On Wednesday, Dec. 18, Texas’s oldest botanic garden is turning 90. To celebrate, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden is offering free admission between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Guests can stroll through the 23 specialty gardens, enjoy complimentary samples from Nothing Bundt Cakes + hand-make their own birdseed ornament.

How well do you know the garden's lush history? Let's look back on the last 90 years.

Origins

In 1912, the city of Fort Worth purchased 37.5 acres of land known as Rock Springs Park that would eventually become the botanic garden we know and love today.

In 1929, the Tarrant County Rose Society proposed a rose garden for the park. Thanks to a $340,000 grant, the construction of the park and its rose garden prevailed — despite economic struggles of the Great Depression. On Dec. 18, 1934, the park was renamed Fort Worth Botanic Garden (FWBG).

The Fort Worth Botanic Garden's Birds' Christmas tree was a tradition at the gardens that occurred annually up until 1955. | Photo by UTA Libraries

A year later, the FWBG hosted its first Birds' Christmas Tree where families came to garnish an old mesquite tree with cranberries, apples, and cornbread crumbs for birds.

This year on free admissions day, the FWBG will revive the tradition and let guests take home their own handcrafted pine cone bird-feeding ornament.

During the flood of 1949, parts of the rose garden were under 15 ft of muddy water. | Photo by Fort Worth Botanic Garden

Flood of '49

In May 1949, a devastating storm brought 11 inches of rain causing part of the Trinity River to flood — affecting much of central Fort Worth including the FWBG. Despite the weather, the FWBG bounced back over time, developing several specialty gardens on display today.

There is a lot to see at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden making it one of Fort Worth's most coveted attractions. | Photo by Fort Worth Botanic Garden

Back to the future

In 2009, FWBG was added to the National Register of Historic Places making it Texas' first botanic garden to be listed. Today, it is one of the most notable tourist attractions flourishing with features like the Japanese Garden, BRIT Philecology Herbarium + more. In 2022, the FWBG debuted a 20-year master plan promising preservation + expansion — including the recent groundbreaking of the new Baker Martin Family Garden.

Fort Worthians can help ensure another 90 years in bloom and the future of the garden with a donation, gift of membership, or volunteer work.