Friends of the Arboretum, the membership group that supports the Dallas Arboretum, had its annual dinner during the height of Dallas Blooms on March 23. About 310 guests attended and enjoyed cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres before they enjoyed a lovely dinner with music from a classical trio. Trams gave tours throughout the garden to see the four giant peacock topiaries, part of the Dallas Blooms: Birds in Paradise, presented by Veritex Community Bank. Attendees enjoyed the 500,000 spring flowers, of which 350,000 are tulips.  

Dallas Arboretum Board Chairman Jim Ryan welcomed and thanked these special friends who provide important financial gifts and thanked Dallas Southwest Osteopathic Physicians who generously sponsored the dinner. Robin Norcross, Dallas Arboretum contributed revenue committee chair, gave a state of the garden update including a recent accolade from Travel+Leisure that said this “Texas Flower Festival May be the Most Beautiful Springtime Destination in the U.S.”

Norcross also thanked the Friends of the Arboretum committee led by Kay Fulton, chair, and committee members Brianna Brown, Kama Koudelka, Pam Porter, Carla Robinson and Stephanie Walker; and the Caroline Rose Hunt Society, the Dallas Arboretum’s highest membership level, led by Peter Dauterman, chair, along with committee members Robin Carreker, Tucker Enthoven, Patty Dedman Nail and Venise Stuart.

For more information on joining the Friends of the Arboretum, visit dallasarboretum.org or contact Angela Paetzel, Friends Manager, at 214-515-6548 or apaetzel@dallasarboretum.org.