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You Are Here: Home » Discover Us » Nature and Parks » Classic Gardens »
Classic Gardens
The phrase “tropical paradise” generates 16,700,000 hits on Google, proof that the term is wildly overused.
In my opinion, guidelines should be established for all places that want to be called tropical paradises. In addition to enchanting weather year ‘round, a tropical paradise should offer beauty, tranquility and natural surroundings that are unique. It needs to be a place that can sweep you away with its beauty.
In other words, it should be a lot like Sunken Gardens.
The 4-acre attraction in downtown St. Petersburg is a century-old celebration of serenity, a botanical and biological feast for the senses that features more than 50,000 tropical plants (representing more than 500 species), plus butterflies, flamingos and other exotic birds.
Paved pathways make it easy to traverse the Gardens, yet the marvels within make it hard to leave.
As you enter the Gardens and step through a fountain plaza, follow the path to the main trail then turn right. Past the exotic birds and flamingos are displays of natural and invasive plants. Behind the amphitheater is the enchanting orchid arbor. The croton garden dazzles in the sunshine as the sturdy leaves throw off brilliant oranges, yellows and reds – fire without flames.
Visitors with green thumbs and keen eyes will enjoy caladiums, white birds of paradise, glorybower (native to
Java), Brazilian spider flowers and blue ginger (which is neither blue nor ginger – read about it on the sign adjacent to the plant). The Gardens also features Cuban royal palms and bougainvillea – among the oldest in the Southeastern United States.
Wind around a corner and come to the Growing Stone, a fossilized limestone rock. Feel free to have a seat. According to the sign, “Legend has it that ‘he who sits upon the ancient stone shall be granted tranquility, inner harmony and the talent to make things grow.’”
As the presence of the Growing Stone illustrates, Sunken Gardens presents more than plants, and that soon is reinforced with a stop at the Wishing Well, Photo Ring, waterfall and Wedding Lawn (doesn’t a visit to the Growing Stone seems like a natural fit for those about to begin a marriage or renew vows?).
Upon leaving the Wedding Lawn, the path takes you over a petite arched bridge and onto one of the longer straight paths at Sunken Gardens. It led to one of my favorite places – the butterfly garden. As you make your way slightly uphill, turn and enjoy the view. Palm trees, abundant low, shiny tropical plants and filtered, late-morning light make for a postcard view. Turn and continue on your way into the Gardens’ largest open space.
The building at
your right – the butterfly encounter – is a visual focus. On the way there, to the right of the path, is a Japanese garden. It brings minimalist features to the outdoors – “restrained use of plant material, stone and ornament” – with a higher purpose: “contemplating the simplicity of this design allows the viewer to find the vast within the small, a philosophic ideal of Zen.”
Advance up the path and pass under an archway of natural materials – branches that have grown together, creating a pergola feel. It, too, projects the sense that there is something large within small. The interwoven paths of the branches that wound to and fro fascinated me.
As you head into the open space, the sunlight feels welcoming, even in mid-July. Head to the path to the north side of the encounter and enjoy the stroll. A cactus and succulent garden await.
Leaving Sunken Gardens is a bit startling. It’s easy to lose track of big-picture surroundings as you get wrapped up in little things – the colors of the flowers, the way branches cascade – that when you emerge into the parking lot, you realize that for a couple of hours you forgot about cars and other trappings of modern civilization.
Immerse yourself in nature; immerse yourself in tranquility.
If you go: Sunken Gardens, 1825 Fourth St. N., is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4:30 p.m. $8 adults, $6 seniors 55 and up, $4 children 2-11. Wheelchairs are available free of charge. Visit Sunken Gardens or call (727) 551-3100.
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