Fort Worth Botanic Garden

Pining to take a fragrant, verdant stroll? The Fort Worth Botanic Garden offers 109 acres in which to do just that. Its 23 different gardens feature 2,500 species of plants.

One of the Botanic Garden's standouts is the Japanese Garden. In its many ponds and streams, thousands of hungry, iridescent koi swim up at the first indication of movement above the water's surface. Throw them some fish food (available at several vending spots along the twisting path) and you'll be rewarded with a thrashing, twisting, feeding frenzy.

Admission to the Japanese Garden is $4 weekdays, $4.50 weekends and holidays. Children 4-12 are $3. The Japanese Garden and the Conservatory ($1) are the only two gardens that charge admission.

If you visit the Fort Worth Botanic Garden on a weekend, you'll probably see one or more weddings in progress. Small weddings are allowed on the grounds, and larger affairs take place in the Japanese Gardens.

The Gardens Restaurant at 3220 Rock Springs Road offers light lunch options including salads, sandwiches, and pastas. Eat inside, outside under the trees, or on the restaurant's new deck. It's open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Such beautiful surroundings may make you itch to snap a few pictures. That's fine, but if you're a professional photographer shooting portraits or video, you must pay a fee ranging from $25 an hour up to $1,000 a day. Casual photographers are welcome to shoot for free.

Kids are always welcome in the gardens, and educational resources are offered, too, including learning kiosks scattered around the grounds. You can even book a behind-the-scenes guided tour for you and your kids. Call the education office at 817-871-7682 or e-mail judy.bauereisen@fortworthgov.org.

HelloDallas tip: To find out just what flowers you'll be seeing on your trip, visit www.fwbg.org/whats_in_bloom.htm.

 

- by Jessica Burgess, Fort Worth Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Jessica Burgess

Jessica Burgess spent most of the '00s working for The Dallas Morning News and San Antonio Express News as an editor and writer, and now she teaches high school journalism. She has resided in the Dallas area for 29 out of her 33 years. She is married with a toddler son.