Behind the Garden Wall: Mead Botanical Garden, Winter Park, FL

Sometimes hidden gardens present fine rewards. Such is the case with the Mead Botanical Garden in Winter Haven, Florida. Tucked behind a residential neighborhood, Mead Botanical Garden is a modest trove of tropical species.

Theodore Mead, age 22

The Garden opened in 1940 in honor of noted horticulturist Theodore L. Mead (1852 – 1936). Mead was a pioneer in breeding new varieties of tropicals such as caladiums, bromeliads, orchids, daylilies, amaryllis and crinums. He was also a butterfly aficionado, apprenticed to William Henry Edwards, author of The Butterflies of North America. Mead is appreciated for discovering more than 20 new species of North American butterflies.

Neoregelia carolinae

Theodore and his wife moved to Oviedo, Florida in 1881. Oviedo was formerly known as the Lake Jesup Community. There he built greenhouses, propagated epiphytes and other tropicals, planted a citrus grove and gardens.

South Florida Railroad Depot

He was a sort of pioneer in the area. This was the “Old Florida” that some of us love to read about. Central Florida was becoming more accessible, thanks to railroads such as Henry Plant’s South Florida Railroad from Sanford to Tampa, with a railroad link to Oviedo. The Steamboat, Volusia, plied the waters weekly from Sanford. Orlando was soon to be re-incorporated.

Florida steamboat

 Considerable interest in citrus production was being promoted. Orchards were being planted. 

Of course, transportation was needed. A historical marker, located at the boat ramp at the end of Black Hammock Fish Camp Rd, east of FL 417 and north of Oviedo, tells of some efforts.  

“The Lake Jesup Steamboat company was incorporated in 1882 by lake area fruit growers by acquiring the steamboat Isis. This shallow-draft flat-bottomed boat sank that same year north of here in Lake George, a part of the St. Johns River...

South Florida Railroad's Oviedo Depot

“In 1888, Oviedo orange growers formed the Oviedo, Lake Charm & Lake Jessup Railroad, with the proposed rails to end at Solary's Wharf. This line never operated, but it did serve as a ploy in forcing the South Florida Railroad to lower unfair rates for hauling fruit.” Theodore Mead, having a degree in Civil Engineering from Cornell University, might have been involved.

After Mead’s death in 1936, his orchid collection was bequeathed to Eagle Scout and protégé, Jack Connery. With the aid of Rollins College Professor Edwin Grover, an effort was begun to create the botanic garden in Winter Park on 40 donated acres, about 15 miles from Oviedo. This is the basis of the garden we enjoy today.

Mead Botanical Garden kiosk

Mead Botanical Garden is a pleasant diversion from the well-known area attractions. Most of it is well-kept. (There’s only so much that volunteers, non-profit corporations and city partnerships can do.) Even so, good camera angles can capture the best features.

The garden is bordered on two sides by Howell Creek and Lake Lillian Marsh. Short strolls provide good views of both. Other points of interest include a camellia and cycad collection, a wildflower garden, rose garden, hummingbird garden, greenhouse, lovely bromeliads and various venues for meetings, lectures and entertainment.

Follow me behind the garden wall.

Mussaenda erythrophylla

Succulent, Euphorbia and palm collection

Billbergia pyramidalis

Livistonia chinensis

Creek view

Boardwalk

Medinilla magnifica

Codiaenum variegatum

Clerodendrum thomsoniae

Bromeliad collection

Neoregelia carolinae

Aglaonema communtatum

Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri

Tradescantia spathacea

Creek view

Aristolochia macrophylla

Bletilla striata

 

Clerodendrum trichotomum

 

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Caladium 'Fiesta' - It's Party Time!!!

Caladium 'Fiesta'

It's party time! This is one of the most exciting caladiums ever introduced. Caladium 'Fiesta' produces white foliage with green netting and bright red veins.  It looks like fireworks going off in the landscape. The white leaves really brighten up those dark spaces in the shade garden. I love it! This dwarf variety grows only 12 inches tall, so it looks really nice and compact in containers and the front of borders. It also makes a nice ground cover under trees and shade structures.

Here are a few more details and tips about growing it:

Name(s): Caladium 'Fiesta', Cyrtospadix bicolor, Caladium x hortulanum, Caladium bicolor, Fancy-leafed Caladium, Angel Wings, Heart of Jesus.

Flower Color: White spaths, but these aren't the main feature.

Bloom Time: N/A.

Foliage: Herbaceous, white, netted, bright red veins.

Height/Spread: 12 inches x 12 inches.

Climate Zones: Hardy in zones 9, 10, 11. Planted as annuals in other climate zones.

Sun Exposure: Shade.

Soil Condition: Organic, pH 5.6 to 6.5.

Planting Depth: 2-1/2 times the height of the bulb.

Features: Colorful foliage.

Uses: Container gardens, bulb gardens, annual gardens.

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Caladium 'Autumn Beauty' - An Exciting New Plant For The Southern Garden

Caladium 'Autumn Beauty'

Caladiums are always favorites in Southern gardens. Their lush, colorful leaves lend a wonderful tropical appearance to shady places, drawing attention from all who pass by. This one, 'Autumn Beauty', lasts well into late summer and fall with hues that complement other seasonal colors. Lower sun exposure enhances its yellow colors. Greater sun exposure brings out its lovely coral shades.

Here are some details and tips on how to grow it.

Name(s): Caladium 'Autumn Beauty', Cyrtospadix bicolor, Caladium x hortulanum, Caladium bicolor, Fancy-leafed Caladium, Angel Wings, Heart of Jesus

Flower Color: White.

Bloom Time: Summer to fall.

Foliage: Herbaceous.

Height/Spread: 14 inches to 20 inches x 12 inches.

Climate Zones: Hardy in zones 9, 10, 11. Planted as annuals in other climate zones.

Sun Exposure: Light shade.

Soil Condition: Organic, pH 5.6 to 6.5.

Planting Depth: 2-1/2 times the height of the bulb.

Features: Colorful foliage.

Uses: Container gardens, bulb gardens, tropical gardens, annual gardens, mass planting, summer ground cover.

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National Garden Bureau Promotes Angelonia 'Archangel Cherry Red'

Angelonia 'Archanagel Cherry Red' - Credit: National Garden Bureau

Angelonia angustifolia is an annual of increasing popularity. Seeing new introductions like 'Archangel Cherry Red', it's easy to understand why. Its dark red color, heat- and drought-tolerance, compact habit and long bloom period will endear it to the hearts of gardeners everywhere. 

Thanks to National Garden Bureau for bringing it to our attention!

Angelonia is native to South America. Though it is a tropical perennial, it's usually treated as an annual. It's called "angelon" in South America. Angustifolia refers to its slender leaves. Common names include Angel Flower and Summer Snapdragon.

'Archangel Cherry Red' is one of the 'Archangel' series introduced by Ball Horticultural/Pan American Seed in 2017.

Here are some details and tips on how to grow it:

Bloom Color: Cherry red

Bloom Time: Spring

Foliage: Herbaceous.

Height/Spread: 12 inches. Upright habit. 

Planting Distance:  10 to 12 inches apart.

Climate Zones: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.

Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial shade

Soil Condition: Well-drained, average. Do not over-water. pH 6.1 to 7.5

Features: Drought- and heat-tolerant, bright color, upright habit, low maintenance.

Uses: Container gardens, annual beds, mixed borders, tropical gardens.

Comments: National Garden Bureau says, "The Archangel series of angelonia has huge flowers, which are vibrant against glossy dark green foliage. It thrives in extreme heat, humidity and drought, yet keeps a delicate appearance in the garden. Excellent as a landscape performer or mix in larger containers as a thriller."

Have you tried Angelonia in your garden? How did you use it? Got pictures? We'd love to hear about it. Please post in the Comment section!

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National Garden Bureau Recommends Alternanthera 'Purple Prince'

Photo courtesy of National Garden Bureau

You can thank National Garden Bureau for many of the wonderful plants in your garden. Folks at the NGB in cooperation with various growers, test gardens and gardeners are always on the hunt for exciting new introductions. For the next few days, I'm going to highlight some of them.

'Purple Prince' is an exciting new variety of Alternanthera brasiliana. The species also goes by the names A. dentata, Calico Plant, Joy Weed and Joseph's Coat. The genus name refers to its anthers which are aligned in alternating fashion. The anther is that part of the flower stamen which contains the pollen. You probably wouldn't notice it unless you're really interested and care to look closely, but botanists and taxonomists always do. A. brasiliana's homeland is obvious.

Alternanthera is comprised of a couple hundred species of annuals and perennials mostly native to tropical climates. They're usually grown as annuals for their colorful foliage in colder areas. The species can be found growing quite happily year around in warmer areas of Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Here are some growing tips:

Bloom Color: White.

Bloom Time: Repeatedly throughout the growing season.

Foliage: Grown for foliage. Burgundy/purple with rosy undersides.

Height/Spread: 12 inches x 18 inches.

Climate Zones: 10, 11. May be grown as annuals or indoor foliage in colder regions.

Sun Exposure: Full sun

Soil Condition: Well-drained. Do not over-water. pH 6.6 to 7.8

Features: Colorful foliage.

Uses: Massed planting, annual borders, mixed ornamental gardens, container gardens, tropical gardens, indoor foliage.

Comments: 'Purple Prince' was introduced in 2018 by Pan American Seed Company. National Garden Bureau comments, "Purple Prince has beautiful burgundy-purple leaves with ruby-rose undersides. It stands tough in heat and humidity with low water needs. This attractive spreading plant is less vigorous than other Alternanthera, and makes a great companion plant 'filler' in mixed containers. The dark foliage pairs well with many colors, and offers an ideal low-border groundcover in flower beds to set off their blooms."

Have you used Alternanthera in your garden? Tell us about it in the comment section. We'd love to hear from you!

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Needle Palm: A Cold-Hardy Palm with Hot Points

Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix)

Gardeners are known for returning home with botanical souvenirs. Many of the plants are doomed (they know it before they buy them) but can’t resist. If you want a memento of the subtropics in your own back yard, and you want it to thrive, try Needle Palm.

Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix), native to Florida and other areas of the southeast, is reliably cold-hardy through USDA climate zone 7. Some growers report success in colder areas. It’s more like a shrub than tree, with a dense, mounding habit, growing about twice as wide as its height. The typical size of a mature Needle Palm is four to six feet high by eight to twelve feet wide.

Needle palm foliage

Needle Palm is fairly uncommon even in its native habitat. Outside of that, you’ll own bragging rights for miles around.

Don’t let its name put you off. The evergreen, cut-leaf fronds are not harmful. In fact, the tips of the leaflets are blunt, as though they had been snipped. The long, sharp needles are at the base of the plant protecting the inconspicuous flowers and fruit.

Needle palm needles

The needles do offer a significant benefit, however. They discourage through-traffic. Intruders who encounter them will get the point and hotfoot it out of there. If you're looking for a plant that offers a degree of crime prevention - call it "homeland security"- this is the palm for you.

Needle Palm prefers slightly moist, well-drained soil. Nevertheless, it is somewhat drought-tolerant when established. Space 6 feet to 10 feet apart in full sun to light shade. Soil should be moist to well-drained, pH from 6.1 to 7.8. Allow soil to dry between watering.

Pruning can be done at any time to remove damaged fronds. Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer from late spring to midsummer. Needle Palm is very resistant to insects and disease, deer resistant and salt tolerant.

Needle Palm is excellent for native plant collections, coastal and tropical gardens, screens and hedges. Suitable native companion plants include Cut-leaf Coneflower, Goldenrod, Wax Myrtle, Inkberry Holly, Red Buckeye, Sensitive Fern, Allegheny Pachysandra, and Partridge Berry.

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Aloe vera is turning brown.

Aloe vera in small pots. Photo by Cintia Siqueira from Pexels

Q. My mother gave me some Aloe vera she had grown on her window sill. I read it will take full sun, so put it on my patio. It's slowly turning brown. HELP!

A. Aloe vera will grow in full sun, but apparently it was not getting so much on her windowsill. When transitioning such plants from shade to full sun, it's best to do so gradually so they harden off. If yours haven't spent too many days in the sun, I suggest you treat them to afternoon shade for a few weeks before moving them back to the patio.

If you live in USDA climate zones 9 through 11, you can even plant aloes outdoors in a cactus garden. They're excellent for xeriscaping.

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The Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens, Baltimore, MD

Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens, Baltimore, MD

The Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens, located at the western edge of Baltimore's historic Druid Hill Park, is the second oldest surviving glass conservatory in America. Originally known as the Baltimore or Druid Hill Conservatory, it opened to the public in 1888. America's oldest glass conservatory is San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers, opened in 1879.

Before exploring the conservatory, it would be helpful to know a little about its historical context. Let's begin with the land and the Susquehannocks. The Historical Society of Baltimore has published an excellent article - The Susquehannocks' Prosperity and Early European Contact by Adam Youssi - that you should read.

According to Youssi, a very large area that included Druid Hill Park was once claimed by the Susquehannocks and surely contested by others. The Susquehannocks had reputedly mastered the art of trade. A Susquehannock party claiming to have authority ceded the land (maybe belonging to other people), to one William Claiborne. Many arguments ensued. Typical of dominant governments, England settled the matter in 1638 by putting its foot down and forfeiting the land to its own George Calvert (1605-1675), Second Lord Baltimore.

"Lord Baltimore assigned the land to George Buchanan, one of several original commissioners responsible for the establishment of Baltimore City. The Buchanan-Rogers family then cultivated the area as a country estate and plantation."

Eventually, England lost the property in what was to be known as the American War for Independence, confirmed by the War of 1812 and celebrated on Maryland DMV license plates remembering when Maryland aspired to be a freer state.

The land for Druid Hill Park was purchased around 1860 when the nation's city dwellers were passionate about developing large, landscaped urban parks for their enjoyment. Before that, garden cemeteries such as Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor, ME were popular urban resorts.

America's interest in picturesque gardens was informed by European Romantic ideals as expressed in Edmund Burke's Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and the Beautiful, William Gilpin's Observations on the River Wye..., Paris' Bois de Vincennes and Bois de Boulogne, and London's Hyde Park. New York's Central Park is a notable American example of those influences.

Rowhouses on Auchentoroly Terrace

In 1888, the newly completed Baltimore Conservatory was within sight of some of the city's finest homes in what is now the Parkview/Woodbrook neighborhood. Mansions built by John Morris Orem, a Baltimore dry goods magnate, were constructed (c.1860-1876) facing Auchentoroly Terrace. Magnificent rowhouses with diverse, intricate architectural features faced the park. Most of them still survive, but age and abuse have taken their toll. Along with Baltimore City, the Baltimore Conservatory suffered financial setbacks during years of decline.

Around the turn of the 21st century, the conservatory was scheduled for renovation. Money became available. The Baltimore Conservatory was renamed in honor of Delegate Howard Peters Rawlings (1937-2003). Rawlings was the first African-American to chair the powerful Appropriations Committee of the Maryland House of Delegates. Read more about "Pete" Rawlings at Wikipedia.

The Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory consists of five "houses": the original Palm House, the Orchid Room, Tropical House, Mediterranean House and Desert House.

The original Palm House is the most imposing structure. Though relatively small in comparison to some conservatories, it has contained a fine collection including the Bismarck palm (Bismarkia nobilis), European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis), cat palm (Chamaedorea cataractarum), Christmas palm (Adonidia merrillii), dwarf coconut palm (Cocos nucifera var. ), metallic palm (Chamaedorea metallica), lady palm (Rhapis excelsa), Fiji fan palm (Pritchardia pacifica), Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis), bottle palm (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis), and foxtail palm (Wodyetia bifurcata).

The modest Orchid Room exhibits a changing exhibit of flowering epiphytes. Orchid enthusiasts will find plenty in bloom.

Visitors to the Tropical House will be acquainted with a diverse collection of species both familiar and unfamiliar. (Follow links for pictures.) The ginger family (Zingiberaceae) is very well represented with Red Tower ginger (Costus comosus),Costus curvibracteatus 'Green Mountain', Variegated Spiral ginger (Costus amazonicus variegata), Torch ginger (Etlingera elatior 'Thompsonae') and Butterfly ginger (Hedychium coronarium). Two species, Creeping fig (Ficus pumila) and Spikemoss (Selaginella kraussiana) are at their best as ground covers. Other favorite tropicals include:

Blushing Bromeliad (Neoregelia carolinae 'Tricolor')

Firecracker shrub (Hamelia patens)

Philodendron 'Prince of Orange'

Plumeria

Red Passionflower (Passiflora coccinea)

Bird-of-Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

Chenille Plant (Acalypha hispida)

Bananas! (Musa spp.)

While the Tropical House is literally dripping with humidity, the sound of fountains in the Mediterranean House provides sensible refreshment in its semi-arid environment. The good collection of suitable trees, shrubs and herbs include:

Shoestring Acacia (Acacia stenophylla)

Olive (Olea europaea)

Variegated Oleander (Nerium oleander 'Variegata')

Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys)

Deserts are among the harshest places on earth, yet they are habitable sometimes by creatures with the most bizarre appearances. You'll discover lots of them in the Desert House, such as:

Tortoise plant (Dioscoria macrostachya)

Hedgehog Agave (Agave stricta)

African Ocotillo (Alluaudia procera)

Euphorbia baioensis

Brain Cactus (Mammilaria elongata 'Cristata')

Feather Cactus (Mamillaria plumosa)

Panda plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa)

Galapagos Prickly Pear (Opuntia galapageia)

Bunny Ears Cactus (Opuntia macrodasys)

Old Man Cactus (Oreocereus spp.)

Madagascar Palm (Pachypodium lameri)

 

The botanical garden adjoining the Baltimore Conservatory is quite small, but good displays of some new plants will interest any gardener.

Surrounding the conservatory, Druid Hill Park offers other cultural and recreational opportunities including the developing East Coast Greenway. which passes by the conservatory's front door. Avid bicyclists and serious pedestrians take note!

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