Lake Louisa State Park Wednesday, October 25, 2017
This 4,500 acre park is noted for its beautiful lakes, rolling hills and scenic landscapes. Lake Louisa, the largest in a chain of 13 lakes, is designated as an Outstanding Florida Water Way. The park is home to 11 distinct natural plant communities and lies within the eastern most boundary of the Green Swamp (Area of Critical State Concern) and the northern most boundary of the Lake Wales Ridge.
Chiappini Farm Nursery May 8, 2017
Plant List - contains links to pictures in Florida Plant Atlas.
This nursery is located in Hawthorne, Florida. It is about 1 ½ hours from us. The nursery is owned and operated by David Chiappini. There will be over 170 species of native trees, shrubs and plants.
We had a fun morning with a ride through some of Florida’s countryside.
There is a great seafood restaurant close by where we had lunch.
Green Isles Gardens
Arrived at Green Isles Gardens on March 4, 2017 in Groveland with everyone excited to meet our sponsor, Marc Godts. Marc has 30 plus years’ experience in the landscape construction industry and is retired from one of Central Florida’s largest landscape construction firms. He was awarded the 2016 FNPS Landscape Design Award for Excellence for our own Susan and Steve Turnipseed’s yard. The nursery has 8 acres of 150 species of Native Plants.
Everyone walked through the gardens and asked Marc for recommendations for different plants and any questions they needed answered. Marc and his staff are always willing to help us.
Green Isles Gardens provides plants for our plant auction each month.
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Silver Springs State Park
This park is transitioning from a theme park to a natural area which still reflects its historical tourist destination past. You will see evidence of these changes in the Florida friendly butterfly garden and wildflower garden that we toured with Ranger Craig Littauer in the morning. They are planting more shrubs and trees and taking away the formal gardens. The rangers have stopped mowing in many areas to encourage the growth of native herbs and grasses. After we toured the gardens we stopped at the Spring Side Café for a snack or early lunch. The energetic folks visited the Sandhill restoration and others took a glass bottom boat tour for $11.00 adults.
