Pinewood Mansion at Bok Tower and Gardens

I will finish my Florida posts with a tour of a beautiful Mediterranean style mansion called Pinewood. This mansion was originally a part of an exclusive millionaire row of mansions in a large park called Mountain Lake Estates. The mansion was originally owned by a Mr. Buck (not Bok) but was purchased by the private foundation that runs Bok Tower and Gardens when it became available. As I understand it the Bucks had a good relationship with the Bok Tower and Gardens and vice versa, so the mansion becoming a part of the gardens was a good fit for all. There is a lot of history between the two. There is an additional charge to tour Pinewood Estate but it is worth it! Again, this entire complex is military friendly giving all military affiliated personnel half off of admission-a steal really!

Frederick Law Olmstead Jr, the son of the man who is considered the father of landscape architecture, designed many of the gardens in Mountain Lake Estates; including this garden here. The bones are pretty nice. I appreciated all the shade from the live oaks. What a splendid patio too! It is interesting to note that the gardens were designed first then the house was placed to maximize all views and to enhance the flow from the house to the gardens. Mr. Buck, it seems, was a nature lover-a gardener after my own heart!

This 12,900 square foot mansion has 20 rooms and several bathrooms. I really liked the bathroom decor because the colors were soothing and yet vibrant and a natural fit for a nature lover. I was also interested in knowing that these fixtures are all original to the home; which was built in 1930. The fixtures have really stood the test of time and look like they are modern fixtures. Selecting decor and styles in the 1930s that could still work in today's new homes is the sign of a very classy decorator. 

A view from one of the upstairs windows shows a large arm of a live oak and a sweeping view of the panoramic lawn. The screens in the house and logees are all original to the home and were in excellent shape! They don't make 'em like they used to because screens nowadays do not last as long without tears and wear. 

Potted amaryllis were a nod to nature inside of the mansion. 

Another bathroom that caught my eye was Mr. Buck's bathroom. His bathroom was the only one in the home that did not have a shower since he preferred baths instead of showers. All tidbits of information were gleaned from the knowledgeable docents on hand to explain the history of the mansion. 

Like always, I enjoy sharing flowers. These lovely plants were perhaps a type of orchid? I have no idea but they were sunny and cheerful. Our Florida visit in March was a splendid endeavor and I am glad I can relive it and share it with you all here....

in the garden....

Don't forget about the HUGE perennial plant sale at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds tomorrow morning starting at 9:00 AM. I hope to see you there! 

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Sing in the Bok Tower & Giveaway Winner

Entering Bok Tower Gardens one can clearly see where the 'gardens' come from in the name of this tourist destination but where do you suppose the tower part of the name comes from?

Let's travel down the walkway and find the tower that makes Bok Tower and Gardens so famous. 

Ah, here it is! "This 205 foot neo-gothic and art deco singing tower is an experience like no other." says the Bok Tower Website. Inside the tower is a 60 bell carillon. Concerts are held daily at 1 & 3 PM. The sound is melodious and fills the garden with the song of the bells. This tower is the 'tower' part of Bok Tower and Gardens and adds a special touch to the gardens. 

On our way to the mansion; which I shall post on soon, we passed by some tropical plants. Not being familiar with tropical plants I cannot tell you what kind of plants these are but aren't they pretty? 

We will finish with a pathway to a special Mediterranean style mansion that is part of the Bok Tower and Gardens complex. I shall show you more of this mansion soon....

in the garden....

And for the moment many of you have been waiting for....the winner of the drawing for a 3 Jug Water Fountain is.....Junk Loving Girl! The number drawn from Random Number Generator was 23 (out of 1-25 not counting my comment). Counting down the comments we wind up with Junk Loving Girl. 

The prize I chose for you all was the Three Jug Fountain. Like you all I reasoned that for my garden perhaps I could not hang a hammock or have enough solar power here so I thought the Three Jug Fountain perfect for me so I was sure it would be perfect for many of you. 

Junk Loving Girl, please contact me with your mailing information so you can have your fountain in the mail soon. And enjoy! Don't forget to go say thanks to the good folks at Serenity Health and Decor for being so generous! 

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

More From Bok Tower and Gardens

Bok Tower and Gardens is a rather large place that is so varied I thought it prudent to divide up the pictures for you all. We now continue our tour in the main area of the gardens near the visitor center. There were gorgeous irises blooming. 

A rill set up with the wonderful sound of water provided some ambiance to this garden in a courtyard. 

Eating al fresco outside is a little furry squirrel who was most happy patrons shared their lunch with it! This squirrel was almost domesticated so unfazed was it by the people eating their lunch nearby.

The view from the patio was gorgeous. Agaves were a central feature of many of the gardens we saw in Florida-not just in this public garden but all along the roads in private gardens as well. I don't think agaves would ever grow this large in Tennessee. 

Can you tell the difference between the real agave and the metal one in the above picture? It is of course the one with the glass stamens that is closest to you in the picture. Seeing this vignette in real life made it seem as though the metal plant was real. Myself and several other visitors had to get up close to confirm this was indeed a metal sculpture. 

Eye catching tiles decorated the courtyard. I really enjoyed the tropical nature of these tiles. 

Lastly, a sea of monkey grass and river pebbles. This vignette was so ideal I just loved it! There was a pre-teen girl walking back and forth on the pebbles in her socks. She informed me that if you take off your shoes and walked on the pebbles then your feet would get a massage. I just smiled. I was already familiar with pebble walks like this but had never seen one with the stones set in concrete and one so large as this. The juxtopositon between the grass and undulating rocks was so perfect that one could almost envision this walkway a river....

in the garden....

Sunday, March 31st is the final date to be entered into the giveaway I am sponsoring. Check this post here for further details. 

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

A Visit To Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales Florida

I am just back from Florida and wanted to share with you all some of the sights of sunny Florida this time of the year. While we here in Tennessee are in the 20s-40s mid Florida enjoyed temperatures in the 70s and 80s. Wow! It was rather warm. I loved the tropical air and the gardens too. I am not so sure I'd love them so much in the summer but for March it wasn't so bad. 

A sight we can see here in Tennessee this time of the year is a camellia. The one shown above was growing amongst many more in a public garden held privately, called Bok Tower Gardens. It's cultivar was listed as 'Akashigata'. 

To my understanding, Bok Tower gardens and the adjoining Mediterranean styled mansion (to be posted later) are gardens the public can visit but they are held in a private foundation's hands. That is what I mean by public garden held privately. Therefore, this attraction must be self sufficient because I don't believe it gets any endowments from the government.  For further information check the website. 

On our way to the mansion, named Pinewood, we passed a Gopher Tortoise crossing sign. And lo and behold there was the tortoise! Our cart driver knew right where he was sunning and stopped so I could snap a photo. According to this website gopher tortoises are one of the oldest living species and it originated in the United States 60 million years ago. It is on Florida's endangered list so of course, in this garden, you must protect it, hence the sign to watch for these tortoises crossing. Tortoises are land dwellers; a big difference from turtles. 

You can't visit Florida without seeing large elephant ears. 


Or tangerine trees. These trees are part of the garden belonging to the Pinewood Mansion. More on that next week. I was intrigued by their topiary form. Most of the tangerines had been picked a few weeks ago when these trees were trimmed. 


A perfect view of the gardens, complete with Spanish moss draped off from the tree. 


Finally, a highlight of our visit was the HUGE koi pond. Our cart driver also told us there was a tilapia pond just below this one but we did not get to see it. These koi were gigantic. There was a nearby feeder dispenser that we were able to buy some food to feed the koi. Mr. Fix-it enjoyed hand feeding this big female. 

More on Bok Tower Gardens next week. As always, I like to highlight military friendly places to visit. While Bok Towers is not a major attraction as compared to Disney it is still a wonderful place to visit and as a bonus, offers a 50% discount for military! You can't beat that. The atmosphere is laid back, unhurried, and delightful. There was a wonderful restaurant that served organic food and was reasonably priced. The reasonably priced part is oftentimes hard to find in attractions like this. If you ever get the chance to visit the middle of Florida look up Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales....

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Two Garden Bloggers and a Saint Visit the Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens

On a recent visit to Columbia South Carolina I was able to hook up with my good friend and fellow blogger for a visit to the Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens. Her husband, the Saint, also joined us for a day of visiting some neat animals and even neater plants. A word about my friend, Skeeter, before we go further. I don't think I mention to her enough how much I enjoy blogging because she is an partner on this blog who really helps to motivate me. We have worked so darn well together for more than five years now with no end in sight. That says a lot! Many blogs that have more than one partner are commercial or professional blogs. This blog is neither. Skeeter and I simply enjoy sharing our little pieces of garden heaven (at least to us) and we do our sharing together so well that we complement each other and always have. Many of you don't know she and I met through this blog and over the years the friendship has developed to the point we know each other pretty well. I have to say she is a very special friend whom I enjoy spending time with, talking with, blogging with, and not the least, touring gardens with! Thank you Skeeter!!

Okay, on to the gardens. I consider the camellia the quintessential winter plant. Many think of hellebores as the quintessential winter plant; mainly because they bloom at the end of the winter IMHO. No other plant (that I am aware of) will be blooming at both the beginning AND the end of the winter besides the camellia-for me that makes it THE quintessential winter plant. Camelias were in bloom everywhere we looked at Riverbanks. There were some awesome camellia blooms such as the white one pictured above.

The holiday spirit was in its full effect as well. This welcoming wreath with its red bow greeted visitors to the garden.

Fall and winter plants such as kale, pansies, and chard livened up the garden beds.

I am not sure what kind of palms these were but I think they are in the windmill family of palms. I love love love both palms and yuccas for their architectural qualities. They really bring so much to the winter garden that no garden should be without one or the other. And believe it or not palms can be quite hardy. I grow one here in my Zone 7A garden.

More winter color.

Paperbush, aka Edgeworthia chrysantha was a big presence at Riverbanks. The little white buds hang off from the bare cinnamon colored branches like Christmas ornaments. They are absolutely delightful! When they bloom the yellow and white bloom perfumes the air around it and really livens up the winter garden. Here, the curators of Riverbanks have used Paperbush in the large blue containers.

Finally, my traveling companion sans the Saint (he was close by I am sure)....

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden

Visiting Callaway Gardens with the Family

On a recent visit to our oldest daughter's (she is one of two twins and happens to be older by one minute-I posted on the other twin Wednesday) home in southeastern Alabama Mr. Fix-it and I made time to visit Callaway Gardens. On this day we had time to visit just a few of the many parts of the garden, and since it was very cold outside we started at the Butterfly Pavilion. The cute little girl peeking out of the cutout is my thirteen month old granddaughter. You'll see more of her in this post. Her name is Adella.

Inside the pavilion it was warm and cozy. I easily felt as though I was in a tropical paradise like Martinique or something. Butterflies soared all around us but you won't see many in this post. I have saved them for another post to come up soon. There were SO many.

Being right around the holidays poinsettias were front and center in the pavilion. Adella seemed a bit fascinated by this display.

Here is Adella being held by her Grampa 'Grumps'-our fun moniker for Mr. Fix-it (he is not grumpy at all-I promise!). The adults were fascinated with the case of chrysalises but even though Adella was looking toward the case the soon to be butterflies really did not hold her attention. 

But boy were they amazing! I will show more of this display in my butterfly post. These butterflies were all in the process of hatching out of their chrysalises. Once hatched with wings dried they will be transferred to the big pavilion for all to enjoy.

People such as my daughter Christine and her daughter Adella....

in the garden....

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden