The-Theme-Park-Formerly-Known-As-Cypress-Gardens, now LEGOLAND Florida -lotta croton

C

Central Floridave

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16/07/09
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The family day tripped to the middle of the State to the old Cypress Gardens which was one of the first theme parks in Central Florida. I don't know the actual dates but I think Silver Springs was the first theme park. (don't quote me on that,google if you want detail). The gardens are located on the side of a huge lake with native cypress trees, just outside the city of Winter Haven.

Cypress Gardens struggled the past decade and was actually saved by The State of Florida and then sold to LegoLand. Legoland-Florida opened October 2011. Its a theme park based on the lego brand and they have sister parks throughout the world. the website says it caters the 2-12 age kid, however, my son is 14 and we are in the 40's and enjoyed it just as much. Its a unique park.

Enough of that, 60+ photos. I'll caption if asked, but otherwise raw photos with mostly concentrating on the croton collection of the botanical garden and throughout the park.


----------> CLICK ON THE PIC TO ENLARGE <----------
 
Re: The-Theme-Park-Formerly-Known-As-Cypress-Gardens, now LEGOLAND Florida -lotta cr

lego1.jpglego2.jpglego3.jpglego4.jpg
 
Re: The-Theme-Park-Formerly-Known-As-Cypress-Gardens, now LEGOLAND Florida -lotta cr

Nice photos Dave. I was last there in 2004 after Hurricanes Jeanne and Frances and remember the bare trunks stripped of leaves. There are old unidentified plants in that garden dating back to the 1930's and 40's.
 
Re: The-Theme-Park-Formerly-Known-As-Cypress-Gardens, now LEGOLAND Florida -lotta cr

Dave, thanks for taking the pictures for us. Was there any variety names that you could tell? And was there any indication of the croton scale on any plants? Thanks again,
Jeff
 
Re: The-Theme-Park-Formerly-Known-As-Cypress-Gardens, now LEGOLAND Florida -lotta cr

Nice pics. Glad to see that this old place has been re-incarnated and that much of the plant material has been saved. Was there once for their chrysanthemum festival - yikes, never saw so many in one location.
 
Re: The-Theme-Park-Formerly-Known-As-Cypress-Gardens, now LEGOLAND Florida -lotta cr

Nice fotos...great tour. I hope you don't mind but I put these fotos in a folder for my personal future reference. Thanks for posting...I know it must have involved a great deal of your time to visit the site, photograph, review, edit and organize...thanks again. Your a true Crotonhead !!!
 
Re: The-Theme-Park-Formerly-Known-As-Cypress-Gardens, now LEGOLAND Florida -lotta cr

Thanks for the pics. I'm going to try see this place sometime this spring!;)
 
Re: The-Theme-Park-Formerly-Known-As-Cypress-Gardens, now LEGOLAND Florida -lotta cr

"variety names that you could tell? And was there any indication of the croton scale on any plants"

No names listed but they all looked like variety that are available. I didn't feel like I needed to 'steal' any cuttings.

No croton scale, but I wasn't looking for it either.

I was surprised the gardens survived bankruptcy, State take over, and new owners...plus, the past two frigid winters. It was nice to see the gardens remain.

That banyan tree is huge, eh? It was planted in 1939.
 
Re: The-Theme-Park-Formerly-Known-As-Cypress-Gardens, now LEGOLAND Florida -lotta cr

All the lakes and water features must create a micro-clime that the crotons have acclimated to. :)

Very nice Dave. Thanks for posting. :cool:
 
Re: The-Theme-Park-Formerly-Known-As-Cypress-Gardens, now LEGOLAND Florida -lotta cr

What a coincidence that you bumped this thread up. I was just getting ready to post a thread that through CFPACS I have worked a deal to get everyone in for free to the botanical garden and a tour. Also, they are offering discount tickets to us to get into the park. Also, I was talking to them about renting out the conference room and making it one big gardening club event with speakers and presentations. I'm still in brainstorming mode as this all started coming together last week with talking to Legoland Marketting VP.
 
Re: The-Theme-Park-Formerly-Known-As-Cypress-Gardens, now LEGOLAND Florida -lotta cr

Central Floridave said:
What a coincidence that you bumped this thread up. I was just getting ready to post a thread that through CFPACS I have worked a deal to get everyone in for free to the botanical garden and a tour. Also, they are offering discount tickets to us to get into the park. Also, I was talking to them about renting out the conference room and making it one big gardening club event with speakers and presentations. I'm still in brainstorming mode as this all started coming together last week with talking to Legoland Marketting VP.
Click to expand...

Dave - that is fantastic news. Such an event sounds like an brillant idea. :cool: Please keep us on this forum updated to developments.

Interesting, there was some unknown force controling my mouse to this thread ... :eek:
 
Re: The-Theme-Park-Formerly-Known-As-Cypress-Gardens, now LEGOLAND Florida -lotta cr

Central Floridave said:
What a coincidence that you bumped this thread up. I was just getting ready to post a thread that through CFPACS I have worked a deal to get everyone in for free to the botanical garden and a tour. Also, they are offering discount tickets to us to get into the park. Also, I was talking to them about renting out the conference room and making it one big gardening club event with speakers and presentations. I'm still in brainstorming mode as this all started coming together last week with talking to Legoland Marketting VP.
Click to expand...

Fall is a great time :cool:
 
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