Clark Gardens

I loved Clark Gardens. This was my pick from the very beginning because we wanted our wedding to feel ethereal and secret garden inspired, lush, romantic, and full of life. We were also going for a touch of Tuscany since that is where we were headed for our honeymoon, and Clark Gardens’ baroque details and Mediterranean inspired landscaping fit the vision perfectly. There are even trees in the White Garden that are the same species found in Italy, and it felt like a little piece of Europe tucked away in Texas. The planning staff was incredible from start to finish, responsive, kind, and truly invested in making our day special. Every question was met with patience and professionalism, and they went above and beyond to make sure everything ran smoothly. The venue itself is beyond magical: peacocks roaming the pathways, butterflies fluttering through the gardens, and sparkling fountains around every corner. It is pure enchantment. The wedding party stayed at The Retreat at Clark Gardens, the guest house on the property, which provided an absolutely calm and serene place to gather during the wedding weekend. It was the perfect escape, quiet, cozy, and surrounded by nature. I felt relaxed and rejuvenated the entire time, and it made the weekend feel even more special and connected. Clark Gardens is truly a hidden gem in the DFW area. The property feels private and peaceful, like you have stepped into another world, and every inch of it is breathtakingly beautiful. Our guests could not stop talking about how stunning it was, and it is no surprise they have now been featured on the cover of British Vogue. If you are dreaming of a fairytale garden wedding, this is the place. I will sing their praises forever. Clark Gardens made our day everything we imagined and more. Book them and make your dream day a reality!

Nice botanical garden with some historical exhibits and fountains. Came on a Wed afternoon and was the only visitor! Friendly staff in the admission area which also sells a few bits and bobbles. Wouldn’t quite call it a gift shop though. Trails are well marked and it’s remarkably peaceful. This place must look gorgeous in the spring and summer. But I’ll tell you during my visit in the off season there’s not much to look at. The fountains/pool areas are choked with the foliage coming down from the trees so you can’t see/feed the fish. And besides the herbs there are nary a flower. Saw two butterflies! Sadly because of the slow offseason or being short staffed the historical house and train station home were locked/closed. All to say is that during season, this is a place to spend some time and I’d highly recommend it. In the off season? A good place to take a peaceful stroll to clear your mind.

While it is the tail end of the summer, the flora was beautiful. The gardens are a.wonderful walk surrounded by many varieties of trees, flowers and plants. Very relaxing place.

Clark Gardens in Weatherford, TX is undeniably beautiful. The gardens are lush, spacious, and well-maintained, with several lovely water features and scenic backdrops that make for stunning photos. The property feels peaceful and clean, and on our event day, the staff worked diligently to keep the main floor dry and safe despite steady rain. However, there are some important things future guests and couples should know. While the venue sets up the essentials — such as tables and chairs — you’re largely responsible for ensuring all additional items and details are taken care of. Unfortunately, the gardens don’t hold rainwater well. Even under the tented areas, puddles lingered, leaving the bottoms of dresses and pant legs wet and muddy. Outdoor walkways quickly turned to soft mud, and accessibility was especially difficult for anyone using a wheelchair or stroller. Another challenge is navigation. The website and Airbnb listings provide very limited instructions, and because cell service can be spotty in the area, GPS often struggles to lead guests to the correct entrance. There are multiple entry points — some private or gated — and with minimal lighting at night, it’s easy to get lost. Guests, especially older ones unfamiliar with digital maps, found this particularly confusing. It’s highly recommended to map out directions before losing daylight, as signage and visibility at night are limited. The on-site cottage is charming, complete with beautiful peacocks wandering nearby, which adds to the charm of the gardens. However, guests should be aware that a copperhead snake was spotted on the cottage porch during our stay, so it’s wise to be cautious when walking the property at night. Additionally, while the cottage address is listed as the same as the main venue, there are multiple buildings and homes on the property — and no clear directions provided to distinguish which one is the cottage, adding to the navigation confusion. The cottage host was incredibly kind, responsive, and helpful, which we greatly appreciated. Unfortunately, interactions with the venue’s day-of manager, Janet, were not as pleasant. While she was efficient and ensured key tasks were completed, her demeanor toward guests and wedding party members felt abrupt and unwelcoming at times. The bride and several guests experienced interactions that came across as dismissive rather than understanding, which added unnecessary stress to an already emotional day. For example, when there was confusion about use of the nearby kitchen area, instead of calmly clarifying, Janet corrected the bride sharply in front of others, leaving her embarrassed and uncomfortable. Later, the bridal suite was locked before cleanup was finished, which made the party feel rushed out. While some staff were kind and hardworking, the overall experience — particularly due to inconsistent communication, confusing logistics, and tone of guest interaction — made the day more stressful than it needed to be. That said, Clark Gardens remains a lovely location for photos and nature-filled celebrations. With clearer directions, improved accessibility, and more thoughtful communication from staff, it could easily become a top-tier venue experience.

Went on a whim something different out of the area about 90min from Lewisville. A beautiful drive there. $10 per person pets allowed. Spend about 4 hrs. Beautiful scenic & peaceful. Many fountains picnic areas 3 very air-conditioned clean restrooms. No bug spray used in June walked away with about 8 mosquito bites, so for the little ones spray might be a good idea. Coolers and drinks permitted. Stroller friendly. Wheel chair may be difficult. Many shaded areas. Will definitely return. Thank you for sharing the beautifully maintained property and history.

Beautiful peaceful place to spend Mothers Day or any other day. Shady trails well marked passing by all nature of Texas plants with sculptures along the paths. Would be a lovely venue for a wedding, chapel and a large reception tent. Oh and the model train setup Is fun.

Glad we basically stumbled across this garden. We would come back for sure and spend more time. We a beautiful, serene place.

I went september 30th. It may have been offseason. I am not a horticulturalist. There was plush with green bushes. A few annuals, but the groundwork was there I bet during the season.This place is absolutely beautiful

Lovely garden with fountains and lots of benches for relaxing and soaking in fresh air. You can meander for hours. There was a tiny festival under a covered area when I was there. It seemed geared towards little kids. There were lots of arts & crafts for them to do, and some snacks. The next lovely day you find yourself looking for something relaxing to do, you should check out these gardens. It's a perfect escape for families and individuals. The cost is $10/adult. I'll be back in mid to late Spring when everything is blooming.

My daughter had her wedding there and all was great up until the reception. There was some major miscommunication between the Venue and the Bride that was not cleared up that evening or after. After repeated emails to the venue about the situation we were not contacted until 3 weeks after. It was poor management and they were very rude to the Brides family and the grooms. The place is beautiful however. We will not be using them in the future.

We came here last month on a sunny afternoon and was pleasantly surprised by Clark Gardens. Max Clark (the owner) directed us on where to park. He's in his 90s and is active in the upkeep of the gardens. The lovely ladies in the admission/gift shop store gave us information on the gardens as well as a map. Admission to the gardens is $10 per person which is reasonable. They had pumpkins/gourds that they were giving away which was nice. Clark Gardens is 50 acres with plenty of places to sit, take pictures and explore. We noticed there were a lot of cobwebs within the gardens, so be careful where you walk. The gardens are for any age, they have mini train station, bridges, lakes, ponds, a beautiful chapel with stained glass windows, gazebos, fountains etc. Max had his wife, Billie buried in the gardens. Clark Gardens was the product of Max and Billie's love of landscaping, planting and gardening. We had a lovely visit and I'm glad that Clark Gardens exists.

We attended a wedding here and it is an absolutely stunning venue. They had picturesque backgrounds at every turn. The small chapel was gorgeous with stained glass. Multiple fountains and beautiful stone work.

This place is AMAZING. I came in November. The weather was nice, but hardly peak season for a garden in bloom. What I found were manicured trails weaving through a beautifully laid out garden with so much to look at. The woman inside was wonderfully informative and supplied me with a map. I was shocked to still find flowers in the rose garden and don't get me started in the train setup! It is the most impressive miniature train setup I have ever seen. Seriously impressive. Also, absolutely EVERYTHING is labeled. I don't even know how they can keep up with it. The history behind the grounds is interesting and I spent two hours meandering around and I am sure there are paths I didn't take. The bees and butterflies were still doing their end of season work, but they were too busy to mind me. This is a true gem right on the boarder of Weatherford and Mineral Wells. Right next to the state park.

Have you even heard of Clark Garden's? You know the story. In 1972, she said "honey, build me a garden." Being the great husband he was, the green behemoth began to take shape. In 2000, Clark Gardens opened its doors to the public for the first time. 50 acres of pure botanical masterpiece. We've been 3 or 4 times, and I still marvel at how gorgeous this place can be. The miniature trains have their own HUGE set up and are so much fun to watch. It takes hours to fully enjoy all 50 acres, but you can do it! You will be so amazed, you'll never realize you walked that far! Seriously, visit the website to see the best times to visit. What's blooming at any given time can really make a difference. If you enjoy the great outdoors, this is a easy day trip I promise you will enjoy!

Beautiful property. The history behind how Clark Gardens came to be is lovely...and so is this place. It's special.

This was a lovely little garden that we found a few weeks ago. When we arrived there were no other people in it so we had the whole place to ourselves. The gardens were well maintained and the paths were easily walkable. We did get a bit turned around as the map was a bit unclear but we did end up making friends with some ducks when the koi were totally unreceptive to the bags of food we bought. The chapel is nice but I think my favorite part is the lake with the little platform that goes over the water to the water fountain. Parking was easy because there was no one there.

3-13-22 - Stopped by Clark Gardens on our way to Mineral Wells ... it was a beautiful day to walk the gardens ... it was fun get pics of what was in bloom - some bulb flowers and a few others ... the grounds were beautiful but there were some things that need some maintenance/be tended too/ - hopefully they will get to them this spring.

Beautiful place to visit. So peaceful. Recommend going when it's cooler because it's Texas, but their open season is limited. My family loved visiting. Love the waterlillies and peacocks.

Need to post a sign "No refund". Went there today paid for 4. Was in the gardens about 3 mins. Had to leave mosquitoes were horrible - ( which I should have thought about that with all the rain). Went back to the office to let them know, we weren't able to do the walk my grandson had several mosquito bites on him and we hadn't even started. The lady in the office just stared at me, so finally I said do I get a refund--- she said no. But she could give me free passes. I paid cash -- I wanted cash back.

I haven't got married here but I love this place with all my soul. The model railroads are beautiful and there are frogs,lizards,cats,cardinals, squirrels , and everything you can think of!

Huge, well maintained, beautiful gardens. Delightful surprises throughout. Highly recommended.

How is this place not better known and busier? It's an imaginative and expansive botanical gardens tucked away in the countryside outside of Weatherford. I really enjoyed the maze-like nature of the trails and the unpredictable feel to the place. Enjoyed the working model railroad and the beautiful, well-cooled chapel in the center. This would be a fantastic location for a wedding. Agree with one of the other reviewers that some of the trails aren't as well maintained as others. But it's a great place to spend two or three peaceful hours exploring. And it wasn't crowded at all, which made it even more relaxing.

Fascinating and expansive seasonal gardens. Lots off everything including wild life such a Swan, geese, peafowl, ducks, bird species, insect and so many butterfly's. The rose garden is the largest I've ever seen. The trails are nice and wide which easily accommodate motorized scooters or wheelchairs. This is a great place for photography. It even has a very relaxing covered picnic area next to a turtle pond.

Great place to get some time in nature. I do not know how I never heard of it until now, but I'm so glad I found it while in the area. We took the kids and they enjoyed it. Peaceful, tranquil, and inexpensive botanical garden with lots of native plants, fountains, lilypads, and some very cool model trains. Strongly recommend you go if you are in the area!

We have gone here for several different occasions. From Mother's Day lunch to Bridal pictures for my Daughter in Law! The garden is always beautiful and well maintained. You just have to go for a visit!

The thing I enjoyed most about Clark Gardens was that while we visited, there was no one else there except for employees. I was able to get wide landscape shots without anyone in them, and that is a rare occurrence at a botanical garden. I spent a good several hours going through these gardens and got a lot of fantastic pictures. I'm providing four stars for Clark Gardens, as it reminded me of the Oregon Gardens, right before they got bought and redone. The employee in the main office/gift shop was very nice and told me where to find the most flowers within the gardens. The main entrance is maintained very well - the big long fountain with landscaping to either side looks really fantastic. There are other portions of this garden that are starting to look pretty shabby though - I noticed a lot of ponds in other places throughout the garden that had stagnant, gross looking water, and that was somewhat unappealing. There were a lot of leaves on the rooftops that looked pretty deep as well as overgrown portions that look like they hadn't been cleaned up in a while. There were a lot of really great points, however, such as the massive fountains, lovely lakes covered in water lilies, an abundance of squirrels, chickens, peacocks, bees, and other wildlife that is thriving there. The roses and daylillies were in full swing, as well as primroses, hibiscus, daisies and echinacea. They have a ton of benches placed throughout the gardens, as well as picnic areas, gazebos, a church, and little islands you can walk out onto for great pictures. While there is room for improvement at Clark Gardens, this is a garden worth seeing, especially in difference seasons - I'd definitely like to come back sometime, such as early spring or fall.

This place is a real gem! Me and The Hubs went this past Monday on a truly dazzling day. The grounds are gorgeous. There are ponds and lakes and plenty of shaded areas to walk to get out of the sun for a while. It's hard to believe this place (about 35 acres) used to be someone's private garden. There is a ton of stuff blooming right now. The 'double ruffle pink poppies' are everywhere and are fabulous (you can buy seeds from the gift shop, too). The gardens are that nice size where you don't have to spend all day walking around. We were there for about two hours and that was plenty of time to see everything. Personally, I think this place falls into the 'do not miss' category. It's a nice drive out in the country to get there and there are some OK lunch spots in Weatherford on the way there or back. I can't handle too much time in the sun during the summer, but I'll definitely be back next spring or in the fall. PS - Check out their website for activities they have. They occasionally have classes on various subjects. I took a Thai cooking class (demo, not hands-on) a few months ago in what may have been a guest house on the property. The class was good and the facility was fabulous.

Beautiful gardens just west of Weatherford. There are so many lovely trails through the gardens and around a pond. My favorite part is the huge model train that traverses over bridges and 'mountains'. You could easily spend half a day here.

Definitely worth the entrance fee! Take a lunch. We suggest taking a back pack, comfortable shoes and down water. It is beautiful and reminded of Gardens in the Northwest.

Love this venue! Beautiful everywhere you look with a friendly staff to address your every need. With flowing flower beds and a natural background of beauty- you can easily save hundreds on decorations by incorporating this unique setting into your wedding or event!

The first sign I saw asked everyone to check in at the office. We never found the office but we did see many signs that said no Guns of any kind are allowed on the property. Including CHL's. like I said. We never found the office. We did find the exit. We never left the car.

After reading about Clark Gardens in my local paper I couldn't get there fast enough. My wonderful daughter-in-law and I made the four hour trip on Thursday and it was above and beyond my expectation. What an awesome place and right in my backyard as compared to Hawaii-England or wherever there are beautiful places to visit. So many ideas that can be part of any size home. maybe not on such a generous scale but we came home with do-it-yourself ideas to make our own homes restful and beautiful. Inspired to add beauty to our neck of the woods so to speak. What a beautiful place for a wedding, make it your destination wedding if one is in your future. Your guests would have the time of their life before, after and with a lifetime of ,\memories of beautiful surroundings. I want to return again and again, it was easily a one day trip from my home. I definitely want everyone I know to take time to smell the roses at Clark Gardens. A must see for anyone that loves the tranquility of being "IN THE GARDEN" and also my favorite song.

The venue gets 5 stars. It is a beautiful place for a wedding. The staff rates 2 stars. Once you sign the contract - they have you. While they show up on the day of the event, they do not take any care or pride in it. The cement floors were soaking wet - they did Nothing to wipe them up for the event. Our agreement asked for all walls to be placed for the cold day. When we arrived they were not up on the tent. The event coordinator gave us 4 different responses to why they couldn't put them up, and then when they finally did - told us they wouldn't be doing anything else for us. The walls were written into the agreement. At the end of the evening we saw them dipping into the food. I would not recommend working with their main coordinator for events. We experienced no customer friendly service.

Outstanding botanical gardens, located practically next door to Mineral Wells State Park. Acres and acres of flower gardens, shady paths along quiet ponds, fountains, hundreds of roses and irises, an outdoor model train setup, wedding chapel. Just as nice as the big-city gardens in Dallas or Ft Worth but not as crowded.

Had the WORST experience there yesterday November 10, 2012! It was my son's 1st birthday and was SUPPOSE to be great! Instead the people were VERY RUDE!!!!! They would NOT let our guest in! & are now ignoring my phone calls!!! They only have one person who can answer questions apparently, because everyone other than Kay would just say that they needed to find her ( now she is on vacation). They never apologized, or called me back! Won't go back to this place!! Unless You are going to spend THOUSANDS of money here don't bother visiting this place!! Oh and my husband spent 40 minutes of his sons 1st birthday having to drive and bring people in because they wouldn't let them in! just freaking ridiculous!!!