WATCH // EXPLORE // CRAVE
IN BLOOM
A visit to these local gardens is the perfect way to celebrate a new season. // B Y M E L I S S A P E T E R S O N
L
ook around—the flowers are blooming beautiful colors throughout the 352. These three botanical gardens are the perfect backdrop to welcome in spring.
KANAPAHA BOTANICAL GARDENS Offering a mile and a half of paved walkways with over 20 specialty gardens, Kanapaha Botanical Gardens is a 68-acre facility that includes the largest herb garden in the Southeastern United States and the largest public collection of bamboo in the state of Florida. The western side of the gardens is dominated by the 1/4-mile-long manmade water feature that consists of four different waterfalls. Although the most colorful time of the year at Kanapaha is June through September, guests 18
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visiting in spring can still expect to see several of the gardens in bloom, including the Bulb Garden, Hummingbird Garden, Butterfly Hill and Rock Garden. “Each season has different offerings,” notes Alexis Caffrey, director of Kanapaha Botanical Gardens. “Giant Victoria water lilies can only be seen in full glory in late summer and Trilliums only in the winter months. Even during low-color months, Kanapaha maintains several evergreen collections—such as the Bamboo Garden, Rock Garden and Palm Collection—where plants revered for non-floral beauty are available for viewing.” Guests visiting should give themselves on average 90 minutes to two hours to enjoy the gardens, Alexis suggests. Dogs on a leash are welcome in the gardens, and visitors can bring
in outside food and drinks to enjoy a picnic. Snacks and drinks are available for purchase for $1, and admission is good for the day, but guests are allowed to leave for lunch and come back that same day. Guided tours are available the first Saturday of every month at 10am. Private tours for groups of 10 or more are also available with two weeks notice. There is no additional charge for guided tours above the regular admission fee, which is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 5-13 and free for children under 5 when accompanied by a parent. Kanapaha Botanical Gardens // 4700 SW 58th Drive, Gainesville // kanapaha.org // (352) 372-4981
