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Hike Bike Paddle Camp Florida with authors Sandra Friend and John Keatley as your guides

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Marie Selby Gardens

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Most notable for its collection of more than 6,000 orchids, Marie Selby Gardens are a must-see for those who love tropical plants, especially epiphtyes. The many specialized gardens range from a children’s garden play area to succulents and cycads to a banyan grove, mangrove walkway, and tropical fruit and medicinal gardens.

Sarasota      ( 27.328352,-82.539812 )      

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Marie Selby Gardens
Unusual ficus roots at Marie Selby Gardens

Most notable for its collection of more than 6,000 orchids, Marie Selby Gardens are a must-see for those who love tropical plants, especially epiphtyes. Delight in the sensory experience of the “rainforest under glass” and the many specialized gardens, ranging from succulents and cycads to a banyan grove, mangrove walkway, and tropical fruit and medicinal gardens.

Resources

Exploring Florida's Botanical WondersSouth Florida: An Explorer's Guide

Overview

Location: Sarasota
Lat-Lon: 27.328352,-82.539812
Fees: $19 adults, $6 ages 4-11
Open: 10-5 daily; gates close at 3 on major holidays

Location

Details

Trails provide opportunities to discover niche gardens as you wander beneath tall stands of bamboo, past regal collections of palms, and under the most sizable Bo tree in Florida. The views of Sarasota Bay are some of the best in the city.

At the north end of the gardens, the former Christy Payne Mansion houses a classy gift shop and ongoing displays of botanical art. A smaller structure nearby is dedicated to environmental education for children. The new Children’s Garden is a delightful playground of swinging bridges and platforms amid massive ficus trees.

With more than 92,000 epiphytes in their herbarium collections, this is one of the world’s destinations for research on orchids and bromeliads. Many of the plants showcased in the Tropical Display House were collected during expeditions to rainforests in South and Central America and are part of a conservation effort to ensure the continuation of species.

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Category: Gardens, Museums, Natural Attractions, Southwest FloridaTag: Accessible, Big Trees, Birding, Botanical, Family-Friendly, Favorites, Guided Tours, Sarasota

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SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA OVERVIEW
Big Cypress Swamp. Everglades National Park. Florida Trail

Bradenton . Charlotte Harbor. Ding Darling NWR. Englewood. Estero. Fort Myers. Immokalee. Naples. Pine Island. Port Charlotte. Punta Gorda. Sanibel Island. Sarasota. Venice

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Our recent park & trail updates in this region

Boardwalk through mangroves

Joan M. Durante Community Park

Joan M. Durante Community Park
Palm fronds draping over trail

Hightower Trail System

Hightower Trail System
Mangroves in brownish water

Terra Ceia Preserve State Park

Terra Ceia Preserve State Park
Picnic table with a river view

Myakka State Forest North Loop

Myakka State Forest North Loop

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