Naples Botanical Gardens

If you've never seen the gardens at Naples Botanical Garden, you have to go...incredible plantings and international gardens. The gardens are divided into sections--a children's garden, a butterfly house, a Brazilian garden, a Caribbean garden, a filter marsh representation of the Everglades, a water garden, an Asian garden, a Florida "idea" garden, an enabling garden that demonstrates strategies to garden even if you have physical challenges. There is a wetlands preserve and uplands preserve, a birding platform and an area where concerts are held in front of the water garden. There are several walking trails about a half mile long and one mile trail that take you out further around the park for your enjoyment. There are many park benches, little tiki huts, and shelters of different architectural designs to sit under and enjoy the day as well, if you don't want to be in the sun....the plants and trees are labeled clearly so you can learn about the different plant species all around the world...they serve food and drinks here as well.

Part of the Brazilian garden

Yesterday we went to see a jazz concert. Normal entree fee into the botanical gardens is 9.95, today it was 12.95, well worth the cost to walk around and hear the concert from just about anywhere in the garden, or lay in one of several hammocks placed in and around the Caribbean garden, and just enjoy the beautiful music. There was a talented quartet playing with an outstanding vocalist, Rebecca Richardson. She has recorded several jazz CDs and did a terrific job of entertaining us. Doesn't it look like she enjoys what she does? And she was beautiful with a beautiful voice, too! She sounded a lot like Diana Krall.

Rebecca Richardson

We spent a long time after the concert today just enjoying the surroundings...I had never seen bananas growing on trees or pineapples growing in a field, so that was a treat. I loved the Brazilian garden the best...cool mosaic or tile artwork in the background with a waterfall, and beautiful tropical waterlilies....

Here are some water lily pads...the coloring of the lily pads was amazing! I thought the pads themselves were as beautiful as the flowering part. I thought this was cool the way the clouds and tree branches were being reflected into the water...

And here is a flowering bush/tree called the powder puff...there were pink ones and red ones, and as soft as a baby's bottom if you brushed your face against it....Watch out for the bees, though, they LOVE this plant!

The caption for this photo...
"I know there's nectar in here somewhere!"

 We'll save some more photos for tomorrow....it's a rainy day and we'll be spending it at home.....see you then!