BOTANICAL GARDENS

I think it only fair that I write another blog to make up for the empty pages over the past several weeks.

This is especially exciting for me.

Botanical Gardens!
I love to visit them in every city possible.
I have been to many all over the world and all had some aspect that was spectacular.
These gardens I visited compared with the best in the world in my opinion.

That said, I am only a small-time gardener who knows little but I love the way gardens grab me and hold my attention for hours.
This was no exception.

For now I will offer a few pictures of the children's garden.

Children's drawings tell us more than the valuable information.
What a delight to see these in the Children's Garden.

This was just the right size for little ones.
Ponds and waterfalls invited children to linger in the water.

On a hot day this is a perfect place to dangle toes and cool a bit.

Chalk art depicts the 'flora' around the path.
Chalk is offered for all ages and tends to remain in tact on busy walkway.

Creative and fun

I saw more adults than children climb the pathway to the treehouse.

My Crocs give you an idea of the size of leaves along the pathways.
These were actually pressed into the concrete as it was setting.
Permanent 'fossils' of every size are scoped out by the kids.

This was an inviting overlook for the entire children's garden.

Loved this herb garden just the right size for little ones.

Notice the flowered arch.  Too small for me.  Brooms are inside the house for children to 'sweep it clean.'

This industrious little girl filled the watering can at the hand pump and
diligently began to water flowers.  "Is it OK for me to water these, daddy?"
Of course!  That's why they had lots of plastic watering cans for the kids.
I loved the tropical plants mingling with ones I could plant up north in the summer.

Art was everywhere in the gardens.
The children could sit on this if they wanted.
Everything was touchable  . . . a delight for the children.

I love this succulent.  Have no idea what it is but doesn't it make you laugh!

Of course they grew vegetables almost the size of the kids.
One might think all energy was focused on the children's garden.
This is only the beginning!

This was totally my favorite part of the children's garden.
  It was an area set apart for whimsey planters one might
 have thrown away.  That's one large Campbell's soup can.

Who says dad's old golf shoes are useless?

I knew I should not have thrown that old racket away . . . or the snorkel and flippers I never used.
A simple corrugated fence or back of a garage and voila!

Bags, purses and pot people!
I laugh because last year I painted two old rocking chairs that looked like this.
I should have simply put them in my garden and filled them with pots.
I guess I can still do that but now they are too nice!

What fun!

Here is another pump for children.
She was working so hard and did not have a bucket.
Is this a trailing geranium?  Looks like it gets plenty of water.

God's creation is so awesome that I can't help but think of the following scripture:

"Since what has been known about God is plain to everyone because God made it plain to everyone.  For since the creation of the world God's infinite qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen by what He has made."   Romans 1:20

How can anyone not think of God after wandering through such beauty created by our creative God and by the humans that God created!

That's just what it feels like in the CHILDREN'S GARDEN of the Botanical Gardens in Naples, Florida.     Naples Botanical Gardens