I am a sucker for a good swath of greenery…yep I’m a garden gal (although my preference is to “ogle” not “tend”), so I’m pretty jazzed about this Saturday’s 2nd annual Rise & Bloom Garden Tour showcasing four drool-worthy Park Cities gardens. The tour goes from 9:30-1:00 and features live music at each featured home (not to mention Bloody Mary’s and tasty bites at the final “bonus home,” belonging to landscape designer extraordinaire Robert Bellamy.)
But the best part is that all proceeds from the tour benefit Rise School Dallas. This amazing school provides services to preschool kids who have Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities. In the Fourteen years that the school has been in operation, it has received national recognition and made a significant difference in the lives of over 150 graduates and their families by helping them integrate successfully into their community. Only 40% of the funds needed to operate the school come from tuition. The remaining 60% is raised through events like the tour.
(One of Robert Bellamy’s beautiful creations…)
Tickets are just $32.50 and can be purchased at area Tom Thumb Stores, Downing Hill Garden Studio, and online. You can get sneak peeks of each garden on the Rise & Bloom Facebook page, and read full details about each beautiful property after the jump…
4931 Wedgewood
A 7-foot-tall urn fountain stands front in center in the front garden of this property planted with a profusion of blue flowering Endless Summer Hydrangea, hyacinth, snow drops, and oxalis. You’ll also be treated to a display of evergreen plantings including both upright and spreading cephalotaxus, the variegated osmanthus gykoshi, and gumpo azaleas. The rear garden is a child’s fantasy, with an oversized tree house, while the back lawn consists of a sunken terrace of diamond zoysia grass. A swimming pool, outdoor kitchen, and party house complete the scene. On the west side a unique wall with exotic stone fish serves as a support for a large sweeping live oak. The garden also has a collection of large Monterrey Oaks, towering slender silhouette Sweet Gums, and a magnolia hedge.
3501 Caruth
This contemporary home and garden achieved LEED Gold Status from the U.S. Green Building Council, and the green design influences everything from the home design, plantings, trees, drip irrigation systems, and garden accessory collections. The home was specifically constructed around the existing rare 75-year-old cedar trees. and the landscape features crushed granite, locally sourced leader stones, and native Xeriscape plants. Roof rain runoff is funneled via a Japanese rain chain into a large, unique piece of coral and then utilized to water the beds. All ground runoff is diverted to a 5,000 gallon cistern under the driveway that allows the homeowners to utilize the water. All turf on the property is artificial and the grass on the east side parkway belongs to and is maintained by the City of Dallas.
4301 Lakeside
This 1.5-acre lot features a beautiful historic home and gardens designed to showcase the owners magnificent art (think a multitude of French and Greek statues, modern sculptures, and a dreamy fountain). Other standout features include a tabletop in the dining area of the yard was crafted from lava.
(Bonus Home) 1918 N. Prairie
The final home on the tour (open from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.) belongs to renowned landscape architect Robert Bellemy and features his show-stopping personal gardens and outdoor rooms throughout a four lot complex. The gardens are accessorized with beautiful mosaic sculptures designed by Bellemy as well as a myriad of plants reclaimed from his various projects and replanted to thrive in this imaginative landscape. Bellamy has also implemented collected materials and encasement window scraps throughout. Center stage is his “Christmas Tree” adorned with colored glass.
