Harry P. Leu Gardens
Orlando, Florida

Nestled among towering two-hundred year old oak trees draped in Spanish moss sits a green oasis in Central Florida. Harry P. Leu Gardens, a fifty-acre botanical garden operated by the City of Orlando, is host to one of America’s finest collections of plants. Just minutes away from the world famous theme parks, the Garden offers a bit of solitude and tranquility in the heart of one of the nation’s fastest growing cities.

The Garden may be best known for its collection of Camellias – the largest outside California exhibiting more than 450 different varieties. The large formal rose garden demonstrates more than 175 various roses selected for their ability to grow in Orlando’s hot climate. A newly developed Tropical Stream Garden appears as a meandering path adjacent to a slow flowing watercourse complete with waterfalls surrounded with thousands of new and unusual tropical and subtropical plants. More than 95 varieties of bananas are on display making it the largest collection of it s kind in North America.

The newly opened Home Demonstration Garden displays ten residentially scaled garden including bird garden, evening garden and a specially designed garden for those with disabilities. An Exhibition Building acts as an outdoor classroom for Leu Gardens’ nearly 200 classes on gardening, landscaping, fine arts and crafts.

The Leu House museum is a fully restored Florida farmhouse built in 1888 and docents provide guided tours during the day describing the history of the families and the property.

The Gardens’ policy towards interpretation of the collection is one of personal interaction. One on one discussion about plants – gardeners talking with other gardeners. That’s what it is all about.

More information: www.leugardens.org

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