Pumpkin season at the Dallas Arboretum
While in Dallas last week I visited the Dallas Arboretum to see their annual pumpkin extravaganza. The last time I’d seen it was pre-Covid.
Autumn at the Arboretum
I was surprised to find that Autumn at the Arboretum has been relocated from a shady grove near the front of the garden to a sunny space in a far back corner. As in 2019 (the last time I visited), the 2023 theme features the Peanuts gang: “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”
There were the usual pumpkin houses…
…and gourd houses. And I spotted a few topiary Peanuts characters…
…and a pumpkin patch for photos. But to be honest, I didn’t think it was as creative and pumpkin-glorious as in years past. I missed the shade of the trees, it felt too sunny and hot, and the pumpkin displays were good but not amazing. The magic wasn’t there. After an extraordinarily hot and droughty summer, maybe there just weren’t enough pumpkins or the energy to go all out? I don’t know.
Main gardens
I took a spin through the Arboretum’s gardens too, of course, stopping to admire bronze tadpoles “swimming” around a little pumpkin near the frog fountains.
Pumpkins and fuchsia mums make a colorful edging along a border of grasses and bananas.
Picnickers enjoying the big lawn and lake views
The waterfall grotto giving Costa Rica vibes
Red Maple Rill
At the Red Maple Rill, the first Japanese maples were turning — or maybe certain trees are red-leaved all year? Late October is early for fall color in Dallas.
The rocky stream
Beautiful color, whether typical or autumnal
I spotted a spider in a web built overhead, catching flies over the path without getting in anyone’s way.
One of the Arboretum’s many little plazas with a fountain
A sculpture of a young couple doing a little crossed-leg pose is one of my favorites at the Arboretum. It’s called Chico y Chica de la Playa, or Beach Boy and Girl.
This one, of a young woman gingerly sticking a toe into the water, unfortunately is lacking the water that gives it meaning.
The Kiss features lovers locked in a passionate embrace amid salvia, canna, and pennisetum.
Native border
Near the Charlie Brown pumpkin display, a native border wows with masses of fall aster in full bloom.
Bees were busy at the flowers, gathering pollen.
American beautyberry and a red salvia make a pretty combo too.
A Woman’s Garden
The geometric planes of A Woman’s Garden always catches my eye. A bronze nude stands within a carved-limestone frame at the edge of a rectangular, edgeless pool, which seems to flow into White Rock Lake.
Pensive
Her rounded features are echoed in the monumental limestone frame.
Another frame across the pool draws your eye, begging for a living figure to pose there and look this way.
Up next: An exploration of the popular Children’s Adventure Garden at Dallas Arboretum.
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Digging Deeper
Tour several Austin gardens on Saturday, November 4, on the Garden Conservancy’s Open Day tour for Travis County. Tickets must be purchased online in advance and will be available beginning September 1st.
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That native border shows off asters at their best! I love the pool overlooking the lake too.
I agree, Kris. There are many lovely features at the Arboretum.
The pumpkin and gourd houses are fun! I wonder what becomes of the structures once Autumn is over. Maybe a magical Christmas village scene is in the works?
The Chico y Chica de la Playa are adorable.
Edgeless pools are beautiful but for some reason make me uneasy…
The Arboretum’s Christmas/winter holiday displays were already being set up when I was there, in a different part of the garden. I imagine they break down the pumpkin house structures and reuse them next year.
Fabulous. I can imagine the time and energy to make the pumpkin and gourd houses. Always a treat to see.
Yes, lots of creativity at work.
Nice photos, Pam, but I would like to know if the pumpkins are eventually donated to soup kitchens and other organizations that feed the hungry. Otherwise it is a cold hearted waste of food and the energy and labor used to grow and harvest it. Education on the value of growing pumpkins and how to cook them would be appropriate. As it is it sends a callous “let them eat cake!” message.
I don’t see anything callous about making art or creating an entertaining or beautiful horticultural display. Otherwise, are all ornamental gardens a “cold-hearted waste” of energy and labor? Should we only plant edibles in our own yards? And to extrapolate from there, how about making a decorative oil painting instead of only doing “useful” painting, like house-painting? Is that a waste of energy and labor? I suppose some might see it that way, but I don’t. Artistic endeavors have value. They bring joy and beauty into our lives, and we desperately need more of both these days, particularly if such endeavors encourage people to get outside and appreciate nature more often. Not everything needs to have a “lesson” in order to enrich our minds or bodies.
To your question about what the Arboretum does with their pumpkins after the event, a Google search returns this info: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/curious-texas/2018/10/31/what-happens-to-the-pumpkins-at-the-dallas-arboretum-and-northpark-curious-texas-investigates/
I’ve always wanted to see the pumpkins there, but I have you say that our Franklin Park Conservatory is putting up some competition. Both places have fantastic fall displays.
I’ll have to add that one to my list for someday, Robin. Thanks for the heads up.