By Alexa Slenders

Pumpkins, gourds and squash . . . oh my! The Dallas Arboretum showcases its nationally proclaimed pumpkin village every year from mid-September through late November. Having lived in Dallas for almost four years, a visit was way overdue on my part. So I grabbed my camera and a friend, and I made my way to the thousands of flowers and pumpkins the arboretum has to offer.

When I first walked in, I was immediately surrounded by all things autumn. Piles of pumpkins and a harpist playing beautiful music made quite the first impression. As I kept walking along the path, beaming orange pumpkins lined the entire walkway for what seemed to be miles long. A few minutes of walking, and – bam! – there it was: the pumpkin village, which indeed is made entirely out of pumpkins.

A replica of Cinderella’s pumpkin carriage being pulled by two huge Clydesdale horses was made fully out of corn husks and hay. A line of 20 kids and their parents was forming, all of them waiting to take a picture.

The arboretum keeps things fresh every year by changing up designs and layouts. For longtime arboretum visitor Brooke Roberts, this year seems to be the winner. Roberts lives in Southlake, Texas, and doesn’t mind driving into the city to see the beautiful fall displays.

“It seems so much more colorful than last year’s display. There’s piles of orange everywhere you look and the landscaping is my favorite,” Roberts said. “My favorite part this year was the swirls of mini pumpkins on the house wall. It’s so unique.”

If you catch pumpkin fever, you can always buy a few on your way out at the Tom Thumb pumpkin patch and make your home a mini pumpkin village.

Whether or not fall is your favorite month, the arboretum has something for everyone’s taste: views of White Rock Lake, concerts and large green fields in the middle of gardens where you can just sit and reflect. If none of these options appeal to you, then at least go for the photo opportunity and a fun outdoorsy adventure.