The images that follow are from my visit on that day.  for more information visit the Chandor Gardens page elsewhere on this web site. For a slide show of the images below simply click one of them.

Gallery

• Bowling Green

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  Bowling Green: This part of the garden is very European.

• Triple Tiered Fountain

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  Triple Tiered Fountain: Across from the south porch of the house.

• Boxwood Garden

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  Boxwood Garden at Chandor Gardens

• Stone of The Immortals

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  Note the marble Kuan Yin, Chinese Goddess of Peace.

• Moon Gate

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  Moon Gate: A traditional Chinese architectural structure.

• Dragon Fountain

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  Fountain was designed and built by Douglas Chandor.

Cleburne State Park, Cleburne Texas

I visited Cleburne State Park this past weekend, Saturday, April 24, 2010. The wildflower display was great! Really, just about the best I’ve seen in years. In the fields, along the trails, especially the Spillway Trail.

Right now seems to be the time to go see wildflowers in North Texas. I guess you never know when the peek is for wildflowers until it’s passed, but my guess is it’s right now. If I was going to guess a little more, I’d guess the other area state parks, Mineral Wells, Meridian, and Ceder Hill State Parks are also looking wonderful, as are the roadsides along the way.

Here’s a link to a news release about Major Construction, Restoring and Improving Cleburne State Park. This article contains a link to a more extensive list of renovations under way and scheduled to begin in the near future.  Oh, I forgot another local park, Lake Whitney State Park.

So, that’s about it. Click on these images for a slide show view of all three images.

Spillway Trail at Cleburne State Park

Cleburne State Park, Cleburne Texas

Chase A. Fountain, © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Texas Parks and Wildlife is forecasting a good year for wildflowers! After several below average seasons, the odds are good for a great showing this year.

This from their 3/23/10 News Release titled: Wildflowers Starting to Pop Up Across Texas

AUSTIN — Someone forgot to give Texas wildflowers a wake up call, but they are slowly rising from their winter slumber and promise a dazzling display in coming weeks.

In most parts of the state, a colder-than-average winter has gotten the wildflower season off to a slow start, but Texas Parks and Wildlife Department botanists predict a great year after the last several lackluster, drought-impacted years.

Chase A. Fountain, © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

“It should be a really good year from what I’ve seen in the field due to all the rain, but some recent cold, cloudy weather might delay spring flowering a week or two,” says TPWD botanist Jackie Poole. “Look for good displays at places like Enchanted Rock, Inks Lake and Palmetto state parks where sandy soils contribute to a good mix of species. LBJ should have several fields filled with bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush soon.”

Recent reports from other TPWD botanists traveling highways such as U.S. 183 and Texas Highway 84 in warmer South Texas climes around Gonzales and Victoria indicated strong showings of bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, tickseed, Drummond phlox, toad flax and baby blue eyes.

In parts of central and northeast Texas, Texans are already being treated to the colorful blooms of such flowering trees as redbuds, peach, pear and Mexican plum. Judging from the profusion of pink blooms on peach trees recently spied around Fredericksburg and Stonewall, barring late spring freeze like the one that occurred last year, peach lovers are in for a stellar season.

Some Wildflower Related Links

Brenham Texas Wildflower Watch

TxDOT Wildflower Reports

And, Don’t Forget

Chandor Gardens Spring Fling Weekend 2010 - Saturday, April 3rd 9:00am-6:00pm and Sunday, April 4th 1:00pm-4:00pm.

Chandor Gardens welcomes the 2010 season on April 3 & 4 with the annual Spring Fling Weekend. Admission for April 3rd is $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for ages 6-18 and 5 and under get in free, these prices include all of Saturday’s scheduled activities. On April 4th we roll back admission prices to just $1.00 per person, the original amount it would of cost to tour the gardens more than 3o years ago.  Read all about this event on their web site.

I’ve been out driving around in Central Texas this last week and have seen some glimpses of color along the road. Not really solid color, just spots of yellow and red here and there. But, this just isn’t the best place for color anyway. It’s simple, this area lacks deciduous trees, trees that loose leaves in winter. Not based on anything scientific, but maybe half the trees in this area of Texas are evergreens.

Last year I talked about Palo Pinto County as a good place for fall drives. The area features plenty of Cross Timbers woodland and hills. A good combination for producing fall foliage splendor.

This year I want to give a nod to East Texas. I lived in Kilgore Texas for awhile, and I can tell you for sure, they have a lot of trees there. The Tyler area is nice. The Tyler Convention & Visitors Bureau web site has a map of East Texas fall foliage trails. The Rose Garden and the neighborhoods surrounding it are also nice this time of year.

The thing I like about East Texas for fall foliage is that you can pick a destination, Tyler, Palestine, Nacogdoches, Rusk, Winnsboro, and any of them are worth visiting independent of the foliage. More bang for the buck I guess. Drive through East Texas, have a great time, and also see fall foliage.

For an East Texas road trip consider Texas Highway 180, which was previously U.S. Highway 80, East from Terrell to Marshall. Plenty of small towns and antique shops along the way.

Texas State Parks offer good opportunities for leaf peeping. Dangerfield State Park is a good one for fall foliage. And talking of state parks, a new web site from Texas Parks and Wildlife Showcases CCC’s Architectural Legacy in Texas state parks. Some of the biggest attractions in state parks are the depression-era architectural works.

This year is shaping up to be a good year for fall foliage in Arkansas. I talked about some of my favorite spots in the Ozarks in last year’s foliage post. To that list you might add the Telimena Scenic Byway in Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Gary and Mary Cooley have published fall foliage reports for the South Central Ozarks in Arkansas and Missouri for many years. If your seriously considering a trip to the Ozarks, you should take a look at their report.

Probably too late to be good planning material for this year, but still a great read, the Goziac blog published a post about the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in early October. You might bookmark this one for future reference.

The time is ripe to plan a fall foliage drive from DFW. Enjoy your trip and post your best experiences with fall foliage here.

Gallery

The gardens are planted to offer colorful displays during different times of the year. Their web site lists bloom dates so you can have an idea what to expect when you visit.

The rugged environment here dictates, to some extent, what and how they can grow what they grow. For example, on my first visit I couldn’t imagine why they had so many attractive water features. As I read the handout given to me at the gate, a reprint of the Southern Living article about Clark Gardens titled Creating a Prairie Garden, I realized the entire garden is self-sufficient for water. In a dry part of the state of Texas, they use water wisely and also for good aesthetic effect.

Personal Observations

Clark Gardens is big. Thirty five acres and 50 plus gardens is a lot of garden space. It’s kind of like the Dallas Arboretum in that if you want to see the whole place it will involve a considerable amount of walking. They offer tours by motorized cart, something to consider if you aren’t up to a long walk. I also noticed that all the paths and walkways were wide and even. Stairs are not used often. Overall I think Clark Gardens is very wheelchair friendly, maybe the most friendly botanic park in this area of the state. I also noticed they have special needs parking inside the garden area. Please realize I am just sharing an informal observation. Families with wheelchair accessibility questions should call Clark Gardens for details.

More information

http://www.clarkgardens.com/

County: Palo Pinto

map

Copyright © 2009 by Sam Fenstermacher
All rights reserved

If your looking for a sure thing, Texas has its share of spring garden events.

[Note: this article was originally published in 2009, but dates and links have been updated for the 2012 season. ]

Several of the East Texas events feature big displays of Azaleas, and as a bonus, the dogwoods are also beautiful here in the Spring. Places like Austin and San Antonio are drier and that will be reflected in the gardens.  Both of these cities are in the Texas Hill Country. State Highway 16 from San Antonio to Kerrville and on to Fredericksburg is a grand ride in the Spring. The opportunities for side trips from the Austin area are endless. San Angelo and the International Waterlily Collection is  the statistical outlier. Never been there, but this might be the year I finally make it.

Call this my Spring drive 2009 2012 wish list. Ordered by approximate distance from the DFW Metroplex. I hope this list inspires some of you to get out and travel.

Dallas Blooms A dazzling spring display of floral color. With over 500,000 bulbs and thousands of azaleas making this the Southwest’s largest outdoor floral festival. (From the Dallas Blooms web site.) Really is a wonderful display of azaleas and bulbs, and they work hard for the results you see. The place is huge, 66 acres I believe. Be prepared to do some walking. Can be busy on weekends.

March 3 – April 8 – Dallas Blooms

Fort Worth Botanic Gardens Many gardens in a single setting near the Fort Worth Cultural District.  The Rose Garden, free admission, is quite nice in late March and most of April.  I almost always walk through the Perennial and the Four Seasons Gardens when I go there. The Japanese Garden is a very nice walk too. The Conservatory and the grounds around it are nice in Spring. Busy on weekends.

Late March and April – Fort Worth Botanic Gardens

Weatherford Texas Chandor Gardens Chandor Gardens began as the private gardens of well known 20th century portrait artist Douglas Chandor. He converted a rock and cactus covered hillside in Weatherford Texas into a truly outstanding one-man garden. Today Chandor Gardens is operated by the City of Weatherford.  The gardens, broken up into distinct garden rooms, combine elements of both Chinese and English gardens.

April – mid-November, see their web site for hours, or call 817-613-1700 to make special arrangements – Chandor Gardens

Mineral Wells Texas Clark Gardens Botanical Park began as a small private garden in 1972 but evolved into a 35 acre scenic and educational facility that opened to the public in 2000. Paths wind among 50 plus gardens embracing native and Texas adaptable plants displayed among lakes, ponds, and waterfalls.

Gardens designed for year-round displays. See the bloom dates page on Clark Gardens’ web site for details. Clark Gardens Botanical Park

Tyler Texas Azalea Trails Each Spring in Tyler Texas, beautiful landscaped yards and gardens abound with colorful blooming Azaleas. Azaleas were first introduced to Tyler in 1929, but it wasn’t until 1960 that the Tyler Chamber of Commerce organized this event and started marking trails. Today there are eight miles of marked Azalea Trails passing by beautiful residential gardens and historic home sites.

March 23 – April 8 – Tyler Azalea Trails

Palestine Texas Dogwood Trails Festival 71st Annual Texas Dogwood Trails Celebration. Parade, Arts and Crafts, Live Music, Festival Food, Car Show, Kidz Zone. Featured area during the Texas Dogwood Trails event, the 200 acre Davey Dogwood Park near Palestine Texas is another attraction.

Last 2 weekends in March, First weekend in April – information at Palestine Chamber of Commerce, 903-729-6066.

Nacogdoches Texas Azalea Trail and the Ruby M Mize Azalea Garden Nacogdoches Texas has an Azalea Trails event each year. Their claim is that they have Texas’ largest azalea garden. The garden is the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden at Stephen F. Austin State University.

March 10 – April 7 – Nacogdoches Texas

Austin Texas Zilker Botanic Gardens Located on 30 acres in Austin it has theme gardens, such as rose, herb and Japanese gardens interconnected with streams, walkways, waterfalls and Koi-filled ponds.

Zilker Garden Festival Saturday, March 31 & Sunday, April 1, 2012,  or call 512-477-8672.

City of San Angelo International Waterlily Collection The city of San Angelo lists 7 Public gardens on their web site. The San Angelo International Waterlily Collection is located at Civic League Park, which is described as the city’s unofficial botanic gardens.  I’ve heard good things about the waterlily collection and understand April is a good time to visit.  The International Waterlily Collection has been designated by the International Waterlily & Water Gardening Society as a premiere collection of lilies in existence. I have never visited here but it’s on my short list. Do your own research, don’t trust me. I suspect this is one fine garden.

San Angelo International Waterlily Collection – http://www.sanangelotexas.org/

San Antonio Botanic Gardens and  the McNay Art Museum San Antonio has plenty of attractions. The botanic gardens are first rate, as I recall.  The grounds at the McNay Museum are beautiful and an ideal place for a garden walk or picnic.

Got a better idea? Tell us about your favorite Spring garden spot. Leave a comment below, and I’ll share it!

Thing is, I live in North Texas, and North Texas is not the best place for fall foliage.  Fall foliage viewing around here is basically a micro experience.  You drive until you find an area that presents a montage of understory colors and adjacent trees displaying their own rich colors.  When you find this, your there.  Take the picture.

I thought I would put together my list of great places to see fall foliage starting from the Dallas Fort Worth area. Not an exhaustive nor authoritative list by any means, but just recommendations based on my own experiences.

Palo Pinto County, Farm Road 4, Highway 16, and Mineral Well State Park. This is a short drive from the Metroplex. The Palo Pinto Mountains are stunning to see, for us flat-landers anyway. There’s plenty of mature forest available for potential fall foliage photo ops. Mineral Well State Park is great for camping and hiking and relaxing. Possum Kingdom State Park is also near by. For an entirely different perspective you can canoe down the Brazos River.

Tyler Texas and Tyler State Park are not that far from Dallas and Fort Worth.  A plus for travel convenience.   Tyler is a great East Texas town with plenty to see and do.  Plenty of tree-lined streets plus the Tyler Rose Garden is nice most times of the year.  Work Gladewater into your return trip if you want to do some antiqueing.

Arkansas Scenic Highway 7 starting at Arkadelphia or Hot Springs. Scenic 7 manders throught the Ouachita Mountains then the River Valley Region and onto the soaring Ozarks.  Hot Springs is quite a destination itself.  DeGray Lake Resort State Park is another great option for a comfortable stopping off point during your drive.  Heading further north, the view gets better.  beyond Russelleville the mountains and the views get big.  There are several stand out primitive camp grounds in the are of Pelsor Arkansas, Haw Creek Falls Campground, and the Richland Creek Campgrounds and Wilderness Area.  Consider this if your into primitive camping and challenging hikes.  A link for general information and locations at Arkansas.com

Petit Jean State Park is Arkansas’s first state park, featuring stunning views, enchanting woodlands laced with streams and wildflowers, and a spectacular waterfall—Cedar Falls.  The Park has several fine trails, but the Ceder Falls Trail in particular is great for foliage viewing.  A moderately tough trail leading into a picturesque valley graced by the Cedar Falls.  From personal experience I can say that this is a great fall hike.  There are hundreds of campsites, and Mather Lodge for those seeking more comfortable accommodations.

Magazine Mountain State Park is an outstanding state park on the highest peak in Arkansas. Limited camping and R.V. spaces.  Book well in advance.  Can get very cold in November and with very little warning.  Outstanding views.  Bears and large cats also live on the mountain.

I will update this article with pictures if I have time.  Constructive comments encouraged.  Where did you see great fall foliage in or near Texas?

Arkansas fall foliage report

Copyright © 2008 by Sam Fenstermacher
All rights reserved