TYLER, Texas — Pink, red and coral beauties have been attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world to Tyler for more than 60 years.
The azaleas certainly caught the Trahans' eyes a few years ago when they were looking for a second place to call home to be closer to their twin sons.
"She blessed us by bringing us through the the Azalea District," said Dena Trahan. "And I immediately said this, 'I want to be here I want to be here.' This is just so amazing."
Dena and her husband couldn't pass up a 1920's home with a breathtaking view of the lush and very popular Pyron Garden.
"They were just so welcoming and so inviting. And they said we want you to be our neighbors," Dena explained.
"The first time I met Joan, she said, 'Do you like to garden? And I said, Yeah, I like to garden,' I had no idea what I was saying. No clue what that meant in the Azalea District."
These new kids on the block began upping their gardening game while renovating the home, now known as 'The Azaleas Nest.'
"I tell people now that that the nicest thing about our house is our neighbor's yard. I want to be Joan Pyron when I grow up, but, you know, these these beauties in this in this Azalea District didn't happen overnight."
The Trahans didn't want to keep that view and the beautiful people and local celebrity pup, Chase, in the Azalea District all to themselves.
"We've now finished renovating as a as a bed and breakfast and we are so looking forward to sharing it.
And the I'm just amazed. It's kind of like the kind of like Field of Dreams, build it and they will come, well, grow it and they will come," Trahan said.
It's blossomed into bus loads of visitors already touring the Azaleas nest, which includes the Brick Street Suite, and The Magnolia and Azalea Belle rooms, names to pay tribute to the trail and the azalea's history here.
"Azaleas got to Tyler around 1929 when a local nurserymen, Maurice Shamburger, brought azaleas to Tyler from Georgia to see if they would grow here in Tyler. So that first test garden went really well and so he started shipping them in by the boxcar loads."
Holli Fourniquet with Visit Tyler says planting azaleas in yards across the area just grew from there and now homeowners have been welcoming bud watchers for 63 years.
"When visitors come in, they don't just come to the trail and leave," Holli Fourniquet said. "They stay at hotels, they eat at our restaurants, they shop at our shops. With visitors coming into Tyler, it's helping us keep those local shops that we love in business."
If you're like the Trahans, you may fall in love with the city's charm while making it a second home and new budding business.
"The surprising blessing of of this area is just that the beauty is evident, right? In the gardens, but there's just as much beauty in the generosity, the warmth of the people here in in the azalea district," Trahan said.
The last day of the trail may be Sunday, but Visit Tyler says the blooms will still be prime for viewing into next week and you can always stroll the sidewalks of the Azalea District to enjoy the Azalea and Spring Flower Trail even after the events end. They list bloom updates on their website. The Azaleas Nest is now ready to enjoy, as well.
