9/14: Gainesville's Kanapaha Botanical Gardens & Smallest Church in America!

The last several days Steven and I had spent seeing the sights in and near the central Florida city of Tampa as we took a couple week hiatus from staying at Grayton Beach State Park on the Panhandle. Driving northeast toward one of our favorite southern cities of Savannah, Georgia, we stopped at Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainseville and headed directly to the labyrinth.

I appreciated the description of how the gardens' labyrinth had been designed to allow our active mind to become detached by providing the same winding path leading inward to the center and back out again. Had you, like I, always thought of a labyrinth as like a maze? In fact, they were opposite in many ways as a maze is supposed to be a challenge and tricky. Labyrinths were modified from an ancient pattern referred to as the Classical Cretan or Seed Design. If Steven and I ever get to Sardinia as we hope, we can see the oldest existing example in a neolithic tomb there that dates from 2000-2500 BC. The labyrinth here in Gainseville was planted with mound grass to provide a lasting and low-maintenance border. 

The garden was named in memory of Eloise Page, 1910-2007, who taught classes in natural law for over half a century. Page taught students how to develop intuitive abilities through study, meditation, and the power of visualization.

Persian Shield was a plant native to Myanmar, a country that we found so peaceful several years ago compared to the horrific strife that has now befallen the nation at the hands of its junta.

The Water Gardens were developed in 1994 to provide a public demonstration of reclaimed water use. Though the water here had been treated with effluent from the nearby Kanapha Wastewater Treatment Plant, it still met state drinking water standards. Reclaimed water was also used throughout the gardens as a source of irrigation. The water gardens displayed a great variety of aquatic and emergent vegetation including the Giant Water Platters, the world's largest water lily that originated in the Amazon.

Dahoon, closely related to the American Holly, prefers wet environments.

The Giant Timber Bamboo was native to China. We didn't realize at this point in our tour of the gardens that this was but one of the many bamboo varieties we'd be seeing that morning. 

I don't recall such a profusion of orange berries before as there were at Kanapaha. They were Dwarf Pyracantha from Taiwan, a dwarf version of Firethorn that produces profusions of these lovely reddish-orange berries every fall.

There were two species of Victorian Water Lilies, both native to the Amazon Basin, and the world's largest water lilies with their leaves six feet or more in diameter! They are often called Water Platters because their round leaves have upturned edges. Because these water lilies cannot survive freezing temperatures, they must be grown each year from seeds planted in late March. 

This view is why we had come to Kanapaha! We had never seen anything like it when Steven and I were in the Amazon several years ago.

By mid-summer, they grow into these giants. The lilies' underwater surfaces are covered by strong spines to protect them from herbivorous fish and turtles who relish the taste of their tissue. The huge magnolia-like flowers open white but turn to a pink shade within two days before submerging to set seeds. 

The Bulb Garden: 

One of many gazebos scattered throughout the park:

The Blackberry Lily came from China.

If I were a good 50 or so years younger, I would have loved to climb this Chinese Lacebark Elm tree!

As we crossed back on the narrow pedestrian bridge, the alluring water lilies just seemed to beg to be photographed anew.

The Kanapaha Botanical Gardens also included an Arboretum, a fancy word that simply meant an organized assembly of woody plants, i.e. trees and plants. Though there were many ornamental trees throughout the gardens, this display contained many rare and unusual species that would not otherwise be seen in the region. 

This arboretum was still in its infancy as planting only began in 1984. There was so much space between the plants to allow for more plants to be added and for existing ones to achieve their full stature. An added bonus was that the ample spacing permitted the trees to be appreciated as individual specimens when they were fully grown.

Even if we'd been hungry, the bananas looked a little green for eating anytime soon!

As befitting its name, the Senegal Date Palm came from tropical Africa. During harsh winters, it may be killed to the ground. The most luscious dates I've ever eaten were right off a tree in Israel while visiting travel friends we'd met weeks earlier in Hungary. I can still date the mouth-watering fruit like it was just yesterday - yum yum!

I read in the Pepper Garden that chili peppers originated in Central and South America and were first cultivated about 6,000 years ago after being brought to Spain by a doctor on Columbus' second voyage. More than 100 varieties are cultivated worldwide, from mild, large peppers to fiery, hot peppers popular in Central American and Asian cuisine.

I had heard of capsaicin before and knew it indicated the hotness of peppers. But I hadn't known that Scoville Heat Units (SHU) was the scientific term that measured the degree of hotness. I learned that there is zero SHU in bell peppers and 1.6 million SHU in Indian  Ghost peppers! The next time you eat chilies, remember that some chilies with high SHU can burn bare skin. Capsaicin, the primary ingredient in pepper spray, is also used topically as a remedy for arthritis pain, shingles, and neuropathy. 

Not surprisingly most of the plants in the Butterfly Garden produced flowers that attract butterflies. Others were planted because they are a food source for butterflies. We watched this butterfly for a while as it flitted from one Thryallis plant to another.

The Purple Passion Flower was simply gorgeous in its intense coloring. 

The inner bark of this Florida Elm tree was once used for making ropes and coarse cloth. 

I loved how there were so many places to sit a spell and enjoy the serene botanical gardens.

I had noticed some of these colorful Pinecone Ginger Indian plants earlier as we traipsed through the gardens but didn't know their name. The name of the plants comes from the fruiting body whose overlapping bracts give the appearance of a pinecone. Forgot your shampoo and come across these plants? No problem because its cones produce a liquid used by some people as shampoo!

Even though it meant my crouching down to the ground to get these two photos, the effort was worth my creaky knees!

Giant Timber Bamboo from Taiwan:

Wong Chuk or Bambusa textilis Kanapaha was obviously named after these public gardens and was a more robust form than what could be found in the wild. This winter-hardy bamboo was one of the largest clumping bamboos found in northern Florida - it may grow up to 50 or more feet high! Its thin-walled canes could be cut into thin strips that were perfect for weaving baskets. 

In the Ginger Garden was a plant called Pink V Butterfly Ginger but it looked neither pink nor was it attracting any butterflies when we were there!

I'm a sucker for lilies and the Resurrection Lily was a particularly pretty variety.

Never had we seen sinkholes before in a botanical garden but there were two small depressions visible here. Sinkholes are cooler, shadier, and moister than the surrounding environment so they provide a distinct advantafe to plants and animals that prefer such circumstances. Woods Fern, Box Elder, and an otherwise rare variety of oak all thrived on the periphery of these sinkholes.

As I write this post all these months after our visit last September,  Lezlie, all I can think of is your recent comment to me about how rainy Florida weather has appeared to you in the fall from reading my posts! I hadn't thought was really the case at the time but now, looking through the photos, you were absolutely right - we sure did experience a lot of rain no matter where we were in the state.

The Herb Garden was the largest in the southeastern US. An herbal plant was defined as being used for medicinal, aromatic, and culinary purposes. This garden also included a knot and native herb garden. In case you were wondering, a knot garden was a display of interweaving herbs that form a Renaissance design visible from an overlook. The native herb garden featured a collection of indigenous plant species with herbal properties. The bricks used in the garden were designated as 'antiques' as they had been used in roads of a bygone area. 

The leaves of the all-purpose Mullein were smoked to relieve throat and lung congestion. Mullein tea was used to treat colds, coughs, hemorrhoids, and kidney stones!

Fruit from the pretty pink Barbados Cherry tree was an excellent source of acerola which provides Vitamin C.

In the middle of the garden was a Dwarf Turf Lily tree surrounded by Mondo Grass. The plant from Eastern Asia was used as a tonic to assist memory, fertility, as an aphrodisiac in addition to treat lung and stomach weakness.

The aptly-named Grey Ghostplant from Mexico was used in traditional Chinese medicine because it was believed to have excellent anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic activity. Newer studies demonstrate good results against fibrosis which is often the result of chronic hepatitis.

Gazing Balls have been around since the 13th century, first appearing in Italy when they were created by artisans with mouth-blown glass. European kings believed they had mystical powers and therefore placed them in their gardens. 

Rosemary was considered a symbol of fidelity and remembrance and traditionally used at both weddings and funerals. Used most commonly as a seasoning for vegetables, meat, and poultry dishes, some use it as a medicine but for which ailments, I have no idea! This Short-Needled Weeping variety was planted in 1982. 

Steven and I are nearing the end of doing a pretty extensive remodeling of our home. Rosemary is the color we've chosen and had approved by our homeowners' association for our exterior trim color. I can't wait to see if it looks as attractive with our reddish brick as on our little paint chip!

Having toured much of Paraguay about 18 months earlier, I was excited to see the Mate Tree from that country. As its leaves contain twice the caffeine content of coffee beans, they are used to manufacture a tea commonly carried around in large thermoses by virtually all Paraguayans.

The Bamboo Garden was Florida's largest public collection of bamboo species. Did you know that all of the approximately 1,000 bamboo species grow as a series of canes from a creeping root system? For about ten months every year, bamboo growth is largely restricted to the root system and little growth is produced above ground. During their two-month shoot season, shoots are sent up at a rate faster than any other vascular plants - up to two inches per hour in some species!

China's White Bamboo had a powdery white patina on its canes and grows to 40 feet high. We'd seen bamboo the world over but never white before this.

Stripestem Bamboo from Japan got its name because new shoots have a reddish cast until they take on the appearance of irregularly striped green as they mature. The variety also grows to a height of 40 feet.

I didn't want to get too close to this Sparkler Sedge that came from China!

The Blue Ginger tree came from Brazil and  produced these stunning blue flowers in the late summer.

The Hummingbird Garden was described as ab ecological garden that demonstrated the evolutionary relationship between hummingbirds and plants. I hadn't known before our visit that hummingbirds prefer tubular flowers that are either red, orange, or pink. This garden is utilized extensively by hummingbirds in the early spring and the fall as they migrate. 

I loved the view from yet another of the gardens' gazebos.

The Ponytail Palm was also new to us. Despite its name, it wasn't really a palm at all!

The Rock Garden was home to many plant species that have adapted to survive in hot and dry environments.

Lake Kanapaha, like the majority of Florida lakes, was a 'solution lake' which meant it was formed by the dissolution and collapse of the underlying limestone. Because the lake has vest pockets of water like we were looking at here, it dries up and fills back in from time to time. Known in scientific terms as a hypereutrophic lake meaning  it is very productive.

The Palm Hammock contained some of the nearly 3,000 known species of palms that were native to the Tropics and sub-Tropics. While some palms are stauesque, others are creeping or trunkless or even creeping vines. Some species, like the Coconut Palm and Date Palm, produce fruit. One in the Seychelles Islands produces the largest seed of any known plant.

The word Kanapaha came from the Timcua Indian word for cabbage palm, Florida's state tree, and refers to the palm thatched dwellings of the first human inhabiatnts of the Lake Kanapaha. 

After spending several hours at the delightful Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, we could not for the life of us figure out why the gardens had not merited being included in the state tour book. I cannot recommend enough a visit to the gardens if you are ever near Gainseville.

South of Savannah, Georgia was Christ's Chapel in Memory Park, declared to be the Smallest Church in America!

Next post: Savannah's sublime squares!

Posted on April 20th, 2021, from our home in Littleton, Colorado on the 22nd anniversary of the tragic shootings at Columbine, our neighborhood high school. How I wish I could report that Colorado and this country has been safer from gun violence in the intervening years. Instead, the number of mass shootings has increased  exponentially across the country and even here in our adopted state of Colorado which has continued to witness far too much gun violence. Please take a moment to tell your family and other loved ones how special they are to you now and every day.