PALESTINE, Texas — In Palestine at Davy Dogwood Park, the 84th Dogwood Festival is underway. But, before the dogwoods fully bloom there’s a trail that gives visitors an enchanting experience.
"Mother nature played a little trick on us with all these little cold snaps," Mary Raum, tourism marketing manager for the city of Palestine, said.
But that won’t keep other festivities from starting their magic.
Just like the hidden fairy gardens found at the bottom of many trees.
"I think a fairy garden can be really almost any theme," Dana Mathews, a participant, said. "I chose to make mine a more natural theme. I wanted it to look like the fairies just walked around and picked up all their materials out of the woods and built it in. You know, really, there's different themes. There's a carnival, and there's even the Wizard of Oz."
The magical Emerald City made an appearance along with Dorothy and the cast.
Proving to be one of the most creative fairy gardens out here.
"All of the fairy gardens are unique," Raum said. "The request is that we have them create them out of 90% natural material. So we want these to decompose over time."
Because of that, there’s only a limited time to gaze at the gardens.
"This is a limited time event activity," Raum said. "It launched March 18 so it always opens the first Friday of the Dogwood Trail celebration, and it'll go through the end of May."
Prior to the fairy gardens arrival most visitors would just drive through the park.
"We needed to come up with an idea that had to get people out of their cars and onto the trails and experience and be part of nature," Raum said.
So if you’re worried about visiting and not seeing enough flowers yet, don’t worry because there is still plenty of unique things to see.
"The Dogwood Trails are a beautiful place and I think things like this help remind people that we have it and come out and enjoy the beautiful day," Mathews said.
The Dogwood Festival has plenty of other activities to come, especially when the flowers finally decide to bloom.