Orlando's secret garden: leave it better than you found it: forget theme parks—drive to Leu Gardens for a fantasy world in flowers

Parks & Recreation, April, 2004

In the shadow of the world-famous theme parks in Orlando, Fla., sits a 50-acre green oasis. Towering live oaks draped in Spanish moss soar above forests of 100-year-old camellias. A restored historic farmhouse, circa 1888, is a reminder of an Orlando when citrus was king and space travel was something read about in a Jules Vern novel.

About 43 years ago, a local industrial supplier and city leader, Harry P. Leu, donated his garden to Orlando in an effort to offer the community another outdoor venue for entertainment and education that did not showcase pyrotechnics or themed roller coaster rides. In keeping with the increasing population (6,500 people more to Central Florida every month), Harry P. Leu Gardens has met the need for information on growing plants by building an education museum eight years ago--nearly 30 gardening and environmental groups now meet at the gardens every month. The garden is host to more than two dozen concerts every year, and art exhibitions by Florida artists rotate every six to eight weeks.

With the city of Orlando's support of innovative program initiatives, the gardens has increased attendance by 250 percent in five years, and has reduced the subsidy of the gardens' operating budget from 85 to 65 percent in the same time period. The gardens' $2.1 million operating revenue is generated from the city of Orlando's general fund, memberships, gift shop sales, admission lees, educational classes, special event fees, catering and facility rental lees and grants. Annual attendance has reached more than 130,000 guests, up from 35,000 just six years ago.

In addition, the gardens staff and volunteers have built a number of new facilities, including butterfly, herb and vegetable gardens. The largest of the new displays recently installed is the Tropical Stream Garden, which can be seen upon entering the once private estate. The garden is home to a wide variety of plants, including tropical ones that are intended to inspire amateurs and professionals alike to grow a new palette of plant material. Further, the collection is used as research--plants never grown in Central Florida are planted and notes are recorded which are shared with area growers.

The wide variety of plants also includes a vine collection (a result of fencing the gardens for safety purposes), which is one of the largest in the country with more than 200 different plants intertwining along the link fence. Yellow Butterfly Pea and Bowtie Vine have proven to be the most popular plants in the garden.

The Harry P. Leu Gardens is opened every day, from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $1 for children in grades K-12 and Monday mornings are free.

For further information about the gardens, visits Web site, www.leugardens.org, or call (407) 246-2620.