gardens that introduce the importance of plants for pioneer survival. There are 2.5 acres of educational fun, the interactive exhibit includes an authentic sod house, two replica cabins, a covered wagon and a Native American tepee.
Nancy’s Garden is the one that was Mrs. DeGolyer’s personal favorite gardening pots. There are child-sized benched and a sculpture with two little girls dancing entitled "Thank Heaven for little Girls," adorn this secluded garden.
The DeGolyer Gardens consist of 4.5 acres which were designed in 1940. The McCasland Sunken Garden leads to the Arboretum Gazebo where weddings and other events are held. The area has a breathtaking walkway of towering Magnolia trees.
The Jonsson Color Garden is 6.5 acres of more than 2,000 varieties of azaleas. The garden blooms lavishly in the spring with daffodils, tulips and dogwood. Summer brings cannas and caladiums and in the fall the garden is filled with chrysanthemums.
The Lay Ornamental Garden is 2.2 acres in a Texas cottage garden, filled with hundreds of perennials and a dynamic falling water curtain set against native limestone walls. TGhere are also bronze wildlife figures nestled throughout the garden.
The Boswell Family Garden has an octagonal fountain, and overlook provides a beautiful, unexpected view of the new garden to the area. A wall provides the backbone of the garden, with a series of circular buttresses that will be covered with red cascade rose trellises when completed. Symmetrical, serpentine plantings mirrored by topiary hollies surround a circular lawn area. Cubed topiary hedges and a red and yellow-leafed barberry hedge in a double-helix configuration align the existing walk to the garden.
The McCasland Sunken Garden is a renovation and upgrade of the original Sunken Garden. You will be greeted by a procession of Italian jardinières and geometric patterns shaded by towering trees. The central aisle steps down to the sunlit grass court’s congregational space.
The Lyda Bunker Hunt Paseo de Flores, known simply as the Paseo, is the central walkway of the Dallas Arboretum. This meandering pathway, designed by Luis Santana, begins as you leave the Trammell Crow Visitor Education Pavilion, and concludes near the circular Fogelson Fountain.
The Palmer Fern dell is located within the Jonsson Color Garden with more than 90 varieties of ferns; camellias, witch hazel, azaleas and mature trees border a meandering brook.
Admission & Parking $8 for adults, $7 for seniors (65+), $5 for children (ages 3-12)
Free for children ages 2 and under.
Onsite parking: $ 5 per vehicle Valet Parking: $10 for non-members $8 for members
Offsite parking is available at selected locations during peak visitation. Shuttle busses transport guests directly to the Arboretum ticket booth.
Senior Citizen Thursdays discount:
Every Thursday, seniors get in for $5 with a photo ID, and a 20% off in the Gift Shop! (ages 65+)
Hours & Location
Open daily 9am – 5pm
Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years Day
Administrative office open Monday through Friday, 8:30am – 5pm
Physical Address:
8525 Garland Road
Dallas, Texas 75218
Dining Options
Food service is only available to guests of the garden with admission. Some locations are only available seasonally. Neither restaurant takes reservations.
The DeGolyer Garden Café
This exceptional venue is located in the DeGolyer Mansion nestled in the center of 66 acres at the Dallas Arboretum.
The DeGolyer Café is open from 10am to 2 pm daily except during festivals; during these times the café is open until 4 pm. Attentive service and a delightful menu await the guests of the Arboretum. The menu includes a Soup du Jour, Chef’s Special and several hot entrees as well as a special Salad Trio and Tea Sandwich Plate. Homemade desserts are a delectable finish to any lunch at the Café. Lunch at the DeGolyer Garden Café, whether inside, or on the Loggia, overlooking White Rock Lake, does not require reservations.
The Lula Mae Slaughter Terrace Restaurant
The ‘Terrace Restaurant’ is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm and until 5 pm during festivals. A menu of seasonal soup offerings, sandwiches both hot and cold as well as delicious fresh salads can be ordered at the Terrace dining window. Guests enjoy their freshly made lunch on the Lula Mae Slaughter Terrace or take it ‘to go’ for dining picnic style at any of the many gardens.
Accessibility
- Wheelchairs and trams are provided on the grounds (on a first-come basis) for those with walking limitations.
- Trams provide access to central garden areas and the DeGolyer Home.
- Tram drivers give histories of both houses and gardens as they pass along on their route through the gardens from the DeGolyer House to the Camp House.
- Priority given to the mobility impaired.
- Trams are not available for reservations or renting.
Garden Etiquette
Please observe the following rules during your visit:
- Please do not collect plants, flowers or plant labels. Also, do not take away or harm any of our insects (including butterflies) or any other wildlife.
- Do not stand or walk in garden beds.
- Do not climb trees or shrubs.
- Only Seeing-Eye and other assistance dogs being used by disabled individuals are permitted. Other pets are not allowed.
- Bicycles are not allowed in the gardens. Bicycles may be secured in a designated area of the public parking lot.
- To protect our plant collections, active sports or games are not permitted in the gardens. These active games include Frisbee, rollerblades, skating, football, baseball, kites, etc.
- Please refrain from playing in the fountains or other water features.
- Campfires and outdoor cooking are prohibited.
- Amplified music devices or noise making devices are not permitted unless approved by the Arboretum.
- For general consideration and safety of our visitors, and in compliance with City Codes, the public is not permitted to change clothes in our public restrooms.
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