Florida Botanical Gardens: Everything You Need To Know

Getting ready for your trip to Florida? Don’t miss out on including the Florida Botanical Gardens in your itinerary. This botanical garden is a whopping 100-acre land that’s home to a wide variety of flora, fauna, and natural resources.

Florida Botanical Gardens has a lot to offer. And we’ll give information on navigating the place and making that experience one for the books.

About the Florida Botanical Gardens

The Florida Botanical Gardens is a vast park with many natural gardens and landscapes. It’s being managed by the Pinellas County Parks and Conservation Resources Department. It’s a place both for learning and recreation. You can take private tours or conduct private events in this area.

The botanical garden is definitely huge, having two entrance points. One is at 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo, FL, 33774, while the other is at 12211 Walsingham Road, Largo, FL 33778. Strolling around the place is going to be fun and memorable. Aside from its landscape, there are also various activities inside that you can participate in.

It’s a perfect place for a getaway with friends and family.

Things to see in Florida Botanical Gardens

The Florida Botanical Gardens have a lot to offer, specifically natural beauty. We’ll introduce you to the available attractions so you can utilize your time of visit. Here are the beautiful themed gardens you can enjoy:

Butterfly Garden

Who wouldn’t want a visit to a garden full of butterflies around? This butterfly garden is just one attraction you’ll find inside the Florida Botanical Gardens, next to the Visitor Center. It’s home to many butterfly species, which are popularly known for their pollinating abilities.

Young and adults alike can visit and enjoy this place.

Cactus/Succulent garden

Are you fond of cacti and succulent plants? If yes, then don’t skip this one. The cactus and succulent garden is an exciting place to visit as it offers a wide variety of succulent species. Examples are agave, prickly pear, desert rose, night-blooming cereus, air plants, and crown of thorns.

You’ll surely love the fantastic view of these fascinating and exotic plants. It’s also called an arid garden because the outdoor plants here love the dry landscape.

Herb garden

An herb garden is also present inside the botanical garden. Here, you’ll find various herbs such as lavender and Chinese cinnamon. You’ll surely love the aromatic scent this garden has.

Not only are herbs good for our kitchen recipes, but also for our medicinal needs. You might get new ideas about what herbs you’re missing in your herb garden at home.

Jazz garden

Interestingly, there also exists a jazz garden inside Florida Botanical Gardens. We know jazz to be a music genre that originated in African-American communities. Just Like jazz music, the garden features you’ll see here are light and informal.

It’s a combination of annuals and perennials in varying colors.

Majeed discovery garden

The Majeed discovery garden is a new attraction still under development and construction. It’s a place intended for children and adults alike to explore nature, learn and make fun discoveries along the way as it offers an avenue for interactive play.

Native plants garden

Encounter and be familiar with Florida’s native species in the native plants garden. In this native garden, you’ll see native and exotic plants whether annuals or perennials such as mulberry, fire bush, sugarberry, and stokes astor.

They’re an important part of the local ecosystem so it’s worth knowing who these plants are.

Rose garden

We all know roses are classic, and inside the botanical gardens, there’s a special place dedicated to them. The rose garden offers an intimate setting where roses are displayed. There also comes relevant information on how to grow and care for them here in Florida.

This place is definitely worth visiting.

Tropical garden

The tropical fruit garden offers a beautiful setting where you can enjoy fruit trees like avocados, mangoes, bananas, papayas, and citrus trees along with other tropical plants. If you’re lucky to be there during the fruiting, you’ll also see fruits from these trees.

The vinery

Part of the beautiful gardens is the vineyard that features numerous vine plants, mostly non-native species. If you’re fond of collecting trailing plants indoors, the lush gardens of vinery will inspire you. You’ll find species that are native to tropical and temperate climates.

Wetlands and Wildlife

There also exist wetlands and wildlife inside the Florida botanical gardens. Some aquatic species like water lilies also reside in such places, and you can explore them while strolling around. Occasional rains fill up these wetlands which also serve as a water garden.

History Museum

Another hidden gem to find inside the botanical gardens is a history museum, otherwise known as the heritage village. It’s a 21-acre history living museum where you can find 33 historic attractions, including a variety of historic homes, a general store, a railroad depot, two schools, a church, and more.

This place is located at 11909 125th St, Largo, FL 33774.

There also exists a Gulf Coast Museum of Art gallery at Creative Pinellas that features art exhibitions, performances, and other events that showcase work from local, regional, and internationally acclaimed artists. This is located at 12211 Walsingham Rd, Largo, FL 3377.

Bounty gift shop

Souvenirs such as botanically-themed items including Majeed Discovery Garden t-shirts, books, apparel, home goods, children’s items, jewelry, stationery, spa items, and Florida Botanical Gardens branded merchandise are available in the bounty gift shop.

This place is located inside the Visitor Center. If you purchase any item from this shop, you’re helping build the Majeed discovery garden too.

Rainkeep

A unique attraction inside the botanical gardens is a rain keep. It is a water-harvesting sculpture made by multi-media artist Allison Newsome. This installation made of recycled aluminum tanks can hold up to 3,000 gallons of rainwater.

Florida Botanical Gardens Rules and Guidelines

Location

You can choose between two entrances which are located at 12520 Ulmerton Road and 12211 Walsingham Road.

Hours

The botanical gardens are open daily for admission from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. If you want to make the most of it, make sure to come there early.

Pets

Florida Botanical Gardens is a pet-friendly destination. You can bring your pets inside provided that they are leashed.

Private Tours

If you’re a group of five or more (but not more than 50), you can book a private tour inside the botanical garden. You can book the request through their website by clicking the private tour request button.

Private Events

You can hold private events inside the botanical garden. The natural beauty of the place will make your special events extra special. Whether it is a wedding, an anniversary, or any other special occasion, you can book the place through LogiPlan Global.