April showers have transformed Dallas gardens into gorgeous, blooming sanctuaries. You can tour nine of them on the White Rock East Garden Tour on Sunday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The charitable event — which benefits the three neighborhoods on the tour, including Little Forest Hills, Casa Linda and Forest Hills — opens the gates to a diverse mix of personal home gardens. Find everything from clean-lined, modern aesthetics and stately European designs to lush, overflowing organic-style landscapes. (Check out the gallery for images of select gardens on the tour.) “These three neighborhoods are all really into gardening, and that’s been the unifying force,” says committee member Evo Lineberry.
The tour started in 2002, with Lineberry’s mother a founding member, and has grown exponentially since then. “Last year we had over 1,000 people come tour the gardens,” says Lineberry, who adds that some guests even flew in for the show. “It’s not like you’re coming to the same tour every year. We always mix it up, and we wait five to six years before we feature the same garden again.”
In addition to the beautiful landscapes, the tour showcases local artists: two at each residence and about a dozen more at the “Artist Alcove” in Casa Linda Park. “It’s a gigantic celebration of all of the culture of East Dallas including local businesses, neighborhood gardens and local artists,” Lineberry notes. “We’re focused on trying to bring all the aspects of the neighborhood together.”
The park is also the site of the event’s plant sale, which runs 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offers a variety of Japanese maples, plus native plants from local growers, succulents, perennials and more. Local experts will be on hand to help customers select the perfect plants for their own garden.
The self-paced tour costs $20 and includes access to all nine gardens as well as stops at two beloved East Dallas landmarks — the Ferris Cemetery and a beloved tree known as Herbert the Magnificent Bodark. A map will be emailed to guests a week before the show. Buy tickets here.