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42 POSTON GARDENS A bout 30 minutes south of Dallas, you'll notice a trail of cars exiting the highway and following little green signs to Poston Gardens. Within minutes, a 60-acre sprawl of farmland comes into view, blanketed with rows of glorious tulips in full bloom. In March, Poston Gardens made its debut in Waxahachie, which until now had been a sleepy town known to many as a pass-through en route to Austin. Poston Gardens' proprietor, John Poston (founder of the neighboring Daymark Living facility, which supports adults living with intellectual disabilities), imported millions of tulip bulbs from Holland for the project, and hired Luke Tamminga (a Holland native and local Waxahachie farmer) to cultivate the plants. Within months the fields were swathed in a botanical rainbow. There are vibrant Strong Gold yellow tulips and crimson Lightharts; pink Rosalies grow alongside gorgeous red Debutantes with painterly white edges; we even spied a few fringed tulips in the mix. Poston Gardens is open to the public, until the flowers stop blooming, and tulips can be picked for $3 a stem, with $1 per purchase donated to Daymark Living. The farm employs adults from Daymark to help manage the day-to-day of farm life. Poston Gardens, 900 Cantrell St., postongardens.com. Christina Geyer THE McCASLAND HORTICULTURE CENTER O n an eight-acre plot of land, between Dallas and Mesquite, the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden has planted new seed. Last month, after a year of intensive preparation, including the incorporation of state-of-the-art digital technology to foster functional and quality growing, the Tom and Phyllis McCasland Horticulture Center opened. While not open to the public, the 17,000 square feet of climate-controlled greenhouses provide Dallas Arboretum greenhouse manager Ana Swinson the opportunity to grow 60 percent of the Arboretum's plant specimens in a precise way — an effort that will greatly expand the Arboretum's ability to be self sustaining. The greenhouses will also allow an increase in the variety of plants that grow in the Arboretum's main botanical garden, A Tasteful Place garden, Incredible Edible Garden, and the Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden. Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road, dallasarboretum.org. Christina Geyer OASIS W hen Hannah Street and Bethany Meith came across a 100-year-old Bishop Arts District house painted in their favorite shades of leafy green, they immediately felt at home. Last month, they uprooted their boutique plant shop, Oasis, from its previous location one street over and replanted in what they hope will be the perfect space for the business to thrive. The right placement, after all, is critical for a plant's wellbeing — something they both know plenty about, after more than a decade in the industry. Last year, they went off on their own after noticing a disconnect between the traditional plant nursery and its younger customers, who they said felt overwhelmed by the process but wanted to bring life into their homes. The duo offers in-home plant consultations and installations along with a lookbook and customized suggestions based on sunlight, personal style, and ease of maintenance. With a big backyard behind their shop, they're expanding outdoor offerings, adding lemon and lime trees and flowering plants. The life-filled space also serves as a venue for private parties, workshops, and just hanging out. "It's a happy spot, and there's a lot of good energy," Street says. "It's mainly because of the plants." Oasis, 416 W. Eighth St., oasisplantshop. com. Lisa Collins Shaddock Poston Gardens Oasis The McCasland Horticulture Center