The Fort Worth Botanic Garden is getting a tune-up — and it’s not just a trimmed lawn and new blooms.
Earlier this week, city leaders approved the 20-year master plan to address long-standing deferred maintenance and replace aging facilities to make sure that the city’s landmark is fresh as a daisy.
There have been three previous master plans for the garden — 1964, 1990, and 2010 — that were minimally implemented with limited effects due to a lack of resources and land acquisitions. Designed by StudioOutside, Bennett Partners, and Terra Design Studios, this plan has budding potential. Keep reading for a breakdown.
Drag the slider above to compare the existing garden to the draft design.
The project aims to create a unified campus between the gardens and BRIT that will expand research opportunities, engage a broader audience, foster diverse and healthy horticulture, provide education facilities, and establish future infrastructure.
Preservation 🍂
The plan will preserve and maintain the historic garden core including the Rose Garden, Rock Springs + Horseshoe Garden.
Renovation 🌳
The plan will update the Japanese Garden, Texas Native Forest Boardwalk + Fuller Garden areas to include a Trinity Wetland Boardwalk, herbaceous color garden, and a woodland garden that will integrate with the existing Texas Native boardwalk.
Expansion 🌻
The following facilities will be expanded:
- The Moncrief Garden Center
- The BRIT building
- Sustainable parking with integrated bioswales + a 225-space parking garage
- Operation service areas
- Convenient pedestrian paths and a tram loop trail
Creation 🌱
Once complete, the Botanic Garden will be teeming with new features including:
- A perimeter garden along University Drive and I-30
- New entry featuring a leaf-like ticketing plaza and gift shop
- Permanent event stage
- Education hub with three greenhouses, hands-on gardens, and classrooms
- Conservatory for biodiversity education, horticulture experiences, and events
- A family garden and a culinary garden with an outdoor kitchen
- Five food and beverage locations
- Eight rental venues for weddings and parties
See the full master plan presentation here.
