City Parks-Key to the Well-Being of North TX Communities

Our area’s premier parks are supported by “Friends of the Park” groups that lead fundraising and volunteer efforts. The work of these organizations not only funds the gardens. It has also established premier community events that are now North Texas traditions.

Turtle Creek–A Natural Sanctuary for Dallas Residents and Visitors Since 1892

VP of Development Sharon Ballew and Turtle Creek Association President/CEO JD Trueblood with member Teresa Byrd. Byrd was awarded the prestigious President’s Award at the Turtle Creek Gala.
This year’s Gala, paired with the annual Turtle Creek Tour of Homes, grossed an impressive $301,570.87. That’s a 7.5% increase over last year’s totals, marking back-to-back record-breaking years for the Turtle Creek Association.

Turtle Creek was first a private park. Then it became public when the City of Dallas purchased the park in 1909. Before that, the untamed land was used as a gathering site for the Texas Rangers, among others. They would often meet up at “the creek with all the turtles.”  The mission of the Turtle Creek Conservancy and Association is to address the needs of Turtle Creek. And also elevate it as a crucial asset to the Dallas community.

The Gardens at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens Attracted 1,019,356 Visitors in 2023
and 45,663 Members

In 1977, the City of Dallas purchased the DeGolyer Estate. It sat on 44 acres along the shores of White Rock Lake, from Southern Methodist University.  The 21,000-square-foot home on the estate is Latin Colonial Revival style. It was designed by Architects Denman Scott and Burton Schutt and completed in 1940. It features 13 rooms, seven baths, five fireplaces, seven chimneys and a 1,750-square-foot library.

Shortly after being purchased by the City, its Park Board recommended that the grounds of the DeGolyer Estate become the official location of the botanical garden. Then in 1980, the Dallas Arboretum Society raised over $1 million to purchase the Alex Camp House. It’s located on a 22-acre property right next to the DeGolyer. The 8,500-square-foot home designed and built by well-known architect John Staub and was completed in 1938. The house is a combination of Latin Colonial, English Regency and Art Deco styles. It is one room deep throughout, creating three exposures for all living and bedrooms.

In 2016, Architectural Digest named it the second most breathtaking garden in the world. Its thriving ferns, azaleas, and unparalleled skyline views were cited.  Additionally, USA Today included the Dallas Arboretum in its list of the top ten best botanical gardens in the U.S.

The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden at the Dallas Arboretum has been visited by over 841,000 school children and teachers. The Texas Native Wetlands is certified as an official field site for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Texas Aquatic Science program. And the Moody Oasis is certified as a Monarch Waystation. The entire Children’s Adventure Garden is a certified wildlife habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.

The Arboretum’s Women’s Council Is Supported by Some 650 of its own Members

Organized in 1982, the primary purpose of the Women’s Council is to support the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. It does so through its financial support and membership involvement of its separate membership base.  And since 1986, the major goal of the Women’s Council has been the design, construction, funding and endowment of A Woman’s Garden.

Financial support for A Woman’s Garden comes primarily from fundraising events, as well as generous donor gifts towards named features in the Garden. The Women’s Council plans events such as A Writer’s Garden series of book reviews. It holds three general membership meetings with programs and group trips. And its Mad Hatter’s Luncheon is hallmarked as one of Dallas’ most over-the-top events.

The Women’s Council’s next event is a Winter Meeting featuring a performance by singer/songwriter WT Greer III on December 17.  And mark your calendar for the 2025 Mad Hatter’s event planned for April 17, 2025.  Apply for membership on wcdabg.org.

Former Betty Marcus Park is a Hidden Gem in the Dallas Arts District

The park has been renamed the Shirley & Bill McIntyre Park in honor of a generous gift to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra by the McIntyres. The newly renovated park, which sits just west of the iconic Meyerson Symphony Center, is the perfect tranquil setting for DSO patrons to gather during pre-concert events and intermissions. 

An array of popular annual events hosted at The Dallas Arboretum includes its Holiday at the Arboretum. It’s now open and running through January 5, 2025. The annual tradition celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the 12 Days of Christmas Exhibit this year.
 
 
A Woman’s Garden the only public garden in the nation conceived by women, funded by the efforts of women and dedicated to the spirit of women. 
Bill & Shirley McIntyre
Photo by Kristina Bowman,

The McIntyres were also named Honorary Chairs for the 2025 Dallas Symphony Orchestra League’s 2025 Presentation Ball.

Fort Worth is Home to the Oldest Public Botanic Garden in Texas

Breaking ground this fall, the Baker Martin Family Garden, marks a significant milestone in the Fort Worth Botanic Garden’s ambitious 20-Year Master Plan. 
 

The garden collaborates internationally through the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) which began in 1987 as a nonprofit overseeing the former Southern Methodist University 450,000-specimen herbarium and 75,000-volume botanical library.  The assets were originally located inside a 20th century warehouse in downtown Fort Worth. BRIT eventually built and moved the collection to a Platinum LEED-certified building on grounds adjacent to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.

In 2020, after two years of successful partnership initiatives, the two organizations with similar plant-based missions combined to become a single nonprofit. This set into motion a series of actions, starting with the onboarding of a new CEO and creation of a new brand identity.  The Garden then announced an ambitious 20-Year Master Plan, and BRIT has grown into a renowned scientific research, education, and conservation center.

This fall, Mayor Mattie Parker, along with the Family Garden Campaign Co-Chairs Laura and Greg Bird, philanthropist Louella Martin, FWBG Board Chair Billy Brentlinger, and FWBG President and CEO Patrick Newman, spoke before guests who came to witness the groundbreaking for the Baker Martin Family Garden.

Ninety years after its establishment in 1934, the city-owned, 110-acre Fort Worth Botanic Garden features 23 specialty gardens.

Fuller Garden, Rose Gardens, Japanese Garden, Rock Springs Garden, Native Texas Boardwalk and more make the city park a special place. The Garden’s 10,000 square foot conservatory contains plants from tropical rainforests all over the world. An on-site greenhouse is home to the largest begonia collection in North America. 

Hosted in collaboration with the Fort Worth Japanese Society, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden’s Fall Japanese Festival offers a lively exploration of Japanese art and culture including cultural demonstrations, performances, unique shopping experiences, and traditional foods.

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