Tyler Azalea Trail, Tyler, Tx

 

 

The Azalea & Spring Flower Trail travels through eight miles of residential gardens and historic homes sites. The two trails have been routed to maintain an orderly traffic flow so visitors can see as many flowers as possible. From the courthouse on North Broadway, follow the specifically marked Azalea Trail signs southward to enjoy this outstanding celebration of Spring in East Texas.

http://www.tylerazaleatrail.com/trailinfo.htm 

While oil booms gave Tyler an economic head start in the 1930’s, azalea and rose blooms gave the city its beauty. Azaleas were introduced to Tyler in 1929 by Maurice Shamburger, one of the city’s early nurserymen. Pleased with results of a test garden of azaleas, Shamburger shipped the colorful plants here by the boxcar loads from Georgia.

After completing his garden in 1929, Shamburger discussed the beautification potential of azaleas with Mrs. Sara Butler of the Tyler Courier Times Telegraph. Mrs. Butler not only encouraged Shamburger to promote azalea plantings in the city, but planted a number of bushes at her own home on Charnwood St.

That home site, along with several other gardens on Lindsey Lane, soon became springtime showplaces with their colorful azalea blooms, and Tylerites began buying the plants by the thousands. Some of the thick, towering azaleas at older homes on the Trail date back to the ‘30’s and ‘40’s.