IN BLOOM

A visit to these local gardens is the perfect way to celebrate a new season.

// BY MELISSA PETERSON

Look around—the owers are blooming beautiful colors throughout the 352. These three botanical gardens are the perfect backdrop to welcome in spring.

KANAPAHA BOTANICAL GARDENS

O ering 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 di erent waterfalls.

Although the most colorful time of the year at Kanapaha is June through September, guests visiting in spring can still expect to see several of the gardens in bloom, including the Bulb Garden, Hummingbird Garden, Butter y Hill and Rock Garden.

“Each season has di erent o erings,” notes Alexis Ca rey, 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- oral 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 rst 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

A place of natural beauty where visitors may relax and enjoy the soothing sights and peaceful sounds of nature, Sholom Park sits on 44 acres and o ers more than two miles of paved walking trails and several water features.

As with most great achievements, Sholom Park began as a vision of Sidney and Ina Colen.

“Inspired by a visit to Boston Gardens, Sholom Park was created for a purpose: to provide a place where the pursuit of inner peace and learning may be enhanced and enjoyed,” shares Robert Colen, managing director for Sholom Park. “The park was named after Sidney Colen’s grandfather, Sholom, which is also the Hebrew word for peace. The park does not serve a political or religious agenda or belief system.”

Key features of the park include the Pond Overlook and Trail area, where visitors can feed the koi sh or observe other critters that make the pond their home, and the Olive Tree Promenade, which features 18 olive trees, a symbol of peace and life. At the pergebo—part gazebo, part pergola—you’ll nd the structure covered in Confederate Jasmine, which blooms every spring with small white fragrant owers. Other areas of interest include the labyrinth, with its 24 points of re ection, and the Formal Garden, which is surrounded by lush green foliage, colorful owering bushes and large live oaks.

“Sholom Park is in peak blooming season from March to early May,” says Robert. “The velvety soft, bright white Gardenia owers have an intoxicating fragrance that lls the air. The Southern Magnolias with their large white magnolia blossoms have a fresh citrus-like scent. There’s plenty of colorful and fragrant blooms and blossoms to see and smell throughout Sholom Park this spring season.”

Master the Possibilities o ers Walk and Talk tours lead by Robert and Park Manager Brian DeVane. Visit masterthepossibilities.org for more information. The park will host the Fun at the Park “Music and Art” event on Sunday, May 2 from 1-4pm, where guests can enjoy an afternoon of live music and more than two dozen local artists and craftspeople.

Sholom Park // 7110 SW 80th Avenue, Ocala // Free admission // Open seven days a week, times vary seasonally // (352) 873-0848 ext. 7650 // sholompark.org

CEDAR LAKES WOODS AND GARDENS

One of the most unique landscapes in North Central Florida, Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens is built in a 100-year-old retired lime rock quarry. Founded by Dr. Raymond Webber and opened to the public in 2014, the creation of the gardens began over 30 years ago when Ray discovered the quarry. As the property had been abandoned long ago, he purchased it and originally planned to use it as his own private shing pond. After digging out the old mining remnants, he began to transform the swampy quarry, and a small team of workers helped him create di erent islands throughout the quarry, concrete walkways, separate pools, waterfalls, pavilions, gazebos and bridges. The garden is now composed of two levels: the upper level, which surrounds the top of the quarry, and the lower level, which dives down into the quarry.

“Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens has elevation that is very unusual to nd in Florida, which is typically very at,” explains Olyvia Ciulla, marketing manager and event coordinator with the venue. “The 40-foot waterfall is also a very unique piece of our landscape that is nearly impossible to nd in Florida. The quarry walls are lined with concrete and rock planters and lled with hundreds of species of unique plants and owers. The surrounding trees and the topography of the quarry allow temperate and semitropical plants to ourish year-round.”

A few notable areas of the garden include the Japanese Gardens, which contains some of the most beautiful Japanese maple trees; Bird House Field, with its fragrant roses and massive bird house modeled after those found on the grounds of an English castle; and Look-Out Point, the highest point of the garden. The Orchard Garden is also an amazing area brimming with uttering butter ies and fruit trees.

It’s recommended that guests pack a picnic lunch to enjoy, and furry friends are welcome as long as they remain on a leash at all times. It’s also important to know that due to the nature of the gardens and the quarry’s natural landscape, there are some bumpy paths that may be di cult for some wheelchairs. Make sure to check out the website for details on the upcoming 6th Annual Garden Show and Spring Festival, happening May 1-2. The event features live music, vendors selling native and exotic plants, arts and crafts booths, food trucks and more.

Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens //

4990 NE 180th Avenue, Williston // Closed Wednesdays, open 9:30am-5pm all other days // Adults: $12, Children (6-13): $7, Children under 6: free // (352) 529-0055 // cedarlakeswoodsandgarden.com