Copyright 2014, CABS for Reflections From the Fence
At the suggestion and urging of friend Jan, Man and I made our last stop in the Daytona Beach area the Dunlawton Sugar Mill. Jan assured us we would enjoy it, and as usual, she was spot on!
The history around the mill gardens has to do with Seminole Indians and the 2nd Seminole War in 1836. You can read a short history of the gardens, here. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (scroll down the page a bit).
The gardens is an interesting collection of relics from the sugar mill era, concrete critters from the days of Bongoland (M.D. "Manny" Lawrence in the 1950's created these 'critters') and of course, flora and fauna. Due to the eclectic way this park is laid out, I am presenting the photos in the order they were taken.
Below, I am always impressed with philodendron, believe this is what we call split leaf, when we grow it as a house plant up in the northern states. Look how high it goes in the tree. Special.
Croton, also grown as houseplants in the north, this is a beautiful specimen.
Animal powered rollers crushed the sugar cane.
I am a sucker for unusual ways to display plants, and it is a bromeliad.
The triceratops, from Bongoland, just hanging out.
Another bromeliad, tucked into the crook of this huge live oak.
The ruins of the sugar mill area has a new roof. Below is a boiler which would produce steam to turn the mechanical stuff (a cane crusher) in the background, (or so Man tells me).
They boiled the sugar cane here, to produce cane juice. There were a number of these large kettles.
Chameleons scamper all around, rustling leaves, and now and then, sitting in the sun for Sony Too to capture:
From a pond area, a bit of whimsy:
As always, thanks Jan for the great suggestion. We enjoy a few quiet peaceful hours in the gardens, sitting, and just being there.
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