Most of my early childhood was spent in the Netherlands, where tulip farms were plentiful and family pictures among the blooms were an annual event. So, when we found out there was a tulip farm just outside Dallas, we had to plan a trip immediately to have E’s photos taken!
My mother, sister, and I in the tulip fields in Keukenhof, Holland, 1989
Poston Gardens is located 30 miles south of Dallas in Waxahachie, Texas, right off I-35E. The farm is home to more than one million tulip blooms across more than 60 acres. It’s adjacent to Daymark Living, a community for adults with intellectual disabilities that help operate the gardens and support visitors, along with volunteers from the community. A portion of your admission fee and any blooms you buy helps fund the rent for residents on scholarships at Daymark. We loved that we could support a great cause while visiting such a gorgeous spot!
The rows of flowers are spread across several plots, each which seems to be at slightly different stages of blooming and with different mixes of colors in each. We spent the afternoon exploring the different rows, taking photos and talking with E about different colors.
The gardens are only open while the flowers bloom – March 15 until mid-April each year. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and children over 2. You can purchase blooms for $3 each, or at a discount with the Petals Pass which is sold on weekdays and during select weekends near the end of the season. We opted to just stroll the gardens and take photos – still well worth the trip!
TIPS FOR TAKING PHOTOS WITH THE FLOWERS
1 // Opt for neutral outfits with minimal patterns to stand out among the blooms. I picked up this cream dress with black polka-dots from Old Navy when we decided to go, and dressed E in a matching off-white linen dress from Amazon. The weather ended up being unseasonably cold so I brought along her denim jacket and am so glad I did – the photos are precious!
2 // Flowy dresses photograph best. Yes, it wasn’t the most practical choice for an outing that involved a hayride to get to the furthest field, however the flow of the dress was the perfect compliment to the femininity of the flowers. The dress was also great for photos where we were seated, when pants can tend to bunch.
3 // Wear closed toed shoes. Whether you’re photographing in a planted farm or fields of wildflowers, you’ll be dealing with dirt, rocks, and other natural elements that can be tricky if you’re in heels or sandals. They are fields, after all!
4 // Bring a friend (or two) to help out. We were juggling a diaper bag, snacks for a hungry baby, and a camera – and that was just to get photos of E. We wanted to get a few photos of our little family, which wouldn’t have been possible without my in-laws since many commercial flower farms like Poston Gardens don’t allow tripods. Many also charge an additional fee for a professional photographer to come with you, so double-check the rules before you hire someone to come with you or set up sessions (if you’re a photographer) for your clients.
5 // Carry something to sit on, especially if you’re photographing kids. A lightweight blanket is easy to toss in your bag and lay over itchy dirt or grass for kids who can’t sit yet. Again, check the rules of the location – some don’t allow chairs or stools (while those are great options for public wildflower fields).
6 // Get creative with angles and cropping. Some of my favorite photos were the ones where we had E sitting on a hill while I lay downhill from her for the photos. It enabled her to be sitting in grass and the tops of the flowers to still show in photos. We also had to deal with other people constantly in the background of our photos, so a lot of patience and post-processing cropping was a must!
Have you found a great flower field for photos around Dallas Fort-Worth?
Share in the comments!
