Naples Botanical Garden
“Gardens with Latitude” is the theme for the Naples Botanical Garden. They focus on plants from regions between 26 degrees north and 26 degrees south. Gardens include Asian, Brazilian, Floridian, and Caribbean. The center of the garden has a very large water feature with pools and a waterfall.
The garden also had an origami sculpture exhibit. The sculptures ranged from tiny to huge. They were made of painted stainless steel, cast from models of folded paper. The tower above the waterfall is made up of 500 cranes. A set of flying cranes was particularly elaborate – we couldn’t believe that these designs were folded from a single piece of paper with no cuts. The large horses were kirigami, or paper with a cut.
We particularly enjoyed the Orchid garden. The number of plants is phenomenal, and the outdoor setting was a new experience for us.
Naples Train Museum
Our next stop was the Lionel Train Museum. Quite a nice layout and display of vintage rolling stock inside and rides for kids of all ages on a loop around the depot on the outside. The layout included the Naples Drive-In. You may recognize the headliners on the big screen.
Naples Train Museum
Bird Gardens of Naples
This parrot sanctuary has over 300 birds. They live in outdoor aviaries scattered throughout the grounds. Tours are free but must be scheduled, and visitors are encouraged to bring unsalted nuts. The birds seem to know that visitors mean good snacks have arrived, and they are very anxious to partake. They are trained to take nuts, not fingers!
Macaws at Bird Gardens of Naples
Florida Conservancy
They have a nice little center with a wildlife rehab facility, and an exhibit building with some live reptiles, fish, and invertebrates. The outdoor aviary had a bald eagle and a red tailed hawk (both non-releasable). They run 45 minute electric boat tours on the Gordon River. The boat captain describes the area and the work of the conservancy. We saw a little blue heron, but no other wildlife. There is a spot along the river that has white, red, and black mangrove trees, unusual because they prefer different levels of wetness and saltiness.
Old Naples, Pier, and Palm House
Naples started as a fishing and hunting getaway. The only access was by boat, docking at a 1000 foot long pier (which still exists, but has been rebuilt many times after hurricanes). There was a hotel for guests and a few stores. The oldest buildings in Naples are near the pier. Eventually cottages were built for longer stays. These didn’t have kitchens or indoor plumbing, so everyone ate and socialized at the hotel.
The town was popular with “remittance men”: sons of wealthy families who were paid a stipend if they agreed to stay far away from the rest of the family. One of these remittance men, Speed Menafee, was asked if he’d like to be the first mayor of Naples. Rumor has it he replied “Yes, for about 15 minutes!”. He was duly appointed, whereupon he gave an acceptance speech, then quit.
Palm house is the oldest house in Naples. It began as an annex to the hotel, then was bought by a family and renovated. Since electricity had just come to Naples in the late 1920’s, they installed a kitchen and indoor plumbing. Palm house is furnished in the style of the 1920s and the docent led tours give a fine history of the area.
Gordon River Greenway Park
The Gordon River Greenway Park is a paved nature trail near the Naples Zoo, the Conservancy and the Airport. The trail was quite a contrast with mangroves, plants, birds and airplanes. One end of the Greenway parallels the airport and for a time, planes were taking off right over our heads.
We found the sunshine mimosa in several spots. A ground cover and related to the mimosa tree we’re familiar with up north, it has similar fluffy pink flowers and sensitive leaves.
As we were coming back to the parking area, we sported an anhinga drying off in the sun.