Dallas Arboretum

Imagine a garden without weeds, where all the plants are lush and in bloom, with endless sunny spots for picnicking, and you'll have the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.
Anyone who has ever attempted to garden can only gaze upon this perfectly manicured landscape with wonder. Located on White Rock Lake, the Arboretum offers a spectacular assortment of trees, bushes and flowers that would put Martha Stewart to shame. As an added bonus, the Arboretum is perfect for picture taking, with countless photogenic spots. (On a typical day, a few brides usually can be spotted having their portraits taken.)
In March 2006, the Arboretum opened three new gardens. The Boswell Family Garden was a Christmas gift from George Boswell to his wife, Veta, and three daughters. The garden is named El Inesperado, Spanish for "the unexpected," and borders the McCasland Family Sunken Garden. The McCasland garden, funded by Tom and Phyllis McCasland, is a renovation and upgrade of the original Sunken Garden (a popular spot for weddings). The final phase of A Woman's Garden, donated by the arboretum's Women's Council, completes a 2.5-acre project that honors the nurturing nature of women. It is the nation's only public garden dedicated to women.
The Arboretum also offers tours of the DeGolyer House, a Spanish Colonial-style '40s mansion on its grounds, and has a sculpture garden with pieces on loan from the Dallas Museum of Art. Another treat is the ornamental garden with water walls. So pack a lunch, put on your sunblock, and plan to spend the day in a garden so beautiful you may be tempted to stop by the nursery on the way home.