Connect with nature at gorgeous gardens in Orlando and beyond, including Harry P. Leu Gardens (pictured) in Orlando’s Audubon Park Garden District.
Discover lush natural landscapes and beautiful blooms at some of Orlando’s top gardens. You’ll find much more than flowers here — many of our top gardens boast public art, stunning architecture and natural landscapes rooted in rich Central Florida history. Make time for these out-of-this-world oases during your next visit.
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Harry P. Leu Gardens
A 50-acre botanical oasis near downtown Orlando, Harry P. Leu Gardens is home to over 40 diverse plant collections from around the world, including a tropical rainforest, Florida’s largest formal rose garden and the largest documented camellia collection in Eastern North America. It’s also the site of a beautiful, 1880s-era family home, the Leu House Museum, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Part of Orlando’s charming Audubon Park Garden District, Leu Gardens offers classes and lectures, rotating and permanent art exhibits, jazz concerts, outdoor movie nights, and more cultural events throughout the year.
Discover: Things to Do in the Audubon Park Garden District
Lake Nona Sculpture Garden
Explore a tropical garden brimming with contemporary art at the Lake Nona Sculpture Garden, located in Orlando’s tech-forward Lake Nona community. This 50,000-square-foot outdoor gallery currently features four pieces from local artist JEFRË, along with acclaimed works of art from one of the world’s largest private art collections. It’s accented with over 300 Florida-grown palms, fragrant shrubs and seasonal blooms, connected by meandering garden paths and artistic seating for quiet contemplation. Adjacent to the vibrant Lake Nona Wave Hotel, the garden is designed to evolve with a rotating art collection, offering something new for visitors to enjoy with each visit.
Discover: Lake Nona Sculpture Garden
Mead Botanical Garden
Ten minutes north of downtown Orlando in Winter Park, Mead Botanical Garden is a 48-acre urban oasis with lush walking trails, diverse natural landscapes and cultivated botanical gardens, including a legacy garden, greenhouse and two beautiful butterfly gardens. Go birding along the boardwalk trail, attend an outdoor concert or yoga session, or pack a picnic and connect with nature at one of Orlando’s oldest public gardens. Mead Botanical Garden is open 365 days a year with free admission for all.
Discover: Things to Do in Winter Park
Kraft Azalea Garden
Billed as Winter Park’s secret garden, Kraft Azalea Gardens is a serene, 5-acre waterfront park with towering cypress trees, scenic lake views and of course, brilliant azaleas. Perfect for painting, picnicking or lounging in the shade, it’s also home to a beautiful exedra, a great egret rookery and the largest surviving banyan tree north of Miami. The garden is named for Winter Park residents George and Maud Kraft, who helped to establish the park in 1938.
University of Central Florida Arboretum
A living laboratory and nature retreat at the University of Central Florida, the UCF Arboretum is home to diverse natural lands and gardens, including a 7-acre Arboretum Park, 14 miles of hiking trails and over 800 acres of native Florida ecosystems. From sunrise to sunset, you can visit at leisure or arrange for a guided tour of the Arboretum’s gardens and trails. Highlights of the primary 7-acre park include bamboo, native and mindfulness gardens, along with a greenhouse, apiary, boardwalk trail and even a bat cave.
Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens
Art and nature collide at the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, the former home of Czech sculptor Albin Polasek. Just one small part of this amazing Winter Park estate, the three-acre lakefront garden is home to native Florida and subtropical species, along with over 50 outdoor sculptures.
Discover: Orlando Museums & Art Galleries
Bok Tower Gardens
Well worth the hour-and-half drive from Orlando, Bok Tower Gardens is a 250-acre oasis with a romantic old Florida feel. In addition to serene landscape gardens, inviting woodland trails and picturesque vistas, it’s home to a stunning 205-foot Art Deco Singing Tower, where you can hear live Carillion music played daily at 1 and 3 p.m. The beautiful concerts can be heard from all over the gardens, even in the nature-inspired Hammock Hollow children’s garden and at El Retiro, a 1930s Mediterranean-style mansion that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s located in Lake Wales, close to LEGOLAND® Florida Resort.
Discover: Day Trips From Orlando
Nehrling Gardens
Nestled in the German American-founded community of Gotha, near Universal Orlando Resort, is a hidden gem called Nehrling Gardens. The former home of pioneering botanist Henry Nehrling, today the garden is home to over 3,000 different plant types, including tropical fruits, palms, and several rare and exotic species. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places and continues to attract attention from scientists, horticulturalists and casual visitors alike. It’s open to visitors on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and on the first and second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. If you’d like to dig a little deeper, make advance reservations to tour Nehrling’s 1885 pioneer home or bring your own gloves to volunteer in the gardens.
Map of Top Orlando Gardens
Use this interactive map to track down the gorgeous gardens featured in this blog. (Click here if you found us via Google and don’t see a map or images.)
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