I’m (happily) based in Florida for a few weeks, whilst I present for USA channel, HSN. Whilst I’m here, I have TOTALLY fallen in love with St Petersburg. This charming city is chilled out, has just the right balance of alternative, plus it’s a botanics wet dream!!
Today I finally got to somewhere that everyone had been recommending to me, as they knew I was such a plant geek! That place was the Sunken Gardens, a grand title that magics up scenes from The Labyrinth!
Oddly, this is a piece of ground that was originally purchased by a plumber named George Turner, Senior! He put his DIY skills to work laying an elaborate maze of clay tiles, and drained the ancient lake to leave a rich soil, just ripe for an exotic garden!
By the early 1920’s, he was charging one nickel for tours of the lush grounds that he had created! 3 generations of the Turner family later continued his vision of mind boggling tropical displays, flowing ponds, flamingoes, and minions!
There are a few plants that I couldn’t identify so if you can help, please leave a comment!
- Super retro and cool signage!
- Shade always welcome, but not in pictures!
- Heliconia- variety as yet unidentified
- Duranta erecta (Golden Dewdrop)
- A palm- can anyone help with which?
- Schefflera arbicola ‘Trinnette’
- Bougainvillea Pink!
- As yet unidentified!
- Brugmansia in apricot
- Brugmansia in apricot
- Flamingoes!
- Sunny paradise
- Frangipani (Plumeria)
- Croton – Codiaeum variegatum
- Minions!
- Pachystachys lutea
- Majestic Cordyline
- Colourful Caladium
- Sunpatiens (Giant Busy Lizzie) in the border
- As yet unidentified!
- Alpinia zerumbet (Shell Ginger)
- As yet unidentified!
- Dracaena reflexa
- Peace Lily- Spathiphyllum wallisii
- Relaxing after all that botanical magic
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