Is Dallas green with trees? Are people friendly? (Atlanta, Howe: school, landlords)

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by Chloe333

Hello All,

My husband finds out in a week or two if we are moving to Dallas for a potential new job. We are currently living in the Denver area, and I'm hoping that Dallas will be much greener with more trees than the Front Range of Colorado. It's very brown, dry, dusty, and barren here in Denver much of the year, and this is the main thing about it that I don't like. I grew up in Atlanta, and since living in Denver, I've yearned to go back there just for it's beautiful trees, flowers, and plants. I'm hoping Dallas is somewhat similar to Atlanta with greenery. Many of the Dallas yards on Zillow (looking at surrounding suburbs of Dallas) look much prettier than Denver yards, and I'm so excited about this possibility! The housing is certainly much nicer in Dallas.

However, people on forums have said that Dallas has no natural scenic beauty and so I'm wondering if I'm missing something when I see all these pretty properties. What do they mean by this? Do you think this is true? Coming from the Front Range, just having greenery and trees would be beautiful and scenic after a few years in this very brown, dusty, dry place. The mountains in the background are beautiful to look at, but the actual Front Range is quite the opposite to me. Also, it rains so infrequently that it looks kind of dusty, dirty, and grimy to me all of the time in Denver. Does it rain a good bit in Dallas? If so, I'm hoping Dallas is cleaner looking than Denver with more rain and this would qualify as scenic beauty for me.

Also, are people as a whole friendly and warm in Dallas? I've found the people in Denver to be cordial and pleasant enough, but there is also a reservedness and aloofness as well. I would love to get back to a place with more of the warmth, social etiquette, sweetness, and hospitality of some places that I've lived in the South. Hoping Dallas has this as well.

Thanks in advance for any feedback everyone!

Not taking time to read the whole thread but I am an Atlanta native here in Texas for 14 years now. Nothing compares to the overall beauty of an Atlanta in spring IMHO but it is nice here in Texas. You will appreciate it a lot more after being in Denver first than if you came straight here like I did. Dallas is greener by a tad than Fort Worth where I first landed in the late 80s. My roommate at the time had just moved from Eastern New Mexico. He would exclaim at how green it was and be enthralled by all of the gorgeous trees. I would reply, "what trees, these little shrubs? And you call this green?" LOL, one's viewpoint can be colored by what they are used to.

I have learned to appreciate the different greenness of Dallas. The biggest oldest trees are found in the many creek and river bottoms. A lot of this area has been set aside as public greenspace and you can find nice walking trails all over the area in these floodplains. Also, older neighborhoods where the trees have had a chance to mature will feel very densely green. The amount of mature live oaks in these neighborhoods gives a nice shaded feel and a lovely canopy.

It is different from a Georgia canopy but if you learn to look with a slightly different lens, you can learn to appreciate it. I do miss the pines tho. But the nice thing, you drive a couple of hours east to Tyler and other cities in the area, and the topography and vegetation is much, much more like the southeast. Huge pines abound, azaleas thrive. Sometimes I have to find some reason to go to east Texas just so my soul can feel at home.

[Chloe333]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Not taking time to read the whole thread but I am an Atlanta native here in Texas for 14 years now. Nothing compares to the overall beauty of an Atlanta in spring IMHO but it is nice here in Texas. You will appreciate it a lot more after being in Denver first than if you came straight here like I did. Dallas is greener by a tad than Fort Worth where I first landed in the late 80s. My roommate at the time had just moved from Eastern New Mexico. He would exclaim at how green it was and be enthralled by all of the gorgeous trees. I would reply, "what trees, these little shrubs? And you call this green?" LOL, one's viewpoint can be colored by what they are used to.

I have learned to appreciate the different greenness of Dallas. The biggest oldest trees are found in the many creek and river bottoms. A lot of this area has been set aside as public greenspace and you can find nice walking trails all over the area in these floodplains. Also, older neighborhoods where the trees have had a chance to mature will feel very densely green. The amount of mature live oaks in these neighborhoods gives a nice shaded feel and a lovely canopy.

It is different from a Georgia canopy but if you learn to look with a slightly different lens, you can learn to appreciate it. I do miss the pines tho. But the nice thing, you drive a couple of hours east to Tyler and other cities in the area, and the topography and vegetation is much, much more like the southeast. Huge pines abound, azaleas thrive. Sometimes I have to find some reason to go to east Texas just so my soul can feel at home.

Thank you for this. You said exactly how I feel....my soul wants to feel at home again.

[Need4Camaro]

Just wanting to note, there are VERY major few cities in the nation that have the kind of tree cover as Atlanta does.. Atlanta is actually kind of abnormal in this category... What you have in Denver is fairly average throughout most of the country. The only city in this country that tops Atlanta in greenery is Seattle.

[stan4]

Originally Posted by gtt99

Is Dallas green with trees? NO

Are people friendly? NO

There's always one of those.

I just had dinner with a woman who just moved here from Singapore. Her parents were visiting from another country for 2 months (they go back Tuesday).
EVERYONE was remarking at how nice and friendly they have found the people here to be.

It's not scenic here, per se. But if you are in a more established neighborhood, there can be tons of green and big trees. I live by a golf course and near creeks and ponds (and big parks), so it feels more like I have lots of nature around me. And the sunsets...

[6oo9]

Here're satellite views of Dallas vs Singapore (known green). You'll be the judge on green enough or not.

Dallas:



Singapore:

[R1070]

Dallas has a good mix of greenery and open spaces. When I lived in Georgia, I felt claustrophobic there with the towering trees all over the place. It also reduced the "city" feeling in Atlanta until you were right in the center of the city. You don't have that same thing in Dallas.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by 6oo9

Here're satellite views of Dallas vs Singapore (known green). You'll be the judge on green enough or not.

Dallas:



Singapore:

Well........Singapore is nearly on the equator and is carved out of an ancient rainforest.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

I didn't spend a lot of time in Dallas, but I thought people in the Arlington and Fort Worth side of the Metroplex were friendly.

But given the reputation of Dallas, it wouldn't really surprise me if city residents are ruder than residents in other parts of the Metroplex.

Also, you haven't seen rude until you come to Chicago.

I've lived in European cities where people have reputations for being fairly rude. I've spent a significant portion of my adult life in Dallas plus I was born and raised here. This is the rudest city I've ever lived in, hands-down. I made friends in Europe who'd jump the next thing smoking to sit at my side if I needed them to...and I'd do the same for them. Once you make a friend there, you've truly made a friend.


People here aren't so much rude to your face, but I'd almost prefer that over the sickly-sweet fake superficial friendliness that you get from people here. People here are tribal and superficial and if you move into a neighborhood but don't fit the queen bee's mold, you're held at arm's length. Sure, people might wave to you. You might even get invited to a block party or two if the whole street is going. But that's as far as it goes. You are kept out of the circle. They all know each other and are involved in each others' lives, but when you show up at the 4th of July thingummy-whatever, you have to reintroduce yourself to everyone there because nobody remembers you. They'll chat awkwardly for a few minutes, then excuse themselves to go talk to someone else.


If you don't like me and don't want me around, say so. It'd save all of us so much hassle. Likewise it'd save me a lot of hassle if I could just flip you the bird and tell you to eff off. But I can't.


Houses of worship and workplaces are much the same. It's very challenging to make friends here if you don't fit into one of about a dozen specific molds.

[Mr. Clutch]

Originally Posted by Need4Camaro

Just wanting to note, there are VERY major few cities in the nation that have the kind of tree cover as Atlanta does.. Atlanta is actually kind of abnormal in this category... What you have in Denver is fairly average throughout most of the country. The only city in this country that tops Atlanta in greenery is Seattle.

Yeah definitely agree about Atlanta and Seattle. Dallas an interesting place as it kind of serves as a bridge from the southeast to the southwest part of the country, but in terms of tree cover, it's more similar to the southwest cities than the southeast ones imo. Dallas' level of tree cover (not tree type) is more similar to places like Denver, Los Angeles, San Diego, Austin, and San Antonio than it is to places like Birmingham, Atlanta, Houston, Charlotte, or New Orleans for example. Most of the metro has more of that wide-open western feel to it than the more canopied southeastern one.

[MissLizzie85]

I think most places are what you make them. I'm from the northeast, where I never felt that people were rude - maybe just desperate for personal space! - but I think Dallas is friendly enough. I moved here a few years ago and haven't had much trouble making friends.

As other posters have said, the older neighborhoods have beautiful tree cover, although it's not the southeast. I have some huge live oaks and pecans in my relatively modest yard, and plenty of shade in the summer, which helps with utility bills! When you're looking for a place to live, definitely look for older neighborhoods to get that tree canopy.