Sunday, December 6, 2015

The Gardens of St. Augustine

On Wednesday's Travel Post I talked about all the fascinating architecture in downtown, or Old City St. Augustine.  For today's garden post, I am going to focus on the trees, plants, and gardens of St. Augustine.  

St. Augustine is a tropical paradise.  For a northerner like myself, to enter a world where there is still so much color, foliage, and blossoms at the end of November, it's a miracle!  Here are just a few of the gems I found.

The oldest wooden school house in America is found in St. Augustine.  This school house also boasts a side garden and a pretty garden in back.  Unfortunately they charged an admission price into this house and garden which I did not want to pay;  but I did sneak a peek at the side garden.


I love the striking yellow color of this large plant.  Because I am from the north, I do not know the names of any of these plants, so if you've come here for information on tropical plants, you will be disappointed.  However, if any of my southern readers can identify these plants,  I'd love to hear from you in my comment section!


This GORGEOUS, lush garden was behind a store.  When you walk to the back of the store, there is a sign that says you can go in and enjoy the garden.  You can also purchase any of the garden ornaments.


This is the view of the store from the back of the garden.  Don't you just love the roof and the ivy covered brick building next door?  That is my daughter and son-in-law sitting on the bench.


There was the cutest garden shed at the end of the garden.  I adore how ivy just grows everywhere in St. Augustine....even right up the trunks of trees!


The view from the back of the garden by the shed.  Isn't the old brick path just delightful?


I was amazed to discover this tree because I couldn't believe the size of the philodendron growing up it.  We grow this plant as a houseplant in Wisconsin, but I have never seen leaves get this big before.


I took a few close ups for you so that you can get an idea of the scale of the leaves.  They were HUGE!


I wish I could grow this ivy this big in Wisconsin!


Big trees covered in ivy and sphagnum moss just like this were everywhere in St. Augustine.  They are so beautiful.  I just love the shape of this tree.


This climbing plant was in bloom everywhere we went in Florida.  I'm going to take a guess and call it a bougainvillea.  Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.  It seemed every house in every neighborhood had this dazzling vine in bloom when we were there.  It must bloom in the fall, because I did not see this flowering vine when I visited in August.


Now I wanted to discuss Rollin's College in depth in a separate travel post, but I had to include at least a few pictures of their magnificent courtyard in this week's garden post.


Can you image this exquisite place being your college campus?  How do the students here get any work done?


This quad had a unique fountain in the center surrounded by pathways, stunning tall palm trees, and flowers.


I love the trunk of this palm tree:  absolute perfection!


This is a houseplant I have growing in my sun room, but I found it growing in the ground in St. Augustine.


There were so many pretty courtyards to sit and rest or eat in St. Augustine.  I love the color of these tables and chairs and also the striking reddish/pink color of the plant behind my daughter.


I use to have this plant in my sun room as well.  When I bought it, it was in a 4 inch pot and quickly grew into a large shrub!  Unfortunately it died when our house froze last Christmas while we were away on vacation.  This is a variegated form of that plant, mine was just a solid green.


Fountains were plentiful in St. Augustine and actually in the whole state of Florida.  I really liked the color of this one.


This fountain and pond were in the Lightner Museum garden courtyard.  The pond even had koi!


A faraway shot of this lovely courtyard and pond.


The view when you are just entering the courtyard.


There is a pretty stone and moss covered bridge right in the center of the courtyard overlooking the ponds.  You can also feed the koi from this bridge for only 25 cents.


I loved seeing all the Christmas poinsettias in mass plantings all over Florida.  That is such a tender plant here in Wisconsin.  It's difficult to even buy one and get it home before it freezes.  One time I left mine in a cold car while I continued shopping, and it was dead before I even got it home.  I could have cried.  Lesson learned:  Wait till your at the end of your shopping trip before buying your poinsettia!



I hope you enjoyed seeing all the stunning trees, plants, and flowers of St. Augustine.  It was certainly a treat for these northern eyes.  There's nothing alive left outside where I live...well, with the exception of pine trees that is!

Have a great day!  Amy

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6 comments:

  1. Such a beautiful place! Love all the plants and beautiful buildings. The little store looked so cute, would love to shop there! And cute shed in the back too, amazing plants everywhere, especially love that moss covered tree.

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  2. What a beautiful area. And this is in Florida, it reminds me of my area here in the Meditteranean. We also have many of the plants that you show us. What we don't have is the tidiness and order of the college. And you are absolutely right, how will the students every get any work done in such a beautiful setting.

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  3. The large yellow plant you feature at the beginning of your post is a croton. They come in a variety of yellows, oranges and reds.
    I recognize some of the other tropicals, but don't know the names.

    It is a beautiful college. Glad you were able to enjoy the warmer weather!

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  4. What a magnificent place! I would be there instead of in the north, too!

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  5. A delightful place, Amy. So many wonderful plants and beautiful gardens - a perfect setting for those lovely old buildings.
    Thank you for taking part in Floral Friday Fotos meme.

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