 INFORMATION - ATTRACTIONS - BUILDINGS & MUSEUMS - HISTORY |
Texas Discovery Gardens
Established: 1936
| Building Information | ||
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| Address |
3601 MLK Jr. Blvd. Dallas, TX 75210 |
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| Phone Number | (214) 428-7476 | |
| Type | Museum | |
| Admissions |
Adults: $3.00 Seniors: $2.00 3-11: $1.50 Under 3: Free |
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| Hours |
Sun: CLOSED Mon-Fri: 10:00-5:00 Sat: 10:00-3:30 |
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| Constructed | 1936 | |
| Renovation(s) |
1957 1971 1984 2006 2007 |
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| Size |
7.5 acre garden 230,000 ft3 Butterfly Garden |
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| 1936 Cost | $75,000 USD | |
| Former Name(s) |
Hall of Horticulture Dallas Horticulture Center |
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| Texas Discovery Gardens Website | ||
| Current Exhibit(s) |
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T.B.A. |
| Permanent Exhibits (7) |
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· All-America Selections Display Gardens - The plants displayed in this garden are the selections from a national evaluation program for flowers and vegetables. The All-America Selections program was established in 1932 to foster the development, production and distribution of new and better horticultural and agricultural varieties, species, strains and kinds in and for North America. · Benny J. Simpson Texas Native Plant Collection - Benny J. Simpson, co-founder and former president of the Native Plant Society of Texas and a life-long horticulturist, pursued his more than 40-year career at the Texas A&M Research and Extension Center in Dallas. Simpson began working at the research and extension center in Dallas in 1954 when it was the Texas Research Foundation, a private agriculture organization. In 1972, Simpson began his native plant work when Texas A&M took over operations of the center. Simpson died in 1997, leaving behind a wealth of invaluable information about Texas native plants. Simpson was legendary for his plant investigations in the wild, primarily the Trans-Pecos and far West Texas. Benny's official titles were “research scientist” and “ornamental horticulturist.” He called himself a "plant hunter" and collected seeds and cuttings that he then devoted years to adapting for use in the landscape. For 20 years Simpson roamed his native Texas searching out wild trees and shrubs. Plants that are not only beautiful, but also might be able to grow in the waxy black soil of North Central Texas and survive the extremes of heat and cold that are tortuous to so many plants. · Centennial House - The Portland Cement home from the 1936 Texas Centennial, still stands in it's original spot from the 1936 Texas Centennial Model Homes Competition. Now closed, the house still offers a glimpse of the past. · Certified Butterfly Habitat - Enjoy a garden filled with a diversity of plants to attract and support the complete life cycle of our native butterflies. Host plants provide the proper source of nutrition for caterpillars and attract egg-laying adult female butterflies. Nectar-rich plants are a food source for adult butterflies. · Circular Lawn, Callier Garden and Leftwich Pond - This area was designed by Joe Lambert, one of Dallas’ most prominent landscape architects in the 1950’s and 60’s. Based upon a series of overlaying arcs and circles, these gardens feature perennial plantings, numerous flowering shrubs and small trees and fountains. The Leftwich Pond contains an aquatic plant collection maintained by the North Texas Water Garden Society. · Heirloom Garden - Enclosed by a Holly and Boxwood hedge, this intimate garden has plantings of antique and fragrant roses along with a delightful selection of perennials. This garden features many of our favorite old-fashioned plants that are dependable sources of color. Make sure to explore this fragrant garden with cottage garden charm. · Scent Garden - Patterned after a London herb garden, this garden was first built in 1958 as a project of the Marianne Scruggs Garden Club. The Scent Garden was originally designed to be used by the blind. In 2002, the city of Dallas renovated this garden using bond funds. Today we encourage you to explore this area with all your senses. |
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- Opened in 1936 as the Hall of Horticulture for the Texas Centennial Exposition, the 7.5-acre campus includes the first public conservatory built in the Southwestern United States. Chartered in 1941 as a 501(c)(3) private, non-profit organization, Texas Discovery Gardens is the second oldest botanical institution in Texas, and the first in Dallas to offer botanical education programs for children. Since 1995, in conjunction with the State Fair of Texas, Texas Discovery Gardens has hosted an annual live butterfly immersion exhibit. In 2003, Texas Discovery Gardens was certified as the first 100% organic public garden in the state.
- The building features a large building with no windows and features a 600-seat auditorium in it's base. The grounds behind the building are some of the best landscaped grounds. In 1936, the grounds contained 4 model homes built for the Texas Centennial. Also on the grounds was a replica of The Alamo (San Antonio, TX) and a life-size replica of the infamous "Jersey Lilly" of Judge Roy Bean. - Only one of the 4 model homes survived the renovations. The Portland Cement home still stands in it's original spot from the 1936 Texas Centennial. Now closed, the house still offers a glimpse of the past. In 1971, the center received a large expansion on the south side of the complex. Originally known as the "Winter Garden", this large greenhouse structure once contained a large fountain that sprayed colored water at night. The expansion featured large glass-paned walls and several walkways at different levels to browse the plants and trees of the center. - Texas Discovery Gardens is now the centerpiece for the State Fair of Texas and offers a very nice relaxing excursion from the city life not too far away. |
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