The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is a 66-acre (267,000 m²) botanical garden located at 8617 Garland Road in east Dallas, Texas (USA), on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake.
The arboretum is a series of gardens and fountains with a view of the lake and the downtown Dallas skyline. The majority of the grounds were once part of a 44-acre (18 ha) estate known as Rancho Encinal, built for geophysicist Everette Lee DeGolyer and his wife Nell. Mrs. DeGolyer's interests included her extensive flower gardens. The DeGolyer Home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Since 1976, the DeGolyer estate has formed the largest portion of the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. The addition of the adjoining Alex and Roberta Coke Camp estate increased the size of the grounds to sixty-six acres.
The 21,000-square-foot (2,000 m2) Spanish-style DeGolyer Home was completed in 1940. The DeGolyer Garden Cafe/Loggia, located at the back of the DeGolyer Home, overlooks White Rock Lake and the tiered fountains and formal landscapes of A Woman's Garden. Also located on the grounds is an outdoor concert stage, picnic areas, and set of kid size replicas of dwellings and other structures depicting prairie life in the "Texas Pioneer Adventure."
In September 2002, Arboretum facilities were expanded with the opening of the new visitors center named for Dallas developer Trammell Crow. The center consists of a gift shop, meeting room, and a patio area overlooking White Rock Lake. At night, one may view downtown Dallas with the skyscraper lights reflecting upon the water.
Among the plants and horticulture is a collection of azaleas that includes 2,400 varieties. The Dallas climate allows visitors to find flowers in bloom year round.
The Lay Ornamental Garden was named for Herman Lay, co-founder of Frito-Lay.
Dallas Blooms is an annual festival featuring more than 500,000 spring-blooming bulbs, over 3,000 azaleas and thousands of other annuals and perennials spread throughout the 66-acre (27 ha) garden.
May 5th - November 5th, 2012, the Arboretum will feature Chihuly at the Dallas Arboretum displaying dozens of iconic works from renowned glass blowing artist Dale Chihuly.
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