There’s nothing quite like being surrounded by the tranquil beauty of nature after a long day, week, or even a month spent in traffic jams and office spaces. It’s for this very reason, us Fort Worthians have it made, since a jaunt to a tranquil garden is but a short drive to 3220 Botanic Garden Blvd, just north of I-30. The Fort Worth Botanic Garden has been that refuge for city dwellers and more since 1934. It’s almost eerie how the noise from the surrounding streets and byways seem to disappear inside its hallowed green spaces almost like entering into another dimension.
And although the Botanic Garden doesn’t officially turn 90 until its birthday in December, that hasn’t stopped the purveyors of this tranquil area from inviting the public out this July to enjoy this space free of charge for a day. From July 2nd through September 1st, anyone can purchase a ticket on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays and receive a free ticket for a friend or family member to join them at the Garden that day.
The Botanic Garden will also have another free day on its actual birthday on December 18. Free admission will be available that day during the Garden’s regular hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Originally labeled Rock Springs Park, the Botanic Garden was given its new name in 1934 when the city’s board of park commissioners decided the 37.5-acre area needed a new moniker. At that point the Botanic Garden, already had spring-fed pools, cascading waterfalls, and a newly constructed Rose Garden. Soon these amenities would give way to one of our city’s most iconic attractions. And this isn’t just lip service either. Last year Southern Living Magazine named the Botanic Garden one of the most beautiful gardens in the South, a honor bestowed to only one garden in Texas.
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Besides its famed Rose and Japanese Gardens, the over 100-acre Botanic Garden is also comprised of the Adelaide Polk Fuller Garden featuring a comprehensive collection of trees, shrubs, and perennials, and the Victor and Cleyone Tinsley Garden, highlighting plants native to north central Texas.
And although plants are of giant importance to the Botanic Garden, this space also offers community education for adults, children and families, and international research conducted through the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT). According to a press release, The BRIT Philecology Herbarium contains nearly 1.5 million plant specimens from around the world making it one of the largest herbaria in the United States. Plus, the BRIT Research Library houses nearly 125,000 volumes of botanical books and journals.
"As we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, we reflect on the rich history, enduring beauty, and profound impact this sanctuary has had on our community,” Patrick Newman, president and CEO of the Botanic Garden says. “From its humble beginnings to its status as a beloved landmark, the garden stands as a testament to our commitment to nature, education, and sustainable living. As CEO, I am proud to be part of this milestone and look forward to the continued growth and prosperity of this treasured institution."
Historic Timeline for the Fort Worth Botanic Garden
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1912 The City of Fort Worth purchased 37.5 acres for a community park that would later be named Rock Springs Park.
1925 Citizens of Fort Worth passed a bond to draft a plan for a park system. Architectural landscape firm Hare and Hare from Kansas City was hired to complete a comprehensive design.
1929 The Tarrant County Rose Society proposed a municipal rose garden for the east side of Rock Springs Park.
1930 Hare and Hare drew plans for a rose garden inspired by the gardens of Versailles.
1931 The first phase of Hare and Hare’s plan for Rock Springs Park was completed. During the construction, Queen Tut, an elephant from the Fort Worth Zoo, was used to help compact the bottom and sides of one of the park’s lagoons to help it retain water.
1932 Despite the Great Depression, construction on the iconic Rose Garden was able to proceed due to a $340,000 Reformation Finance Corporation (RFC) grant from the government and the hiring of 750 unemployed men through the Works Progress Administration (the first relief project in Fort Worth).
1933 The Rose Garden, which was built with four thousand tons of Palo Pinto County stone, was dedicated. Many of the roses and other plants were donated by WPA workers and local nurserymen.
1934 On December 18, 1934, the park and Rose Garden were officially renamed the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. FWBG is Texas’ oldest botanic garden.
1935 The Fort Worth Garden Club opened the Garden Center (now the Rock Springs Building) in June 1935, as the first established garden center in Texas.
1935 FWBG hosted its first Birds’ Christmas tree, where children from the community decorated an old mesquite with cranberries, apples, carrots, cornbread crumbs, and popcorn for the birds to eat.
1949 In May 1949, the Trinity River in Fort Worth experienced a devastating flood. Much of the Garden was covered by muddy water, 12 to 15 feet in some areas.
1953 FWBG was designated a bird sanctuary by the Audubon Society.
1954 Hare and Hare designed and constructed the Horseshoe Garden, a horseshoe-shaped sidewalk lined with 10 live oaks to the west of the Rose Garden.
1963 The Fragrance Garden for the Blind, designed by the Fort Worth Park and Recreation Department, was constructed in 1963. The Fort Worth Garden Club aided in establishing the herb garden for the enjoyment of the blind, as well as the sighted. It was renovated in the late 1980’s and now features raised beds filled with fragrant plants and some with distinct texture to add to guests’ experiences.
1965 The original entrance gates, a gift from the Garden Club Council of Fort Worth, were dedicated. On the columns are wrought iron lanterns that originally hung on the Montgomery Ward Building on West 7th Street.
1973 The 7.5-acre Japanese Garden opened on March 29, 1973, featuring an evergreen landscape, iconic moon bridge, winding paths, water features, koi fish, and a meditation garden.
1979 The Display Garden, today known as the Trial Garden, was added during the spring of 1979. As one of the All-America Display Gardens, the garden features All-America selections of annuals, with other flowering annuals, perennials, current All-America rose selections and miniature roses.
1983 The Perennial Garden was planted, replacing the Cactus Garden.
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1986 The 17,000 square foot Deborah Beggs Moncrief Garden Center and 10,000 square foot tropical conservatory opened to the public. Both structures were built with money raised by the Fort Worth Garden Club.
1988 A dedication ceremony was held for the Dorothea Leonhardt Lecture Hall in May. The hall seats 241 guests and is used for educational presentations, fine arts performances, meetings, and community gatherings.
1989 The Beggs Garden, an intimate, enclosed garden located outside of the Lecture Hall, was dedicated in August.
1990 FWBG’s new entry opened in the spring of 1990.
1991 In conjunction with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Concerts in the Garden began in the summer of 1991. The series is a community favorite and has featured many musical artists over the years.
1992 The Republic of Texas Rose Garden, located between the Oval Rose Garden and the Lower Rose Garden, was dedicated. This garden features roses that grew in Texas during the Texas Republic, 1836-1845. The roses chosen for this garden are from original cuttings or roots, not grafts.
1995 The 3.25-acre Adelaide Polk Fuller Memorial Garden was dedicated on May 18, 1995. An 18-foot diameter floral clock was installed at the FWBG main entrance. The clock’s face is composed of ever-changing seasonal and special plantings and was a gift from the Fort Worth Garden Club.
1996 The Four Seasons Garden was dedicated June 8, 1996. The garden is composed of plants representing the seasons of the year and is organized around a meandering sidewalk that passes beds filled with a collection of annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs.
2003 The Water Conservation Garden, a blend of native and adapted plants that flourish on little water, was completed. Collaborating in the creation of the garden were the Tarrant Regional Water District, the City of Fort Worth Water Department, Texas Agrilife Extension Service, and the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.
2006 The Texas Native Forest Boardwalk was dedicated on November 4, 2006. The 955-foot-long, elevated boardwalk is a living outdoor classroom designed to stimulate the interests of children and adults in the stewardship and conservation of native forests and the animal life that inhabits them.
2008 The Conservation Greenhouse was completed.
2009 The Fort Worth Botanic Garden was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
2011 On May 21, 2011, the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) building was dedicated. The $46 million LEED, platinum-certified structure was built on 7.5 acres on the north side of the Garden. BRIT, is a nonprofit, international scientific research and learning center, whose mission is to conserve our natural-world heritage by sharing knowledge of the plant world and helping the public understand the value plants bring to life. The research institute serves as a think tank and a catalyst in conservation.
2019 General admission fees were established to help maintain and update the Garden.
2020 On October 1, 2020, BRIT assumed nonprofit management of FWBG from the City of Fort Worth. The city council approved the 20-year management agreement with BRIT after extensive review, assessment, and public involvement, including a community task force that determined transformational change was needed for the Garden’s long-term sustainability. Under this agreement, the city still owns the Garden’s assets, including buildings, landscapes, and collections.
Editor's Note: (This timeline was compiled by the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.)
