Florida Botanical Gardens

09/02/2026

Welcome back yoga 🧘🏻‍♂️, forest bathing 🌲 and UF IFAS Extension Pinellas County Master Gardeners speaker series!

09/02/2026

Follow your nose to this week's What's in Bloom Wednesday spotlight!👃🏼🌸
Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) is an herb native to the mediterranean region. It's is a member of the mint family and is considered an evergreen shrub. It is also used in many dishes as flavoring. Rosemary can grow in a variety of climates, however the flowers will only bloom in temperate to warm climates, ☀️ like the one we have here at the Florida Botanical Gardens!
Explore the sensory garden in Majeed Discovery Garden to see Rosemary and other fragrant herbs.🌿

09/01/2026

Yoga is back...🧘🏻‍♂️

08/31/2026

Creature Feature Monday!

The Great Egret (Ardea egretta) is a large species of heron that is native to the Americas. There are four subspecies of this heron which are found on Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. This egret feeds on a variety of small animals such as fish, frogs, and insects.
The great egret was historically hunted for its feathers but around the end of the 19th century conservation efforts began to protect the bird. The bird can adapt well to human activities and is a bird that can be commonly found in urban environments.

This beauty was found by the McKay creek.

08/26/2026

🪻What's in Bloom Wednesday in the Gardens?
Goldshower Flower (Galphimia gracilis) emerges like a ray of sunshine ☀️ Dazzling bunches of yellow blooms will brighten your day, and if the flowers don't, the butterflies will. 🦋
This bush of small, yellow flowers is native to Eastern Mexico and Central America. Although not originally native to Florida, the species has long been established and naturalized, so many experts consider the plant a Florida Native. It can grow up to nine feet tall and six feet wide. Highly sought after for its leaves ,which are high in vitamin C, the plant is used for many medicinal purposes. In traditional Mexican practices, the plant's oil extracts can be used as a calming remedy and antihistamine. Come spot them in the Majeed Discovery Garden and get a dose of flower joy! (it's a real thing) 😆

08/22/2026

So much fun counting bees, butterflies and other pollinators during the Great Southeast Pollinator Census! Thank you to all our citizen scientists who helped! 🐝

08/21/2026

🍋‍🟩It's Fruity Friday at the Gardens! 🍇
Our Papayas are just getting started! Papaya is a domesticated fruit that comes from Mexico, south America, and some regions of south Florida. After being discovered by a European botanist the fruit was quickly dispersed, becoming a prominent cultivated fruit in India, South East Asia, and pacific islands. Now papaya is one of the most commonly eaten fruit in the world. It's eaten mostly raw, but it is also a part of many traditional dishes across the globe. Find our Papaya trees in the Tropical Fruit Garden!

08/19/2026

What's in Bloom Wednesday features a flower that is beautiful and mysteriously goes by many names! 👸🏻
Scarlet hibiscus, Scarlet rosemallow, Swamp hibiscus, or the Texas Star (despite being non-native to Texas) and is a native wildflower that lives in swamps and streams with an open sunny area. The blooms of this plant are only open for one day, so you'll need to keep your eyes open to spot this red flower. Because of its beautiful scarlet color and striking appearance it is also excellent at attracting pollinators. You can find this dazzling bloom if you look over the edge of the McKay Creek bridge! 🌿

08/19/2026