A Tasteful Place Cooks up Something New for Dallas
A Tasteful Place opened earlier this month to much excitement from Dallas Arboretum supporters and the education and food communities of North Texas. Inspired by the national movement towards growing and eating sustainable, fresh, locally sourced, delicious food, A Tasteful Place is both the newest addition to our beautiful gardens – and an incredibly stunning one at that – and a sign of our continued commitment to one key piece of our mission, education through an appreciation of horticulture. And we believe A Tasteful Place is a game changer for Dallas, and for botanical gardens’ role in the U.S. urban landscape.
A Tasteful Place is an idea that began germinating over seven years ago, with the vision of a garden full of vegetables and herbs that meets our aesthetic standards as a world-class display garden, and also acts as a dynamic hub for discussion and learning about food.
The Ingredients to A Tasteful Place
Here’s what went into bringing that vision to life, creating a robust, yet intimate experience for guests of this newest garden at the Dallas Arboretum.
Potagers: Four identical raised beds, called potagers are located in the center of the garden. Potager is French for “ornamental or kitchen garden.” These potagers, two of which are named after Marilyn R. Corrigan and Catherine A. Corrigan, are the heart of the space, housing seasonal vegetables that are kept in-season by putting in plants from our off-site greenhouse as the season dictates.
Barbara and Bob Bigham Picnic Overlook: A circular green space, enveloped by half-circle pergolas, lies at the edge of the garden, overlooking White Rock Lake with the Dallas skyline on the horizon. It is the perfect spot for a picnic, a small wedding or a cocktail party – or just a quiet moment as you enjoy a sample of something made from our garden.
Ruthie Pack’s Tasting Plaza: An outdoor kitchen, created to offer tastings of what’s in-season with guests, to share new and inventive ways to prepare and serve the produce of the garden.
Carole M. Kelley Orchard and Patio: A variety of trees skirt the edge of the pavilion at A Tasteful Place, showing how pomegranates, apricots and pears grow, among others.
Three Sisters Lagoon Overlook: The right-edge of the garden features a patio overlooking the Margaret and Jay Simmons Lagoon. Oriented toward the lagoon and the water features that feed into it, the overlook is an ideal place to relax and unwind.
Charlotte and Don Test Pavilion: This 3,600 square foot pavilion is suited to host not only cooking classes and demonstrations, but also parties and events. Video screens on either side of the space enhance the learning experience, or share the magic of the moment with guests.
What’s growing in the garden?
The composition of the garden at A Tasteful Place changes monthly. Visit the garden often to learn how the produce grows, when to harvest, and how to prepare delicious, healthy meals from this bounty. Then, taste samples made with in-season produce to discover a new flavor combination or method of preparation.
What’s Cooking!
A Tasteful Place is open year-round, hosting a variety of events all centered around education and discovery. We hope you join us at one or more of these special events created to pique your interest in what we’ve got “growing” on. From cooking classes to horticultural demonstrations, chef-led demos to healthy eating presentations, specialty dinners to beer and wine tastings, we have something to satiate every appetite.
A Tasteful Place has just opened, and we have some big dreams for your experience in this beautiful, educational garden. Every time you visit, you’ll see something new to sample, to learn and to experience.
Want to get a taste of A Tasteful Place? Check the website for all our cooking, tasting, nutrition and educational events as well as opportunities for free tastings and more.
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