This weekend, we visited nearby
Tropical Ranch Botanical Gardens owned by Diane Rexroad and Jim Haines. The Gardens are actually Diane and Jim's 3 acre private residence located in Stuart, FL. They've transformed their space over 35 years into an amazingly tropical botanical gardens, Certified Florida Garden, and Wildlife Habitat.
This is the front entry of Jim and Diane's private residence. Paradise!
We were greeted by Diane, Jim, and numerous volunteers and provided a map of the various gardens.
We were also greeted by the 20+ chickens and roosters who call Tropical Ranch home.
They were proud to show us around.
The first exotic bloom decorating the entry to the gardens is the Dutchman's Pipe Vine, host to the lovely Plydamus and Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly.
After passing through the International Garden, a pleasant south-of-the-border Mexican Patio Garden awaits with numerous patio rooms for spectacular outdoor entertaining.
After taking a ciesta at the Mexican Patio Garden, we move on to the
Asian Pavilion / Serenity Garden and Bamboo Garden.
I'm not happy with my photos as I didn't control the light or my hand very well on this particular mosquito-ridden morning, but I hope you can see the beauty the gardens have to offer.
It's difficult to see through the light, but there are many varieties and colors of bamboo, including the rare black bamboo (to the left in the photo).
As you exit the shady tropical Bamboo Garden, the Waterfall and Pond Garden welcomes visitors into an open sunny space.
Directly next to the Waterfall Garden is the Wedding Gazebo and white Moonlight Garden. But I forgot to stop by the Wine and Cheese Gazebo and Garden, which, understandably, is more interesting to me than the Wedding Gazebo.
This garden is really interesting and creative!
There's more garden spaces including the Palm Tree Garden, Herb and Spice Garden and of course the Butterfly Garden. But I got distracted by a few of the sites.
This Pencil Cactus caught me eye. I never knew it could grow this large! It's a small TREE!
I like this succulent on the bench. The effect is pretty, but the plant itself is interesting...a "fern" like succulent. I have no idea what it's called, but I like it!
This striped bamboo is ultra cool!
It doesn't look real, does it?
The highlight, aside from the actual gardens, was a garden tour followed by a butterfly garden discussion.
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And if you see something you really like, you can probably purchase it.
Some of the plants I was taken with were...
A beautiful Yellow Strip Alamanda!
And this cool Peach Alamanda.
This is the pretty Pandora Vine.
The beautiful Passion Vine is host to the Gulf Fratillary and Zebra Longwing butterflies.
Pagoda Clerodendrum blooms provide nector for the butterflies.
The frilly Pagoda leaf.
This one LOOKS like a butterfly!
The exotic Orange Bird of Paradise never disappoints!
I can't remember the name of this completely amazing plant...something like Moosiana. Check out the unique qualities of this plant! The foliage is such a pretty green. Then the leaves surrounding the bloom are white!! And the bloom on this one is a bright orange. What butterfly could reject its luring power?!
Here's a closeup of the bloom!
This is the yellow version. It appears embossed! SOOOO cool!
This interesting little bloom is called Rabbit Ears.
And finally, the show stopping Walking Yellow Iris. Gotta love it!
Aside from the man-eating mosquitoes, I sincerely enjoyed my visit and look forward to stopping by again. For now, our guide shows us the way out...
Thank you for joining me!
