Be a Garden Explorer!

Borrow one of our Garden Explorer Backpacks from the Welcome Center (open Monday-Friday from 8:00-5:00).

Our backpacks are loaded with discovery tools; binoculars, magnifying lens, I-spy sheets, a map and a self-guided tour through the gardens. It is free to borrow our backpacks, and there is plenty of room to add your own bottle of water or snack!

If you would like to take the tour on the weekend, the map, tour text and I-spy sheets are available for download below.

Trail Map

Click the image to the right to view the Garden Explorer's Discovery Trail map. This map is included in the backpack as well.

The tour takes you across Mc Kay Creek to the formal gardens, meeting weird and wonderful plants along the way. Click here to view the 10 TRAIL STOPS.

You should allow approximately 1 hour to complete this trail, but it is easy to get carried away!

Tour Highlights

You will meet plants from around the world, and from right here in Florida. You will discover how important plants are to a healthy ecosystem, and how important plants are to us! Click here to view the 10 TRAIL STOPS.

Look for the native lotus (pictured, right) growing in one of our lilly ponds on the Tropical Walk. This plant has waterproof leaves, notice what happens when you splash water on them!

I-Spy Sheets

Each backpack contains four I-spy sheets which will help explorers identify different things they encounter in the gardens.

One of the I-spy sheets focuses on FLOWERS, another on BUGS, another on WATER BIRDS, and finally, one on ART in the gardens. Click on the above links to have a look at the sheets.

You may want to print them out and bring them with you if you are visiting on the weekend.