‘Chairy Orchard' Brings Funk, Function to Denton Neighborhood Park

Cherry orchards are known to grow in states out west. But one orchard has blossomed in North Texas, just not how you'd think.

Anne Pearson, 82, and Judy Smith, 81, have been friends for more than 40 years. They’ve also been next-door neighbors in Denton for that long.

Their homes on Churchill Drive are separated by an empty lot in a flood zone. On that lot sits a place for people to ... sit.

It’s called the Chairy Orchard. It's a park created by Pearson and Smith that's made up of hundreds of chairs.

We love when people come here expecting cherries, cherry pies for sale or whatever, and some people are bummed. Other people get the joke.

Judy Smith

They call it conceptual art and Pearson and Smith called themselves, “chairy fairies.”

Since 2015, the Chairy Orchard has grown from 100 chairs to more than 300, usually bought at garage sales or Goodwill, or often donated.

“People are so good at thinking of things,” Smith said.

‘Chairy Park' in Denton Brings Whimsical Charm to Neighborhood

The orchard includes almost any type of chair you can think of: wedding chairs, rocking chairs, musical chairs, salon chairs, tiny chairs, and giant chairs.

There are chairs nailed to fences, chairs hanging from trees, pictures of chairs, and chairs with pictures.

The Chairy Orchard is free to visit from dusk to until dawn, but donations are accepted through their “Chairity.”

There’s also a place to pay respects.

“This is the cemechairy for our dead chairs,” Smith said, standing over a pile of dilapidated seats.

Smith, a former costume shop owner, and Pearson, who worked in banks, said they’ll keep tending to the orchard until they can’t.

“Just keeping it up is our job in life,” Smith said.

Meantime, people from all over the country will continue having a seat in their park built with furniture and friendship.