Stop & Smell the Roses

I took an opportunity to Stop & Smell the Roses this week.  It’s something I am trying to do more often now.  Even though I have been much better about making time to enjoy Mother Nature, I am guilty of getting in the habit of visiting the same places.   So, I checked my list for a new place to explore with the dogs & I came across Florida Botanical Gardens.  I did a little research online, finding that it was free (bonus!) and open 7 days a week.  So, I grabbed my camera and we headed out! 

The Gardens were absolutely beautiful!  I didn’t really know what to expect since the last time I visited a Botanical Garden was on a family vacation when I was very young .  Unfortunately, my memory of that experience was just being miserably hot!  So, I was a little nervous to go since we are still having high temperatures of 90 degrees!  However, I try not to let the heat deter me from enjoying the outdoors;  I did move to Florida because I wanted to live somewhere warm!  :)  Plus, with it being free admission I knew we could make it a short trip if it got too hot.
As I pulled into the parking lot, I was a little overwhelmed.  There were huge plants everywhere with flowers of every shape, size, and color!  It was really impressive – Much prettier than I had imagined!  The actual Gardens were even better! There were so many beautiful flowers and all types of plants!  We started by taking the main path around a bond full of Water Lilies and surrounded by a huge assortment of other plants.  There were several different types of birds in this area too. 

Although the flowers and wildlife are beautiful to look at, I could not get over how wonderful everything smelled!  It was unlike anything else!  I can’t really describe it – it smelled better than any perfume or flower arrangement.  It’s like when the flowers first start blooming after Winter and the smell just makes you smile . . .times 10!  I could tell even the dogs were overwhelmed as they ran from one plant to another to, smelling each one! 

Next we visited the Fruit Garden and Herbal Plant area.  Again, I was totally amazed by all the colors and smells!  Then, stopped to take a break in the shade.  (Fortunately, there was a lot of shade throughout the Gardens, including some covered seating areas.)
The last area we visited was the Wedding Garden.  It was especially pretty with tons of flowers, beautiful hedges, and one of my other favorite features, the Aquatic Reflections.  These are beautiful mosaics on the seating areas and around the entrance to the Wedding Garden.
We only spent a few hours exploring, as it was pretty hot!  We probably could have stayed all day – there was so much to see!  I’m so glad I took the time to explore somewhere new!  This is exactly why I need to avoid getting stuck in a habit of going to the same places. 
This was another experience that really made me stop and think about how lucky I am to be living my dream!  I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to enjoy nature’s beauty!  I still can’t believe how different my life is now!