A dozen of the City’s most noted designers and florists, including two from our neighborhood, will participate in Christmas at the Arboretum Dec. 2-21.

The month-long event, which showcases the historic DeGolyer House at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, is sponsored by the Women’s Council of the Arboretum and will benefit construction of a garden to be completed in 1997.

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Steve and Cathy Duncan, owners of Earth Blooms, and Dick Jeffrey of the First Men’s Garden Club of Dallas are among the designers who will decorate the 21,000-square-foot DeGolyer House. The designers will adorn the home’s rooms with thousands of twinkling lights, ornaments, trees and ribbons.

Cathy Duncan says she and her husband believe the event is a chance to contribute something to the City.

Inspired by artist Edward Hicks’ classic painting, this year’s theme of the annual Christmas at the Arboretum is “The Peaceable Kingdom.”

The Duncans will use live plants and decorations by area school children to decorate the living room of the 1939 Spanish Colonial-style home.

“The Peaceable Kingdom theme begins with and extends to our friends and our communities,” Cathy says.

“When people come in, they want to see a piece of themselves. We can’t buy what they can do.”

Dick Jeffrey, a representative and former president of the First Men’s Garden Club of Dallas, says his group will use music, lights and animals to carry out this year’s theme.

“Primarily, we keep children in mind when we decorate,” Jeffrey says.

“We’re the only amateurs, but we’re pretty happy about the way things have turned out,” he says.

Volunteers from our neighborhood include Christmas at the Arboretum Committee Chairpersons Joan Fleeker and Helen Nixon, Women’s Council President Diane Jeffrey, publicity chair Kay Clifton, committee advisor Gini Marston and program coordinator Imogene Berman. Designer assistant Deborah Doya also lives in our neighborhood.

Tours of “Christmas at the Arboretum” at the DeGolyer House are available from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission to the DeGolyer House is included in the general garden admission of $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for children ages 6-12. Admission is free for Arboretum members and children under 6. Parking is $2.

The Arboretum is located at 8525 Garland Road on White Rock Lake. For information call 327-8263.