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A highlight of each spring season in East Texas is the 10-mile long Tyler Azalea Trail guiding visitors through neighborhoods of quaint brick streets, historic homes, and residential gardens filled with blooming azaleas, dogwoods and tulips.
The first Azaleas were planted in Tyler in 1929 by Maurice Shamburger, in the Lindsey Lane area. Other neighbors soon followed, and the area became well known for its springtime beauty.
Over the years the word spread across East Texas and beyond about Tyler azaleas. In 1960, the first marked tour routes were established to help guide tourists.
Today, over 100,000 people from all over the USA visit Tyler each spring to attend the Azalea Trail. Two marked routes exist today: the Lindsey Trail and the Dobbs Trail (see area map below).
The 53rd annual Azalea & Spring Flower Trail was held on March 23 - April 8, 2012. The official opening ceremony was on March 23 at 10:00am at the home of Guy and Joan Pyron at 214 West Dobbs Street.
 Azalea National Historic District
Established 2003
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The trails also display a high concentration of white and pink Dogwoods, Redbud trees, Japanese Maples, and spring bulbs such as tulips and daffodils. Featured along the trails is the Azalea National Historic District, established in 2003, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It comrises about 950 homes built in the first half of the 20th century, with a large concentration of structures from the 1930s when the oil boom had a huge economic impact on Tyler.
While driving the trail is stunning, many visitors enjoy walking the area, especially the three adjacent homes between Lindsey and Dobbs: the Davis gardens at 902 S. College,
the Pyron gardens at 212 W. Dobbs, and McGuire gardens
at
922 S. College. These homes are part of Tyler's Heritage Neighborhood No. 1, marked by a plaque on S. College.
 Tyler Heritage Neighborhood No. 1 Plaque |
The two trails offically begin at the Tyler Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 315 N. Broadway, and travel south. A good starting point is the corner of Houston Street and South Broadway Avenue.
Markers designate the routes that meander through the area streets for motorists. Actually, you can begin anywhere along the routes and not be disappointed. For a map of the trails, visit the website of the Tyler Convention & Visitors Bureau or their offices.
The Trail is nationally recognized, and has been the subject of articles in publications such as Southern Living and Texas Highways.
 Tyler Azalea Belles |
The official greeters of the Azalea Trail are known as the Azalea Belles, young women from the Tyler area who dress in antebellum gowns. The belles are chosen each year from area high schools or home school families.
Freshman and sophomore girls residing in Smith County are eligible to apply. It's an honor to be chosen as one of the Azalea Belles, a tradition that dates back many years.
The young woman have an opportunity to promote Tyler, greet tourists and pose for photographs in front of scenic azalea bushes in the historic brick street district.
Many other events are planned in association with the tours such as:
-
Main Street Flower Market,
March 30-31, 10am–5pm.
Bedding plants, flowers and garden décor for sale on the grounds of
the historic Goodman-LeGrand home, Broadway Avenue
- Azalea Trail Arts & Crafts Fair,
March 24-25 . Sat, 9am–6pm;
Sun, 11am–5pm.
Bergfeld Park
- Historic Tyler on Tour: Candlelight Tour and Party, Friday, March 30 – Evening House Tours 6:00pm – 8:00pm ~ Party 7:00pm to 11:00pm; Day Tours on Saturday, March 31 – 10:00am to 6:00pm, and Sunday, April 1 – 1:00pm – 5:00pm
- McClendon House Tours
- Azalea Quilt Show at the Harvey Convention Center, March 23 & 24,
Friday & Saturday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Features over 200 quilts on display plus over 25 vendors, numerous demonstrations, an old-fashioned bed-turning, door prizes, scissor sharpening, silent auction, and a raffle quilt
- The Tyler Azalea 10K and 2-mile run. March 24, 8am, Bergfeld Park
- Apache Belle Spring Show at Wise Auditorium, Tyler Junior College, March 29-31
- living history demonstrations
- historic home tours
- and more
Tyler is also the Rose Capital of America, the location of the Tyler Rose Garden, the nation's largest municipal rose garden, and the site of the Annual Texas Rose Festival held each October.
At TylerTexasOnline, we love gardening, and landscaping, and East Texas is a great place for that pastime, especially during spring!
Among our favorite azaleas to grow, whether they are pink, salmon, red or white, have been Pride of Mobile, Formosa, George Tabor, Mrs. G.G. Gerbing, Christmas Cheer, Coral Bells and many others both in Tyler and in Louisiana.
For more flower photographs, be sure to view the Helen Lee Daffodil Garden photo gallery showcasing millions of beautiful daffodils blooming near Gladewater.
We also have a gallery of East Texas Flowers, and another gallery of East Texas Birds for backyard nature lovers to explore.
Are you a hummingbird lover like us? Check out the photos and hummingbird videos in our Texas Hummingbird Gallery.
In addition to the Azalea Trail photo gallery shown below, we've also included various azalea varieties that we have grown over the years. All photographs were taken by the author.
Azaleas in a backyard scene along the Tyler Azalea Trail, March 18, 2012
Azaleas at Dobbs backyard on the Tyler Azalea Trail, March 18, 2012
Dobbs Street cottage on the Tyler Azalea Trail, March 18, 2012
Tyler Azalea Trail backyard scene with pink dogwood tree, hanging ferns, cast iron plants, bench and gazebo, March 18, 2012
Mounds of red, purple, pink and orange Azaleas in Tyler, March 18, 2012
Azaleas in front of home on Lindsey Lane along the Tyler Azalea Trail, March 18, 2012
Backyard scene at the gazebo on the Tyler Azalea Trail
Azaleas in full bloom in Tyler Texas
Lovely back yard landscape during the Tyler Texas Azalea Trail
Hundreds of Azaleas blooming on the Tyler Texas Azalea Trail
Peaceful backyard landscape scene on the Tyler Azalea Trail
Tyler Texas Heritage Neighborhood No. 1 Plaque
Tyler Historic Landmark on the Tyler Texas Azalea Trail
Azalea National Historic District sign,
corner of Lindsey Lane and S. College Avenue,Tyler, Texas
Beautiful gardens, paths and sculptures, part of the Tyler Texas Azalea Trail
Lady Bankshire Roses blooming on the Tyler TX Azalea Trail
Historic home and landscape on the Tyler Azalea Trail
Yellow Azaleas, Tyler Texas
Quaint historic cottage on the Tyler Texas Azalea Trail
Lovely back yard landscape - Tyler Azalea Trail
Giant Azalea bushes in Tyler Texas in the spring
Crepe Myrtle tree and azalea garden in Tyler Texas
Purple Creeping Phlox seen on the Tyler Azalea Trail
Carefully manicured Tyler Texas garden on Doss Street at a historic brick street cottage
Pink azaleas in full bloom in Tyler Texas
Tyler Azaleas ... a highlight of each spring!
Azalea bushes along the Tyler Texas Azalea Trail
Dogwoods in Spring in Tyler Texas
The Children's Park, Tyler, Texas, on the Azalea Trail
The Woman's Building, 911 South Broadway Avenue, Tyler, on the Azalea Trail
between Dobbs Street and Lindsey Lane
3-story, Federal style structure built in 1932. On the National Register of Historic Places
The Fitzgerald Home, 815 South Broadway Avenue, Tyler, Texas, on the Azalea Trail
Built in 1898, now restored ... includes the offices of Historic Tyler, Inc.
On the National Register of Historic Places.
Tyler Texas Brick Streets, near the Azalea Trail
Charnwood National Historic District, Tyler, Texas
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