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Saturday, December 11, 2010

A visit to Tropical Ranch Botanical Gardens in Stuart, Florida

My Mom, daughter, and I took a drive to visit this garden for a plant sale they were having, and to just have a look around. It is a 40 minute drive for us, and none of us had ever been there before. A gorgeous day today put us into action!

I focused on succulents (and one Bromeliad). This was a large (5 ft. tall) stone planter with faces all around on it as planter areas...here was one of the faces planted with sedum.

And how about a cute alligator (or is it a Croc ?) planter filled with Crown of Thorns??? A good match, I would say!!!

This was the prettiest red/orange bromeliad...just blazing away in it's little froggy planter!!!

This Kalanchoe Thyrsiflora 'Fantastic' (as it was labelled anyway) was quite large, and beautiful to boot! This was the only plant I was tempted to buy! I was not familiar with the hybrid 'Fantastic'...so decided to do a little research first. It was marked 18 dollars...and you may know about how cheap I am...knowing I could start one from a leaf...so I left empty handed!!!

Now...here is an added bonus! This Kalenchoe Bossfeldiana was found growing at Mom's house today. She took some near dead cuttings from my house a year ago...and now look at what she's got! I'd call that a SAVE!!! Isn't it just gorgeous...all reaching out and in bloom with that lovely shade of yellow! WOWZERS! Way to go Mom!!!

I love succulent plants more every day...nothing quite compares for me. Bromeliads are a close second...if I could just find some shade around here.....

If you are ever in Stuart, Florida...consider a visit to Tropical Ranch Botanical Gardens!

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Love that garden sculpture !

Unknown said...

Fabulous pics - Love your Mom's Kalachoe B. How beautiful.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I love that planter with all the heads on it. Wouldn't it be fun to have that in your garden. Those big leaved succulents are always a temptation to me. They have them at the big box stores most summers. What keeps me from buying them is that they have to come inside for the winter and I don't have enough light to get them to grow right or even to survive sometimes. It looks like you had a fun outing.

Anonymous said...

That looks like a beautiful place to visit! Too bad Florida is so far away. It feels even farther right now with our temp of 4*.
Those planters are quite unique.
Love your pictures!

Lynn Cohen said...

How fun. Couldn't you just sneak a few leaves off plants without anyone being the wiser? From under the top ones so it wouldn't wreak the look of the plant? Wonder if they fall off and you could gather them from the ground??? I am so frugal. I would do this. Glad you had fun with mom and daughter. Love the baby photo in the header too.

Teri said...

You ALWAYS have so much fun with plants and of course, succulents. That Botanical Garden looks like a wonderful place!

Laguna Dirt said...

i lived in stuart for a short while while reporting for the miami herald! i loved that town! you might enjoy a garden i just wrote about that's packed with amazing succulents: www.lagunadirt.blogspot.com.

Janine said...

I spent Christmas in Miami (at Miramar,as from next Monday)
I would like to visit a garden
Thanks for the link
My blog http://gwadabrode.canalblog.com/

Candice Suter.....Sweetstuff said...

Yeah for Mom! Looks good! Those containers are awesome! I wish I could visit there but your pics are the next best!

Kristi said...

I love the planters, especially the alligator one.