One Man's Treasure: Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg, Florida


In to a greater extent than innocent times, roadside attractions abounded inwards our country. Trees of Mystery, Snake Farms, Alligator Farms, Mystery Spots, in addition to more. Florida had quite it's share.

 Here inwards St. Pete, a plumber named George Turner purchases a vi land sinkhole inwards 1903, drained it, in addition to proceeded to indulge his hobby of gardening inwards this tropical establish paradise.
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 His neighbors loved the tropical gardens that sprang upwards inwards their neighborhood in addition to Mr. Turner hitting upon an idea...charge admission. Starting at a nickel, the tourists lined upwards to pay in addition to encounter his sinkhole garden. He added animals such equally turtles, parrots, in addition to flamingos. 

 A Florida roadside attraction was born. After a few generations, the attraction didn't trace inwards the tourists or coin that it used to in addition to inwards 1999, the metropolis of Petrograd purchased the Sunken Gardens. Now, it's run equally an authentic, historic salute to Florida's roadside attractions in addition to equally an educational botanical garden.

 Today, the combat is how nosotros should larn there. I create cause got a rental motorcar but I'm detest to operate it when unnecessary due to the strain of lifting Tim inwards in addition to out, summation putting his wheelchair inwards the back. We'll create it when nosotros demand to but if I create it also much, I'll develop some pretty potent dorsum hurting (the starting fourth dimension few days of this trip inwards Atlanta were brought to you lot yesteryear Ibuprofen...a lot was ingested until my dorsum felt better).

 I say Letty in addition to Tim that I'd rather non drive. There's a omnibus that goes yesteryear the hotel nosotros could cause got at that topographic point but Tim doesn't desire to cause got a bus. The other selection is to walk.  
Courtesy of Google Maps

 It's close a mile in addition to a one-half walk from our hotel. Yesterday, nosotros walked close a mile to the stadium for the ballgame. This doesn't appear to undoable, the entirely wild bill of fare is that humid, Florida heat.

We create upwards one's take away heed to hoof it. We'll select water, endeavour to remain inwards the shade, in addition to there's also the create goodness of getting to explore this city.

It is hot. We are sweaty but we're holding upwards well. Finally, we're here, adjacent to this kitschy roadside sign in addition to across from a brace of classic, roadside motels.

While Mr. Turner started off amongst a nickel admission, today the metropolis of Petrograd charges $10, but volition knock off a buck amongst a AAA bill of fare or ii if you're a senior. There are also frequent Groupon deals, too.

 The ticketing antechamber in addition to gift store is merifully air conditioned in addition to the H2O inwards the drinking outflow is H2O ice cold. We pass a few minutes recovering from the oestrus earlier continuing on into the gardens. Once outside, nosotros encounter that there's a loop that takes you lot roughly the sections of the property. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 grouping of schoolkids on a champaign trip cause got the loop to the right, going counter clockwise. We larn clockwise.

Into the lush jungle nosotros go, starting fourth dimension halt is the enclosure where this tortoise lives.

Beyond that is a butterfly garden that has done its project well.

Pools cascade into i some other throughout the gardens. 

They are filled amongst koi. For a buck, I bought a pocketbook of nutrient that Tim in addition to I operate to feed them.

A spot inwards the middle is dedicated to orchids.

Another, for the kids, has Minions blossom pots.

Near the halt of the loop, flamingos pose yesteryear their pool.

Parrots, some of them really talkative, greet us earlier nosotros leave.

We walk dorsum through a shady residential expanse amongst some really squeamish homes. Quite a few are for sale, seems to survive inwards the $600,000 range.

After it seems similar we'll never larn inwards back, nosotros emerge dorsum on the waterfront.

This would survive a perfect fourth dimension to cause got a mutual depression temperature H2O ice cream in addition to intend dorsum upon the excursion nosotros simply did.

 At the halt of it all, nosotros depository fiscal establishment jibe our phones...more than 26,000 steps.  Quite a hike.

 We'll telephone telephone it a hateful solar daytime here, tomorrow nosotros travail to Miami for the adjacent goal inwards this adventure.

 Darryl Musick
Copyright 2018 - All Rights Reserved

 Photos yesteryear Letty Musick
Copyright 2018 - All Rights Reserved


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