“Wherever your lives may be cast, make the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it.” - Edward William Bok

After being cooped up at home all summer long due to the suffocating heat and humidity here (and the pandemic), now that it has cooled, we can’t bear staying put any longer. We’ve been venturing out of the city every chance we get and have been loving it. I regret not doing more of this while we lived in California, and I don’t want to make that mistake again here.

This past weekend, we decided to visit Bok Tower Gardens; I have seen a few photos online and was curious about it, but what we found there was better than expected.

It’s no secret that I’m a plant/flower/nature lover, and this place had all of that and more. We practically spent our day there, until the late afternoon Florida rain put a stop to it and cleared the place of people.

But let me dial it back…

Bok Tower Gardens is located, one can say, in the middle of Florida, a little over an hour below Orlando, and about the same amount of time from Tampa, which makes it a popular attraction for people here, as well as all over the world. In fact, as we were there, I heard several languages being spoken by its visitors, reaffirming its popularity. Of course, the main attraction is the 205-foot singing tower, called that way because it has bells (carillons) inside and “sings” several times throughout the day.

As you enter the garden, you’ll find yourself surrounded by fields of natural landscape, and rows and rows of orange orchards. Admission is $16 per adult, with plenty of parking included. In case you get hungry, there is a food place on location - The Blue Palmetto Cafe in the visitor center area, and if you have shopping on your mind, check the Shop at Bok where you’ll find gifts, souvenirs, plants and so much more. For interesting facts about the tower, and the garden’s founder, make sure to stop at the visitor center.

Not to miss is the Pinewood Estate, a large Spanish-style mansion, though inside tours are currently paused due to COVID. The exterior is stunning and worth visiting nonetheless.

A 50-acre garden featuring a lush landscape sprinkled with diverse ferns, palm trees, pines, and of course, azaleas, camellias, and magnolia trees and bushes (which, surprisingly were blooming), Bok Tower Garden really is a plant lover’s dream. An oasis of tranquility reinforced by bodies of water, strolling here is made easy by the paved pathways, as well as the mulched ones that take you into secluded spots that often lead to pleasant vistas or other surprises. The best one is the bog - a pond surrounded by a wetland that we found covered in wild blooms, creating what felt like an enchanted meadow. From here, if you follow the path and the signs, you’ll find yourself at the “window by the pond”, a cabin with a window overlooking the pond where one can observe the wildlife in the area. We spotted a gopher tortoise gulping the berries of a palm tree and, of course, a big snake just steps away from us - thankfully, it retracted just as we all saw one other.

As usual, when in Florida, exercise caution and watch your step and your surroundings due to wildlife.

While the entire place felt special, the singing tower and its vicinity are really the cherries on top.

The tower is preceded by a reflective pool, designed for that purpose; when birds or other creatures aren’t disturbing the water, one can see this landmark perfectly mirrored in it, among the lily pads. The tower itself can be toured if you are a sustainer-level member or above.

In the back of the tower, there is a large green space that overlooks a spectacular valley (yes, I said valley). People here were enjoying a picnic, the carillon concert (taking place daily at 1 and 3pm), or simply sat on benches and their lawn chairs admiring the views.

For more information about the Bok Tower Gardens, check their official website here. I hope you get to visit this wonderful place. And in case you are wondering, yes, you can easily spend a whole day here, between the garden, cafe, as well as the nature preserve and trails just off the side. Actually, this place is best enjoyed leisurely, with hours and hours at your disposal.

P.S. As it was raining on and off, we made a stop in downtown Lake Wales. It looked deserted, especially for a weekend, but it truly looked charming with its Western-looking buildings - we felt like we were on Route 66.

Apart from the old buildings, as you walk the streets, you’ll find a variety of beautifully painted murals - you guys loved this one, but there are soo many more! If you find yourself in the area, make sure to stop there. Sadly, our visit was minutes long as it started raining again, and it was getting late, but I think we will come back there sometime.

xoxo,

Em