Sugar Mill Gardens

 Sugar Mill Gardens is beautiful. There are a wide variety of plants in this park that houses the old sugar mill plantation. A lot of the equipment is still there. Some machinery was run by horsepower (literally). Indian wars were fought there. Despite that, some beautiful and unique flowers were planted, with names like Elliot’s Aster, Bluecurls, Sweet Acacia, and Kalanchoe (I wrote them down in a little book. I’d never remember). It is peaceful to walk the paths and admire the plants. There is a huge Live Oak with sprawling branches dipping to ground level, surrounded by wild pineapples (not edible, by the way). 

A few plaques mention the history of the plantation. You can only imagine what it was like to sweat in Florida heat while harvesting and processing sugar cane. The old brick still remains. The trails go into the woods, cool and shaded, where you might spot a red cardinal or a lime tree. Other plants include: Pacific Juniper, Globe Amaranth, Japanese Lantern, and Maidenhair Fern. Reach out and touch them, it’s okay. Some of the leaves are velvety, some are papery. There is a whole plot devoted to herbs: the familiar like sage and basil, but also including yarrow and borage. “Is that lemongrass?” John said as he ripped open the thin stalk. Yes, it did smell lemony, reminding me of the rosemary in my grandmother’s garden. The cactus have their own section (advised not to touch). And the “pencil plant” is sure unique. Not everything is named, like the poofy purple flowers residing in the Gnome Home. And if you would like to get married in this botanical paradise there is even a Nature’s Chapel.  And perhaps the bride and groom can get some picture with the life-size dinosaurs populating the area, relics from the previous “Bongoland” (it was a tourist attraction that never really took off). 

I enjoyed Sugar Mill Gardens and I plan to return.