NOVEMBER YARD OF THE MONTH
A rose-covered arch is a prominent feature in this month’s Yard of the Month.
Debra Barrett had been pining to move back to Arlington Heights ever since she moved from Ashland Avenue many years ago. “I just love old homes,” she says. As a hobby, Debra and husband Dan bought and restored eight homes before they purchased 2310 Western Avenue in March 2024. This one has ended up being their favorite.
They bought the 100-year-old bungalow from a family who had owned it for more than fifty years and had done almost no updating as it devolved into a rental. It took the Barretts five months to renovate before they moved in. “I envisioned a pink rose-covered cottage,” says Debra. The Barretts scraped the front yard down to the dirt to put in irrigation and enlarge part of the sidewalk to create a circular section of it that leads up to the house
The arch was a decision Debra backed into. “When we bought the house, the front porch had a cover over it that I planned to re-do,” she explains. “I planted climbing roses there so they would grow over the cover. After we took off the porch cover, I liked all the natural light that came into the living room and decided to leave the porch uncovered. So, that’s when I bought a metal archway for the roses to climb on.” It’s taken about a year and a half for the roses to cover the arch.
Another defining feature in the Barrett’s yard are the stone pillars they added by the front sidewalk and driveway. “I wanted to give the feeling of a fence and to separate the street a little from the house,” Debra says. Next to the pillars Debra has planted rosemary, baby wax myrtle shrubs, and Texas honeysuckle that will eventually climb up the pillars. A new redbud tree is staked close to the street.
Debra loves plants with fragrance, so she planted creeping thyme in the parkway beds. “I wanted to create a pleasant experience for all the walkers we have in the neighborhood” she says. If someone or their dog steps on the thyme, they’re going to get a whiff of thyme.
The front beds are lined with a curving limestone border and filled with antique roses, a variety of lavender, sweet alyssum, purple aster, a camellia. Under the 30-foot tall crepe myrtle that came with the house is a new bed of oakleaf hydrandea, Dan’s favorite. On the south end of the bed is a Nellie R. Stevens holly, selected because it won’t get too tall and it produces berries the birds love.
The Barretts chose to replace the crumbling concrete and blacktop driveway with gravel to help mitigate the drainage challenges in their neighborhood. The coral vines that climb the wall along the driveway are original to the house.
Pots in the circular section of the sidewalk and on the front porch change seasonally. Right now they are a combination of mums, sweet potato vine, geraniums, chamomile, and fragrant jasmine. Rosemary is the usual winter standby.
Debra is a real estate agent who has a talent for staging and occasionally does interior decorating. Dan is a retired attorney and former Texas State Representative.
Congratulations to the Barretts for being selected as AHNA’s November Yard of the Month. They received a $25 gift certificate to Archie’s Gardenland and a year’s membership in Arlington Heights Neighborhood Association, courtesy of AHNA.
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FREE ADMISSION TO BOTANIC GARDEN THIS WEEKEND
Bring a plastic shopping bag or a clean, dry plastic bottle to Fort Worth Botanic Garden this weekend and get in free, courtesy of H-E-B Grocery.
The weather for this weekend is forecast to be in the 80s with no rain in sight. Perfect for a visit to Botanic Garden.
Starting Friday November 14 through Sunday November 16, free admission to Botanic Garden will be offered to guests who enter the garden with a clean, dry plastic bottle or single-use plastic bag from any retailer. This is courtesy of H-E-B’s Our Texas Our Future initiative. The garden opens at 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. every day.
Thank you H-E-B!
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THANKSGIVING DONATIONS NEEDED AT THOMAS PLACE COMMUNITY CENTER
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HEIGHTS HOLIDAY MARKET
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THANKSGIVING POTLUCK A GO GO
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 18
Starts early at 6:00 p.m.
Fort Worth Firefighters Hall, 3855 Tulsa Way at Crestline Rd.
Mouthwatering free Railhead turkey offerings, plus the return of The Big Turkey Cookoff: AHNA buys the turkeys and challenges neighborhood chefs to cook them. AHNA provides all the fixings. Neighbors are asked to bring sides or desserts to share. Don’t forget, it’s BYOB, so bring on the alcoholic beverages.
We’ll also be raffling off some free door prizes from neighborhood businesses.
This event is open to everyone. RSVP is not necessary, but much appreciated: president@arlingtonheightsna.com
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MEET NEW POLICE CHIEF ON WEDNESDAY
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PUBLIC MEETINGS ABOUT FORT WORTH ISD TAKEOVER
Mike Morath, Commissioner of Education at Texas Education Agency (TEA), announced Oct. 23 that TEA will take over Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD) due to years of failing ratings. FWISD’s elected school board will be replaced with a board of managers made up of local residents appointed by TEA, with Morath appointing a conservator to oversee the transition. Morath will also appoint a superintendent. Current FWISD Superintendent Karen Molinar is under consideration for the position.
There is an avenue to appeal the TEA takeover. FWISD officials met with Morath last week for an informal review. If TEA decides to continue moving forward, FWISD can appeal the decision to the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
In the meantime, TEA is holding open public meetings to keep the community informed.
Thursday November 6, 2025
6:30 p.m.
Polytechnic High School
1300 Connor Avenue, 76105
Thursday November 13, 2025
6:30 p.m.
FWISD Administration Building
7060 Camp Bowie Boulevard, 76116
Fort Worth residents who want to be considered for the board of managers can apply online. The deadline is November 21, 2025. Use this link for more information: https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/school-boards/school-governance/board-of-managers.
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