Ready to visit some of the most beautiful gardens in Orlando, Florida?
While I love to educate our readers on where to eat, sleep, and shop when visiting the beautiful city of Orlando Florida, I also work hard to provide everyone with new and unique excursions to make their trips that much more enjoyable.
In this blog post, I’m highlighting some of the best gardens to add to your Orlando itinerary.
Botanical gardens aren’t just for botanists or enthusiasts with green thumbs, they provide visitors with education on different plant species, opportunities to breathe a little deeper away from the city, and a chance to connect to nature in a special way.
Let’s kick off this blog with the first of 8 Orlando gardens you have to visit on your next trip to the city.
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Gardens in Orlando at a Glance:
- Harry P Leu Gardens: Be amazed at almost 30 different beautiful displays and gorgeous gardens
- Mead Botanical Garden: Escape into the green haven of hiking trails and spend some time at the creek and pond spotting turtles and birdwatching
- Kraft Azalea Park: This 13-acre green oasis is the perfect place to come out for a picnic and a good book relaxing under the shade of the cypress trees
- Central Park Rose Garden: A beautiful oasis in the heart of Winter Park shopping district
Keep reading to find out why I love these gardens in Orlando!
1. Harry P Leu Gardens
This 50-acre “botanical oasis” is on a mission to inspire as many people to learn about and ultimately respect the plants that are native to the area.
Just minutes from downtown Orlando, the Leu Gardens were donated to the City of Orlando in 1961 by Mr. Harry P. Leu and his wife, Mary Jane.
Why We Love This as One of the Best Gardens in Orlando
Plan to set aside 1 to 2 hours to fully enjoy these stunning Orlando gardens. There are so many beautiful areas to explore within.
They have almost 30 different beautiful displays and gardens to wander around and admire. From bamboo and banana collections, a butterfly garden, a citrus grove, and fruit collection, a rose garden, and plenty more.
The walking paths are easy to get around on and everything is labelled to help identify all the gorgeous exhibits.
The gardens are self-guided, and you can purchase a ticket online or when you get there in person.
This Orlando garden always has something fun and interesting going on so you will want to keep an eye on their Upcoming Events page. They have Movie and Family Nights, Dog Day, Plant Sales, Story Time Jazz N Blues Concerts, and more!
Address: 1920 N Forest Ave, Orlando, FL 32803
2. Mead Botanical Garden
This Winter Park garden stretches through 47 acres of land and is FREE to enter and walk around.
It is one of the gardens in Orlando where many come to find peace and interact with the best that nature has to offer.
Why We Love This as One of the Best Gardens in Orlando
This botanical Orlando garden offers visitors so much to do. You can walk around and enjoy the creek and pond that house turtles. Plus keep an eye out for a variety of fish and some wading birds. Its a hidden gem for bird watching.
It has nice hiking trails with boardwalks and even a butterfly garden. You can come visit this green haven from dawn until dusk.
They also offer yoga classes, birding, and annual events such as the Great Duck Derby and the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra.
Address: 1300 S Denning Dr, Winter Park, FL 32789
3. Kraft Azalea Park
Located on the shore of Lake Maitland, this park is open to the public from 8 a.m. until the evening.
It sits on a 13-acre property and is shaded by massive cypress trees. It’s ideal for a simple curious visit or a special celebration, like a wedding.
Why We Love This as One of the Best Gardens in Orlando
While it’s a smaller park that sits on about 5 acres of land, it’s a notable spot for a quiet picnic or a walk around the trails surrounding the area.
It´s full of huge trees that will provide lots of shade and benches for a peaceful rest in all of its beautiful scenery. This charming Orlando garden is also wheelchair accessible.
So grab a good book, pack a picnic, and come head out to this green oasis and take a much-deserved break in nature.
Address: 1365 Alabama Dr, Winter Park, FL 32789
4. Central Park Rose Garden
Noted as the crown jewel of Winter Park, this garden is situated on Park Avenue in the heart of the shopping district.
The garden entertains guests throughout the year with many events and activities that cater to all members of the family. It’s also where our blog owner, NikkyJ, had her marriage proposal.
Why We Love This as One of the Best Gardens in Orlando
Central Park boasts gorgeous fountains, landscaped planters, a beautiful oak tree canopy, and a rose garden throughout its 11 acres.
Something to be aware of is that pets are not allowed at this park.
Address: 150 W Morse Blvd, Winter Park, FL 32789
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5. Dickson Azalea Park
Officially becoming a City of Orlando park in 1924, this is one of the gardens in Orlando with plenty of history behind it. Cattle herders once used this location as a watering hole.
It’s located east of downtown Orlando near Thorton Park and when you arrive you are greeted by gorgeous towering trees at this lush location.
Why We Love This as One of the Best Gardens in Orlando
There’s a quiet creek running through the 3.6-acre area. This is a really nice place to go for a picnic where you can relax near the underpass or stream for a bit of peace or at one of their picnic tables.
It is open to the public from sunrise to sunset.
Address: 100 Rosearden Dr, Orlando, FL 32803
6. Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens
Founded in 1961, this exquisite museum and garden was founded by Albin Polasek, a Czech sculptor whose work has been revered by many.
After moving to Winter Park, Polasek and his wife opened the museum and gardens to share his work with the public.
Why We Love This as One of the Best Gardens in Orlando
Today, the museum offers guests docent-led tours (led by an educator) of Polasek’s home and studio that showcase what it was like to immigrate to the U.S. in 1901.
Visitors can also take a self-guided tour along the lakeside garden with over 50 pieces of outdoor sculptures to peruse around.
This is one of the gardens in Orlando that does have a fee as it is a museum with serene gardens, amazing art, and exquisite exhibits.
The price is $12 for adults, seniors 60 years of age and up are $10, students from kindergarten to grade 12 are $7, and children 4 and under as well as members have free admission.
However, it is also one of the best places to go in Orlando as it is part of the Bank of America Museums on Us program where every first Saturday and Sunday of the month admission is free to cardholders. Just don´t forget to bring your I.D. and card!
Address: 633 Osceola Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789
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7. Nehrling Gardens
Nehrling Gardens is located 11 miles south-west of Orlando and is open to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. It is also open on the first two Saturdays of the month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a $5 donation per person.
Private tours are also an option with a $10 donation per person.
Why We Love This as One of the Best Gardens in Orlando
This Florida Heritage Landmark is a gorgeous oasis that serves visitors as a natural escape where they can learn about the historic genome of the plants and nature that is home to the local area.
They offer workshops, volunteer opportunities, and community events for students and schools. Be aware that wheelchair accessibility is not available at this location at the moment.
Some of the fun children´s classes they offer are a Florida Critter Class, Butterfly Buddies, and Become a Bird Scientist. Be sure to check out their Events Calendar so you don´t miss out on any of their upcoming Open Days and activities.
Address: 2267 Hempel Ave, Gotha, FL 34734
8. The Mennello Museum of American Art and Sculpture Garden
Here we have another great option to take in nature and art at the same time.
The Mennello Museum of American Art is the perfect place to dive into the artwork of the late Earl Cunningham, a landscape painter who combined fact, fantasy, and his own experiences in life to reflect on the art he created.
Why We Love This as One of the Best Gardens in Orlando
His work has been celebrated since his death in 1977 as Cunningham even secured a place as a major Twentieth-Century American Folk artist.
Tours are conducted Tuesday through Friday as well as Sundays from 1 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.
If you are looking for family-friendly things to do in Orlando then mark your calendars for the second Sunday of every month. It is when this Orlando garden hosts Free Family Funday.
You can come out for a fine art project, as well as free admission to the museum making this one of the best gardens in Orlando for families.
The trails are also open to walkers, runners, and bikers to enjoy both the Orlando Urban Trail and the SunRail plus the Sculpture Garden is always open to the public.
Address: 900 E. Princeton Street Orlando, FL 32803
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Final Thoughts on the Gardens in Orlando
As you can see, there are so many gardens in Orlando for you to visit on your next vacation.
Don’t just do the same ole touristy stuff, try something new like exploring the untold side of this great state!
Did I leave a garden off of this list? If so, please let me know in the comments section below.
Until next time, Happy Florida Travels Hipster!
About the Author
My name is NikkyJ. I’m a wife, a mother, a pharmacist turned theme park blogger, USA Today 10Best Contributor, and a writer who loves exploring all the hidden gems of Florida!
I was born and raised in Leesburg, Florida which attributes to my passion about for this amazing state.
I want to show you how you can create your own memories while discovering the Sunshine State!
Connect with me on Instagram!
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(Original Article Date: April 4, 2022/Updated on February 20, 2024)
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