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Clark Gardens is a little bit of Eden in Weatherford
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The only person Max Clark ever wanted to please was his wife, Billie. After a trip to England, Billie wanted 
Max to build her an English Channel garden. That was 1972. Since then, Max and Billie Clark have turned a gardening hobby into a 35 acre Botanical Gardens and Research Center. 26 more acres are in the planning stage for expansion. Max and Billie’s daughter, Carol Clark Montgomery now runs the Gardens.
Max Clark made his fortune in the contracting business. He is now retired and spends his days gardening with his dog Chocolate at his side. Billie is in a nursing home, suffering from Alzheimer’s. Max visits his wife regularly.
Clark Gardens Botanical Park is in a most unlikely place. Drive west on Highway 180 from Weatherford, Texas for 15 minutes and turn north on Maddox Road. Drive for about a mile and there you will discover this Eden in the middle nowhere. The first time you approach Clark Gardens you will know what I mean. It truly is such an amazing surprise to find a 35 acre park where you least expect it.
The Gardens have areas such as the historic tree trail, the rose pavilion, and the orchard and herb garden. Features include several fountains, pavilions and lakes. The most popular place for children of all ages is Clark Station. G-scale trains of various styles travel along 700 feet of track that meander in and out of the station. Inside the building are replicas of the historical buildings in Weatherford and Mineral Wells as well as other information about the gardens. The trains run everyday but Sundays, so keep this in mind if you are taking the children. .jpg)
Clark Gardens has been featured on HGTV’s “Great American Gardens”. Max Clark has focused on what he calls “Texas adaptable” vegetation for the gardens. Quoting Mr. Clark “If you only grew Texas native plants, you wouldn’t have a very big garden.” Jim Holder is “Clark Gardens” construction foreman. He is the man who designed many of the features in the Gardens and next door at “The Retreat at Clark Gardens” where he won an award for his designs.
The retreat was the former residence of the Clarks and has been renovated as a residence that can be rented for up to 10 people. See more about this facility at www.theretreatatclarkkgardens.com. Deborah Clark Birdwell, the Clark’s other daughter, owns and manages the retreat. See also, my blog about the Retreat at Clark Gardens.
Clark Gardens has several venues available for rent for private parties, weddings and receptions. There is a beautiful chapel named, appropriately, Clark Chapel. There is also a tent for receptions. The channel gardens are also a great place for an outdoor wedding. In addition there are several pavilions that can be rented with tables, chairs and equipment for parties. 
When my “Girls Night Out” group visited for our annual “Girls weekend” we spent hours walking the Gardens. We also stayed at the Retreat. I recommend the combination for a family gathering or just a weekend away. The retreat is not equipped Make sure, when you go you wear comfortable shoes and take a camera. There are tours available. Check out the web-site www.clarkgardens.com for information on tours, rental facilities and happenings. Also, sign up for their online newsletter. It tells about events and festivals that take place at the Gardens. No matter what the season, there is always something going on at Clark Gardens Botanical Park.
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