A big thank you to our sponsors!

Mother Nature was in all her glory for the Dallas County Master Gardener Association, Inc. (DCMGA) 2026 Spring Garden Tour on Saturday, May 9—and the weather was gorgeous. So were the gardens. The five residential gardens and two historic city parks in North Oak Cliff were at their peak, and guests repeatedly shared how impressed they were.

After months—if not years—of preparing their gardens, our Garden Owners graciously welcomed nearly 1,000 visitors from 102 zip codes. Most attendees came from across North Texas, but we also welcomed guests from New Jersey, Missouri, and Washington State. One guest arrived with her daughter—a common sight on Mother’s Day weekend—but this visit was especially memorable: the mother was 100 years old.

Guests expressed appreciation for the wide variety of garden experiences—from large to small spaces, sun to shade, vibrant color to calming greens, and native plantings to tropical displays. Educational principles were demonstrated in every garden, with propagation emerging as one of the most popular demonstrations. Tour attendees engaged actively, asking questions of both docents and Garden Owners throughout the day. One Garden Owner shared gratitude that so many guests were eager to interact and learn how to apply the host’s knowledge in their own landscapes.

More than 140 Dallas County Master Gardeners filled volunteer roles, including garden captains, educators, preparation teams, docents, runners, publicists, writers, and Welcome Table greeters. Additional educational support came from the Master Naturalists and the Friends of Oak Cliff Parks. All these volunteers did a tremendous job welcoming guests, guiding them through the gardens, and providing research‑based horticultural information about the landscapes and DCMGA.

For the 2026 tour, we introduced QR codes in the event program to direct visitors to plant lists for each garden. These lists are also available on the DCMGA website at dallascountymastergardeners.org.

Each garden featured engaging speakers, including propagation demonstrations by Julie Keith and Catherine Robertson and a butterfly discussion led by Roseann Ferguson. Additionally, Rusty Allen of North Haven Gardens presented a well‑received demonstration on the best native plants for both sun and shade in North Texas.

The Garden Tour is DCMGA’s largest annual fundraiser, and the 2026 event successfully fulfilled this purpose through sponsorships, ticket sales, and a silent auction.

As a first‑time location for the DCMGA tour, Oak Cliff proved to be a wonderful addition, offering warm hospitality and beautiful gardens that guests thoroughly enjoyed.

We are grateful to Hank Hammett for his leadership of the 2026 Garden Tour; to Ann Huntington for her outstanding work with sponsors; to Johan Tavares for his beautiful photography, marketing pieces, and patience; to Barbara Macleod for driving publicity and ticket sales; to Temisha Daniels for organizing volunteers and onsite setup; to Shea Mayberry for coordinating a beautiful and highly successful silent auction; to Mary Calvo for keeping us on task and on budget; to Suzy Renz and Dawn McDonald for keeping operations running smoothly; and to Nancy Black, Elaine Webster, and Lisa Loughmiller for their steady guidance. Hats off to Cynthia Jones and the Communications Team for their above‑and‑beyond work, which was essential to the tour’s success.

Such success truly takes a village.

Click here to view the comprehensive plant list for each of the Tour gardens.