GARDEN VARIETY: East Texas bursts forth in spring blooms that can be appreciated from curbside or sidewalk at any time, or during special events in communities like Tyler and Nacogdoches.
YONDER
Texas Azaleas
Tyler’s reputation for beauty rests with homeowners
T
by
RICK STRYKER
Tyler
nificent and varied structures and neighborhoods, but the devotion to ornamental horticulture, espedistricts is worth experiencing any time of the year. cially roses and azaleas, has given Tyler its signaThe Brick Streets Historic District encompasses ture reputation for beauty. It’s remarkable that this reputation has been earned through the individual 29 blocks of mid-19th-century efforts of homeowners since the to mid-20th-century residential, Azalea & Spring 1930s. In fact, the Chamber of commercial and institutional Garden Trail Commerce recognized this phedevelopment. The Charnwood March 24-April 9 nomena by establishing a marked Residential Historic District visittyler.com/azaleatrail five-mile route initially featuring 60 encompasses 12 blocks of late 19thTyler Convention homes. century and early 20th-century and Visitors Bureau In 2017 the 58th Annual residential development. And the 315 N. Broadway Azalea & Spring Flower Trail feaAzalea District is Tyler’s largest (800) 235-5712 tures many miles of gardens and residential concentration of earlyvisittyler.com a plethora of community events. to mid-20th-century dwellings. The official greeters of the Azalea In the spring, when the Azalea & Spring Flower Trail partially goes through these Trail are Azalea Belles, young women who dress districts, the experience is exceptional. The region’s in antebellum gowns and are chosen from high oil booms have provided resources to build mag- school and home school families.
THE CHARM OF TYLER’S historic residential
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AU THENTIC TEX AS
TYLER • •
FOREST TRAIL REGION
COURTESY RONALD RANG
NACOGDOCHES