Florida’s year-round growing season has created some of the most spectacular botanical collections in North America. These gardens, often voted the best in Florida, represent just one of many accolades earned by the state’s horticultural showcases. Here are 16 botanical gardens across Florida that offer travelers everything from butterfly encounters to historic estates, rare plant collections to peaceful meditation spaces.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is an 83-acre (34 ha) botanic garden with extensive collections of rare tropical plants, including palms, cycads, flowering trees, and vines in Coral Gables. Fairchild has the largest palm collection in the U.S. and is also the keeper of the National Palm Collection. The Wings of the Tropics butterfly conservatory houses hundreds of free-flying butterflies, while Dale Chihuly glass installations add artistic flair throughout the grounds.
Fairchild also has the world’s largest collection of tropical bamboo, with 125 species—an unexpected find in Miami.
Bok Tower Gardens
Located in Lake Wales, Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales combines the tranquility of meandering gardens with Edward Bok’s Singing Tower. The 60-bell carillon has daily concerts. The gardens sprawl across rolling hills rare in flat Florida, creating dramatic elevation changes that enhance the landscape design.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Tucked into 15 acres of lush tropical foliage on the grounds of the former home of Marie and William Selby, this botanical garden is best known for its preservation of epiphytes, nonparasitic plants that grow on other plants such as ferns, bromeliads, air plants, and many species of orchids in Sarasota. The waterfront location provides stunning views of Sarasota Bay. Still, the real draw is the extensive collection of air plants that seem to float in mid-air.
Harry P. Leu Gardens
Leu Gardens is a 50-acre botanical oasis minutes from Downtown Orlando. The garden and historical home were donated to the City of Orlando in 1961 by Mr. Harry P. Leu and his wife, Mary Jane. The camellia collection blooms spectacularly from December through March, while the butterfly garden attracts both locals and migrating species year-round.
Naples Botanical Garden
Naples Botanical Garden is one of Florida’s newer gardens. Be sure to visit the Brazilian garden, the Caribbean garden, and the wonderful orchid collection. The LEED Gold-certified visitor center demonstrates sustainable design principles.
And the garden’s location just inland from the Gulf of Mexico means ocean breezes keep temperatures surprisingly comfortable even in summer.
Mounts Botanical Garden
Located behind Palm Beach International Airport, the Garden is a hidden gem. Visitors to this 20-acre tropical oasis will see an acclaimed collection of 25 display gardens containing more than 7,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants in West Palm Beach. The herb garden inspires home cooks, while the rose garden offers classic beauty in an unexpected tropical setting.
Florida Botanical Gardens
Florida Botanical Gardens has multiple garden “rooms,” making it a wonderful educational experience for visitors to learn more about Florida plants. Located in Largo, admission to this garden is free. The 100-acre space includes:
- A butterfly garden that attracts native species
- Demonstration gardens showing Florida-friendly landscaping
- A tropical fruit grove with edible specimens
- Wetland areas that showcase natural water filtration
McKee Botanical Garden
The McKee Botanical Gardens, which first opened in 1932 as the McKee Jungle Gardens, features 10,000 native and tropical plants along with one of the largest collections of waterlilies in Florida in Vero Beach. The restored Hall of Giants houses towering trees that create a cathedral-like atmosphere. Perfect for escaping Florida’s intense summer sun.
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainesville spans 62 acres with 26 themed gardens, including the state’s largest bamboo display, a well-labeled herb garden, a children’s garden, and a moonlight garden that blooms with white flowers for evening viewing.
Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park
Planted more than 100 years ago by Alfred B. and Louise Maclay on the grounds of their winter home, this Tallahassee garden attracts both outdoor and botany enthusiasts thanks to nature trails that meander through the massive live oaks. Lake Hall offers swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding opportunities between garden walks.
The 1909 Maclay House is open for tours during the high blooming season from January through April. Camellias and azaleas put on their best show during these cooler months.
Flamingo Gardens
Flamingo Gardens 3750 S. Flamingo Rd., Davies 33330 combines botanical displays with wildlife conservation in Davie. The Everglades Wildlife Sanctuary houses native Florida animals, while the botanical areas showcase both native and tropical plants. Free-roaming peacocks add unexpected encounters throughout the grounds.
Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens
Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens inspires visitors with formal gardens on the banks of the St. Johns River. The gardens feature beautiful old live oaks and views of the Jacksonville skyline. The English Garden provides European formality, while the Olmsted Garden reflects early 20th-century American landscape design.
But the real showstopper is the view across the St. Johns River—especially at sunset.
Edison and Ford Winter Estates
Edison & Ford Winter Estates 2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, 32901, preserves the winter homes of two American inventors. Thomas Edison’s botanical experiments created gardens filled with unusual specimens, including massive banyan trees that now provide cathedral-like shade. Henry Ford’s adjacent estate adds automotive history to the horticultural experience.
Butterfly World
Butterfly World in Coconut Creek (near Fort Lauderdale) has more than 10 acres of aviaries with butterflies, birds, and botanical gardens loaded with plants that attract butterflies. Multiple climate-controlled aviaries house butterflies from around the world, while outdoor gardens demonstrate butterfly-friendly landscaping techniques for home gardeners.
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park in Palm Coast (north of Daytona Beach) is another example of a family connection to the land that grew into a historic landscape garden. The formal gardens contrast beautifully with the wild coastal landscapes just steps away. Ancient live oaks draped with Spanish moss create natural tunnels between garden rooms.
Cedar Lakes Woods & Gardens
Cedar Lakes Woods & Gardens, located north of Dunnellon in Williston, bewitches visitors with its 20-acre botanical garden, nestled among the lush forests and shimmering lakes of a century-old, abandoned limerock quarry. The unique setting creates microclimates that support unexpected plant varieties in this unexpected location.
Growing beyond expectations
Florida’s botanical gardens prove that paradise isn’t just about beaches—sometimes the most memorable travel experiences happen when you slow down and notice what’s growing around you.
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