Named Gardens
Lay Family Garden
The Lay Family Garden (formally known as the Lay Ornamental Garden) is a 2.2-acre garden filled with hundreds of perennials and woody plants set against two amazing water features, the Lay Grotto, which boasts a waterfall and koi pond, and on the other side, another set of cascading water elements under a lush trellis.
An Abundance of Flora and Koi Fish
Especially nice when it’s hot, the garden is enjoyable all year due to the abundance of flora and fauna one can find. Beyond weddings on the main lawn, families like to take photos here, or stop to admire and play with the koi fish.
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![Water Gardens at the Lay Family Garden]()
Water Gardens at the Lay Family Garden
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Steps of the Lay Family Garden
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![Large Lagoon of the Lay Family Garden]()
Large Lagoon of the Lay Family Garden
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![Waterways in the Lay Family Garden]()
Waterways in the Lay Family Garden
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![Waterfalls at the Lay Family Garden]()
Waterfalls at the Lay Family Garden
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![The Lay Family Garden in Bloom]()
The Lay Family Garden in Bloom
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![Goldfish Swimming around the Amazon Lily in the Lay Garden Pond]()
Goldfish Swimming around the Amazon Lily in the Lay Garden Pond
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![Spring Color in the Lay Garden]()
Spring Color in the Lay Garden
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![The Hardy Palm Collection in the Lay Garden]()
The Hardy Palm Collection in the Lay Garden
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![The Water Walls and Hardy Palm Collection in the Lay Garden]()
The Water Walls and Hardy Palm Collection in the Lay Garden
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![Tulips Blooming at the Water Walls in the Lay Garden]()
Tulips Blooming at the Water Walls in the Lay Garden
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![Water Walls in the Lay Family Garden]()
Water Walls in the Lay Family Garden
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![Tulips Blooming in the Lay Garden]()
Tulips Blooming in the Lay Garden
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![Colorful Tulips Blooming in the Lay Garden]()
Colorful Tulips Blooming in the Lay Garden
Lay Family Garden at the Dallas Arboretum
Renovation at the Lay Family Garden
The Lay Family Garden provides guests with a newly interpreted garden at the north end of the Arboretum property. The renovation was made possible by generous gifts from Mimi Lay’s two daughters, Susan Lay Atwell and Dorothy Lay, and by additional gifts from the Estate of Ward Lay and Anthony Atwell.
The renovation of the Lay Family Garden required several important considerations, all while keeping the original footprint of the garden. The first step was to address the pathways leading to the garden. The second step was to address the entrances into the garden. Three new entrances now feed into the garden from the Paseo extension linking the Camp House Circle with the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. Lastly, the Arboretum preserved the former entry courtyard, but it has now become a pocket garden and more of a destination than a passageway.
One of the most popular features is the native limestone walls with waterfalls cascading from them. Complementing the waterwalls is a new grotto with a 12-foot waterfall directly across from them. The water gardens are also of great interest and include a large lagoon for aquatic plants, a stream with three weirs and a Koi pond.