The Texas Discovery Gardens, located in Dallas Fair Park, offers 7.5 acres of beautifully tended sustainable landscape for visitors to explore. The garden specializes in native plants, as well as plants from around the world that can adapt to the climatic conditions of north Texas. The emphasis is on choosing plants which will support native wildlife, especially local birds and butterflies.
10 Themed Sections
Contents
The gardens are divided into sections, each with a specific theme, such as the scent garden, the heirloom garden, the native wildlife pond and everyone’s perennial favorite: the butterfly habitat.
The Butterfly House
Walking through the Butterfly House is like wandering through a huge terrarium full of colorful flying insects. This section is home to roughly 500 different kinds of butterflies over the course of a year.
Guides give talks each day at noon about recent hatchlings, but if you miss that, they also provide a handy guide so you can identify the butterflies you see while you are there. When I visited, I saw a hummingbird moth, among many others, and learned the names of several species I have found in my own backyard.
The Butterfly House is quite humid, so if you plan to take photos you may want a clean cloth to wipe your lens off if it steams up.
For best viewing and photos, show up early on an overcast day. On cooler, cloudy days butterflies tend to stay in one place and “pose” for longer periods of time.
Picknickers Welcome
On sunny days – and we certainly have our share in Dallas – tables are available for on-site picnics. Remember to leave your pooch at home, however; service dogs are the only canines allowed here.
Events in All Seasons
With a wide variety of family events, gardening workshops, guided tours, art exhibits and even sustainability-themed fashion shows, there is something going on here all year long.
Hours, Admission, Parking & Address
Hours of Operation: The Texas Discovery Gardens are open daily, except for: New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
- Open Monday to Friday: 10:00am – 5:00pm
- Open Saturday and Sunday: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Admission Prices:
- $8 Adults
- $6 Seniors (60+)
- $4 Children (3-11)
- Free for under 3
- Free for Texas Discovery Garden members
Address: 3601 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Dallas, Texas 75210
Phone: (214) 428-7476 Extension #341
official website: TexasDiscoveryGardens.org
Free Parking. Parking for the Texas Discovery Gardens is free when you head through Gate 6 of Dallas Fair Park.
Don’t be put off by signs announcing a parking fee. When events are going on at other venues in Fair Park, they charge for parking. If you let the parking gate attendant know that you are visiting the gardens, they should let you in for free. However…
There is one exception to the free parking: during the State Fair of Texas (September 30 – October 23, 2011) you will need to pay parking fees and admission to the fair in order to visit the Texas Discovery Gardens.
Please note: While all the above information is accurate as of this writing, hours, prices and so forth are subject to change.