The last day of the GWA symposium always involves seeing gardens off the beaten track. For the first two years I attended, I didn’t take the extra trip, but the last two I have, and I didn’t regret it. These are the jewels the convention planners couldn’t get to because of time and space. For Dallas, if you took the half day trip, you saw some additional Dallas gardens. I went on the full day excursion and saw several Ft. Worth beauties, including the 109-acre Ft. Worth Botanic Garden, which is the oldest botanic garden in Texas. Its center was a rose garden built in the 1930s on the pattern of Versailles (not unlike our own rose garden at Will Rogers in Oklahoma City.) Unlike the other tours, we had plenty of time to wander and think about our photographs as we toured, which is known throughout the world for its Japanese garden.
After lunch, we visited my favorite garden of the tour, the Hallman house. Although all of the owners were gracious, Mrs. Hallman was the nicest garden owner I’ve ever met. Because we enjoy the same garden style (although mine is cottage and hers more formal), we had plenty to discuss, and she was kind enough to stroll the garden with us just talking about gardening. We all had a lovely time.
She studied with Fergus Garrett at Great Dixter, and her property shows her enthusiasm for the English formal garden style. Ralph L. Duesing designed garden additions which blend seamlessly with the original house and garden architecture. Jerry Malzahn designed the new plantings. Mrs. Hallman’s home was built in the 1930s, and if you peek beyond the large gates, you’re rewarded with a view of a formal circular courtyard. This, and the brick walls are original to the home. Behind the red brick home, which looks like it was built yesterday, is another terrace and a formal knot garden, and beyond, a greenhouse.
We talked about greenhouses (which I want to add to my potager) and how she would like to build a vegetable garden in the sunny portion of her yard near the knot garden.
I know I keep writing “beautiful,” but it was. You almost couldn’t take a bad photograph, and I worked hard to capture the essence of this peaceful retreat.
Surprisingly, there weren’t many roses, but instead, swathes of green boxwood hedges enclosing a variety of plants including even a few vegetables. A lot of the garden is shaded by large trees. That and disease problems may have limited her decision to use more roses. I bet if she used R. ‘Carefree Beauty’ she’d like her.
I enjoyed all the gardens that day, but some just touch your heart, and Mrs. Hallman’s touched mine.
I can see why you loved this garden. It truly is an inspiration, I envy your conversation time with the gardener 🙂
Dee, thanks for sharing the photos – I can see why you liked the garden and the gardener! Love the photos as always!
Terry
Dee,
Since I didn’t make it to Ft. Worth, I had to experience it through your eyes. A great proxy you make! Got the red cabbage (a random find) at Home Depot)…..and am about to add RDR to my blog roll……thanks for a great recap of last weekend!
Hi Dee Nice of you to think of me and comment on my blog. Yes I am absolutely fine but I have been so busy with doing my Looking at Lyme Disease blog link on my blog and feeding info to that and following the latest research on ME/CFS with this newly discovered Retrovirus.
My garden is in need of a lot more TLC and yes I really must do a post even my daughters are missing my garden posts. It is just with 50 to 100 hits a day on my lyme blog I feel that it must be helping raise awareness of what is going wrong with controversies over lyme.
By the time I do all that I rarely seem to see more than a glimpse of garden blogs when they pop up on my dashboard, I do miss you all though.
Loved, LOVED the green chairs–it makes you just want to sit and relax doesn’t it?? Looked like a great tour and a great time!
What a delightful garden. I can see how when one gets older you might go toward the more formal sheared boxwoods in the garden. I love the dry stacked walls in this garden. They have such character. I am glad you shared this garden with us.
Good spending that extra day after GWA-DFW with you and the rest of the bus-full of garden lovers last week. I enjoyed Mrs. Hallman’s hospitality and her garden, not sure if it was favorite of the day or the whole meeting. Still sorting photos and mulling that over.
Dee, I am so touched by your article. I enjoyed talking with you as well. Having the Garden Writers group visit my garden was the biggest thrill of them all, for me! Thank you for your very kind words and your gorgeous photos!
Nancy
PS I have only one “Carefree Beauty” and I do love it. It’s beautiful and healthy. Thrips have been the bane of my existence on all the paler roses. If anyone has a surefire cure, please share!!
Nancy, I’m touched you stopped by and left a comment. I so enjoyed our visit and talk about the garden and how it came to be. I’m glad you have ‘Carefree Beauty’. She is so beautiful for me. As for thrips, not much will kill them I’ve found. I generally plant the brighter roses which aren’t as bothered. Also, in Oklahoma, they spoil one bloom, and then move on (perhaps to Texas). Thank you again for your hospitality.
Wish I’d seen that one!
Hi Dee, When I saw your title in my reader, I knew it would be very special, and so it is! I do wonder how all that lush grass happens in Fort Worth, but what a beautiful environment!
Hi Cyndy, thank you so much. It’s true. I found another garden I loved in Dallas, but this one “spoke to me.” Oh, the lush grass is St. Augustine, and I imagine it likes the heat. Here, in Oklahoma, of course, we have stupid Bermuda.
I can see why this was your favorite! Pam x
Pam, you would have loved it too with your English garden.
They say a garden reflects the personality of it’s owner… and beautiful is definitely the correct word.
Thank you Missy. It was very serene.
Shoot! I didn’t stay for the optional tour and now I regret it. Your pictures of the garden are beautiful, serene… it looks like a gardener’s garden. Next year, I am definitely on board for the optional tours at the end of the symposium!
Carol, it is hard to stay for that last day. I was sick and tired, and I wanted to be home, but I’m glad I stayed. I needed front door photos, so that made it even better.
It is just lovely! The stacked stone posts and walls set off the plants beautifully. I wish I could have toured it with you.
Nothing is better than getting the slow tour by the owner of the garden, Dee. You were wise to opt for that. The garden is magnificent, and Fergus Garrett is a rock star of gardening! The greenhouse is the perfect touch. I can’t wait to see yours someday. 🙂
Frances
It does look beautiful and peaceful. Sometimes, formal feels just right and it seems to at the Hallman garden. I want a greenhouse, too. Their greenhouse is also beautiful! gail