Pillywiggin Postscripts

Orchids!

5/3/2024

Each winter the Englewood Area Orchid Society presents a spectacular Orchid Show & Sale. Orchid Society Members and a slew of vendors were on hand to provide orchid growing tips & information. The variety of orchids on exhibit and for sale was incredible. I had no idea there were so many types of orchid.

Did you know?

Orchids are one of the oldest flowering plants on earth & they are the largest group of flowering plant on earth.
Orchid flowers are bilaterally symmetrical. When cut in half from top to bottom, each half is a mirror image of the other.
Orchids are considered hypoallergenic. Their pollen is stored in a sack, not airborne.
Orchids can live up to 100 years!

Enjoy the Orchid Show!

The Annual Orchid Show & Sale is a 2 day weekend event. Admission is only $5!
For more information visit the Englewood Area Orchid Society at:

www.eaos.org

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Peace River Botanical Garden

4/30/2024

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If you find yourself near Punta Gorda, Florida we highly recommend a visit to Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens. It is an incredible place! Gardens are a perfect backdrop to display art & this one does so in such interesting ways. Situated along the Peace River, spanning 27 acres, a visit to the Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens is the perfect place to spend the day with friends or family. Adult admission is $18 for a one day pass with special rates available for groups, seniors & students. Admission is free for children 5 & under.

www.peacerivergardens.org

THE ARTWORK

The artwork on display incorporates a wide range of artistic styles using a variety of mediums. I generally prefer more traditional styles of artwork but this collection expanded my appreciation for modern art. The hyper-realistic statues on display absolutely blew me away. They are incredible, interesting and Wow! So realistic.

THE BUTTERFLY HOUSE

The butterfly house on site is adorable. Butterflies flutter throughout the house making their rounds from blossom to blossom. Colorful signage explains a butterfly's life cycle & you can see it first hand as well. Egg, larva, pupa to adult, all reside inside the Butterfly House.

THE BOTANICALS

The botanical gardens showcase a variety of plants, trees & shrubberies. I really loved the flamingo topiaries scatter throughout the property. They were so colorful & fun! The gardens contain a great selection of plantings from aquatic plants to arid desert landscapes. They have some of the largest bougainvillea I have ever seen & so many flowering tropical plants. Beautiful vibrant colors everywhere!

OUR FAVORITES

This octopus statue carved from a single piece of Serpentine crystal/stone!

Flamingo Orchid Topiaries

HUGE Bougainvillea!

This monster of a Staghorn Fern & pretty little flowering tropical plant.

New York City Slicker & Bibi On The Ball
Hyper-Realistic Statues

Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens - Punta Gorda, Florida
www.peacerivergardens.org

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Bok Tower Gardens

4/27/2024

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We spent all morning exploring Bok Tower and the children's garden at Hammock Hollow working up quite an appetite. It was time for lunch at The Blue Palmetto Cafe located on the grounds. YUM!

We wandered around the gift shop a bit while we waited for our friends to arrive. I was excited to be meeting two friends from my high school days for the afternoon. Old friends sharing new adventures. How fun! Bok Tower Gardens was a beautiful backdrop for a wonderful day.

boktowergardens.org

The courtyard between the museum, dining & gift shop was absolutely stunning with a huge water feature, beautiful plantings and incredible stone walkways throughout. The gift shop carries so much more than trinkets. Live plants, pots, gifts, clothing, home goods & decor... all nice quality. (We bought two garden reference manuals!)

What's Blooming In The Garden Today?

Wild & Endangered Plant Gardens

Window By The Pond
(A cool indoor area for snake-aphobes like me to observe a swampy wetland.)

Artificial Wetland & Carnivorous Plant Sculpture Garden

Fish Feeding Pond

Snake Alert!!
We counted 6 Black Racer snakes throughout the day. They are harmless like our garter snakes. Thankfully.

Analemmatic Sundial
(Yep, it worked!)

FLORA

FAUNA

FOOD

OUR FAVORITES

The Fairy Garden, of course!

This beautiful Japanese Pagoda Lantern and a well-placed pot.

The Grotto - Cool & Shaded, Great Vibe Here!

My Dutch man posing with the Elegant Dutchmen's Pipe.

Beautiful Bamboo

Most bamboo varieties are incredibly invasive but in the right setting, when it can be controlled, bamboo is a beautiful plant that enhances a garden visually as well as through sound. I fell in love with bamboo a few years ago when we visited Morikami Japanese Gardens located near Palm Beach, FL. Morikami Japanese Gardens include a "Sound Garden" section filled with bamboo of all types. Each variety creates a different sound as the wind rustles through the bamboo shoots. It's so peaceful.

FRIENDS

Mike & Beth were celebrating their First Wedding Anniversary! Beth & I graduated together. Mike was a class or two ahead of us. Our friendships span several decades but we always seem to pick up right where we left off. I'm so glad we had the opportunity to spend the afternoon together. Friends & classmates for life.

Go Vikings!

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