Water-Wise Landscape Tour: a look at Dallas gardens

If you spent your Saturday morning wandering through drought-resistant gardens, you were in good company. The 32nd Annual Water-Wise Landscape Tour, put on by Dallas Water Utilities, ran yesterday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the White Rock Pump Station, and it was the kind of free, self-guided outing that rewards a little curiosity. The whole point was to show off how a yard can look great without drinking the city dry, and the gardens delivered on that front.

The plants were the real stars. You could walk from one yard to the next and see salvias, Texas sage, Turk's cap, Gregg's mistflower, lantana, red yucca, Texas mountain laurel, and black-eyed Susans all doing their thing with very little water. It wasn't just about the greenery, either. The tour highlighted the actual plumbing behind it: drip irrigation, rain barrels, soaker hoses, and composting systems, all the practical tools that make a low-water garden actually work. Alongside the residential yards, three community gardens got the spotlight, including The Ovenwood Urban Farm Project and Bonton Farms, and the tour handed out awards in categories like Best of Show, Best Plant Variety, Best Large Landscape, and Best Small Landscape.

The setting added its own layer. The White Rock Pump Station is one of 20 iconic structures listed in the Dallas Architecture Guide, a turn-of-the-century building sitting inside White Rock Lake Park with panoramic views and some real architectural character. It's run by Dallas Water Utilities, the same outfit that handles the city's water, wastewater, stormwater, and flood control. Back at the station, there were free arts and crafts, irrigation booths staffed with conservation experts, a seed ball-making activity, and a trivia contest where you could walk away with native shrubs and plants. Maps, crafts, snacks, and giveaways were laid out while supplies lasted.

If you missed it, there are still ways to get involved. Dallas Water Utilities runs a Residential Irrigation Rebate Pilot Program that can cover up to $3,000 for qualifying properties upgrading to efficient systems — think EPA WaterSense controllers, switching pop-up spray zones to drip or bubblers, or splitting a single irrigation zone. The process is straightforward: schedule a free Irrigation System Evaluation, submit an application, finish the project within a year, and the credit lands within two billing cycles. For anyone who wants to keep the momentum going, the next Water Wise seminar, "Rain Catcher – A Barrel Good Time," is set for Saturday, November 14. And if you're just looking for more inspiration, the Dallas-Fort Worth area is dotted with demonstration gardens worth a visit, from the Fort Worth Botanic Garden's Water Conservation Garden to the Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park. For questions about the tour or the city's conservation programs, you can reach Dallas Water Utilities at 214-670-3155 or through SaveDallasWater.com.