Message from Our Director

Flowers Where You'd Expect Them 

And some where you might not.  

Welcome to March, the official start of spring! Although we’ve already been enjoying the azalea blooms here in North Florida for a couple weeks, parks across the state will be even more colorful than they already are as the warm weather sets in. 

At Florida State Parks we preserve, interpret and restore natural and cultural resources, so in addition to flowers found in natural areas across the park system, you will also find examples of beautifully preserved historic gardens. Consider visiting one of these vibrant corners of Florida while they’re in bloom: 

• The garden at Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park is my personal favorite. Its storied past provides a glimpse into the gardening practices of old Florida, including a variety of watermelon that was once thought lost to time.
• One of the nine New Deal-era state parks in Florida, the Garden and Court of States at Ravine Gardens State Park is a prime spot for flower appreciation. A recent survey documented 18 types of azaleas.
• Just across from the beach at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park stands a tremendous live oak, surrounded by formal gardens featuring a historic house, reflecting pool, gazebo and exotic plants from around the world.
• There are plenty of other gardens to visit in…the Real Florida.  

One flowerbed that you might not recognize right away is the seagrass flats of Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park. Did you know that seagrasses are actually flowering plants? While the seagrass flats may not look like much to the casual surface observer, seagrass habitats are some of the most productive in the world and are vital to Florida’s coastal ecosystems. March is seagrass awareness month—take a moment to learn about these important flowers that support 70% of commercially important fish species, and learn how you can help. 

Whether you prefer your flowers on land or underwater, you’ll find what you’re looking for this spring at Florida State Parks!  

See you in the parks, 
Chuck Hatcher, Director
Florida State Parks