Orlando in Bloom

Now's the time to enjoy the parks and gardens of Central Florida.

Spring roars into The Sunshine State faster than a roller coaster. Families relax in Epcot beneath umbrellas of flowering trees. An artist tries to capture the vivid confetti of blooms at Harry P. Leu Gardens's Lake Rowena.

You can see spring everywhere you look. Savor the season at these places.

A World of Flowers

Banks of blossoms, bulging flower baskets, and gardens from 11 nations help Epcot put on the biggest floral show in Walt Disney World.

Stroll along the Rose Walk, which leads from the Imagination! Pavilion in Future World to World Showcase. The flowers usually stay in bloom through Valentine's Day. The Canada Pavilion holds the park's largest displays of seasonal plants. Squadrons of butterflies glide over bursts of blossoms in the colorful garden in the United Kingdom.

For an inside look, book a "Gardens of the World" walking tour open to guests 16 and older. Cost is $59 per person; (407) 939-8687.

Close to Perfect

Camellias steal the show at Harry P. Leu Gardens. They bloom as bright as Easter eggs at the edge of Lake Rowena. Dianthus and sweet alyssum bask in sunny beds. Get here early enough in February to inhale the fragrance of one of the largest rose gardens in Florida. (The plants are pruned in mid-month.)

It's also one of the most accessible gardens in the South. A home demonstration garden features an enabling area for people of all abilities with raised beds that let you get close to the plants. That's something even the youngest visitors love; www.leugardens.org or (407) 246-2620. -LES THOMAS

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Feb 2007
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved