Thousands of pumpkins, gourds and squash have been assembled at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden for the 12th annual Autumn at the Arboretum. This national fall festival running through November 22 has been named one of the best pumpkin picking experiences in the country by Trip Advisor and one of the world's 15 most breathtaking gardens by Architectural Digest magazine. This year’s theme is The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,

Now in its 12th year, Autumn at the Arboretum includes the acclaimed Pumpkin Village with pumpkin houses and creative displays using more than 90,000 of the festive vegetables, along with hay bales and cornstalks. Pumpkins, Squash and Gourds, Oh My! takes visitors along an actual yellow-brick road, spiraling through Pecan Grove with stops at each major occurrence in the story of Dorothy and her adventures in the "land of Oz". Vignettes include Auntie Em's house, the Scarecrow's Garden, the Enchanted Forest with the Tin Man and Cowardly Lion, Munchkinland, Emerald City showcasing the carriage pulled by A Horse of A Different Color, and the Wicked Witch's Castle, including a Hay Bale Maze, mimicking the castle walls. Munchkinland is also the home of the Tom Thumb Pumpkin Patch offering pumpkins for purchase and activities for kids.

Adding to the annual Autumn pumpkin exhibit, the Dallas Arboretum recently opened a year-round destination named A Tasteful Place, a garden designed in the center, to mirror an ornamental kitchen garden or potager, as it is called by the French. The 3.5-acre addition is comprised of artfully arranged elements that include a pavilion with event space and a teaching kitchen, an orchard, beds of ornamental display vegetables, herbs and flowers, and a lagoon. The garden will host cooking classes, demonstrations, garden-to-table dinners, daily tastings, a hillside for picnicking and educational opportunities.

Mark Wolf, Dallas Arboretum board chairman, states, “A Tasteful Place aligns with the Arboretum's mission of promoting the beauty and knowledge of horticulture, while providing educational opportunities for knowing where and how our food is grown."

said Location: 8525 Garland Rd., Dallas For more information and a schedule of events, visit DallasArboretum.org.

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