Wednesday Notes, January 29, 2025
Sculptures, botanical garden, butterflies, koi, oh my . . .
Those icy winds that forced us all indoors last week are gone. The sun is shining. Put your fleece coat back in the closet. Don a colorful short sleeve shirt and go outside.
Honestly, with this balmy weather, now is a perfect time to visit a botanical garden. Inhale the warm air. Bask in the sunshine. Be inspired by “wow” gardens.
Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens in Punta Gorda beckoned. I could not resist. Off I went on Sunday morning, short sleeves and all. This 27-acre sanctuary has five ecosystems – marshlands, wetlands, mangroves, uplands and tidal basins. It is divided into two parts, with one section along the Peace River and another part across the road.
Roger and Linda Tetrault conceived the idea of combining a botanical garden with sculptures next to their home. Frankly they needed a place to put their sculptures. These are not small things sitting on pedestals. Think big outdoor pieces, lots of them. Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens opened in the fall of 2017.
There are 21 permanent sculptures including this one – Yellow Andy by Jack Dowd.
And this one – Coming in From the Fields by Taylor Nkomo.
Near the koi pond and gift shop are several sculptures by Carole Feuerman – one is Bibi on the Ball and another is Next Summer.
I confess, the first time I saw these totally realistic sculptures, a few years back, I got goosebumps, and just a little scared. So lifelike. How could they be so still? That would be because they are made of bronze and stainless steel and painted. Not real. Whew!
Add to this outdoor gallery of world class creativity a landscape plan that continues to bloom with new ideas. If numbers are your thing, the botanical gardens contain over 4500 plants, trees and bamboos.
A common trait of all such sanctuaries - the parking lot and pay station are, surprise, located right next to the plant shop. You know what to do.
Along a walkway ,sculpture and plants combine in a series of tree trellises by Cary and Jesse Stefani. These botanical structures made of rebar were inspired by the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California. Climbing bougainvillea have grown all the way to the top of the trellises.
Speaking of bougainvillea here is one I found quite beautiful.
It is near the Butterfly House, always a must visit for me. Enjoy a short video of a queen butterfly on milkweed.
Some comments on walking: Paths inside botanical gardens tend to meander.
This is intentional. Slows you down to look around and see things, like a hanging panel with a blue heron theme.
Most paths here are paved. There are also some boardwalks and short stretches of dirt or shell paths, plus walking on grass to say, get close to a sculpture. Sturdy walking shoes recommended.
Benches found along walkways. A chance to sit and observe. Sitting on a bench is when I noticed this bamboo stand and the different colors. Lovely.
Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens are located at 5827 Riverside Drive, Punta Gorda, FL 33982. Phone: 941-621-8299. Hours: October-May, Tuesday-Sunday from 9 am to 4 pm, closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day. Hours: June-September, Tuesday-Saturday, 9am to 2 pm, closed Fourth of July.
Admission: Children (0-5) free, Students (6-17) $10.00, Adults $20.00, Seniors (65 plus) $17.00.
Check the website calendar for events. Here is one:
Coming up: ZimSculpt from February 8, 2025, through April 20, 2025. Hand carved stone from Zimbabwe, onsite demonstrations, art for purchase, 200 artists represented. When I was there this past weekend sculptures were being unloaded from crates. Looks fascinating.
Got bitten by the botanical garden bug? Here is the cure – a list of botanical gardens in Florida. Apply liberally.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_botanical_gardens_and_arboretums_in_Florida
text and photographs copyright 2025 Lucy Beebe Tobias
This blog was created by a real human being. No artificial AI was used.