walkingtrail

Wellington Rotary Peace Park

– Saturday Saunter –

Wellington Rotary Peace Park

The Wellington Rotary Peace Park was dedicated on September 21, 2007. This beautiful park, located in the village of Wellington in Palm Beach County, includes 14 acres of wetlands and grassy areas.

There is a nice boardwalk over the wetlands and an open-air gazebo that houses the Peace Pole and dedication marker. Plenty of pickerelweed grows amongst cypress trees and Florida swamp lilies.

Flags from the United Nations, the United States, Rotary International, the Wellington Rotary Peace Park, Florida, and the Village of Wellington are displayed in the grassy area surrounding the rotunda.

Located very conveniently next to the library and schools., Wellington Rotary Peace Park is a great, safe park that sits on the edge of full suburbia. The park provides a nice peaceful site to meditate in a natural setting while immersing yourself in Nature.

Author and Photo Credit: Bobby Putnam

Mead Botanical Garden

Mead Botanical Garden is well-known as a wedding and private event venue in Central Florida. The trails and boardwalks through several of Florida’s ecosystems are not to be overlooked. Saunter through a longleaf pine forest, through a riparian area, and over the wetlands along the creek.

Land for the botanical garden was originally purchased by friends as a memorial to Theodore Mead, a world-renowned horticulturist. Mead Botanical Garden was dedicated and opened to the public on January 14, 1940. Over the next several years, more land was donated, an outdoor amphitheater was built, and students and scouts used the trails to learn about Florida’s unique ecosystems. By 1988, the Garden had fallen into disrepair. Winter Park residents sprung into action to save their beloved Garden. Today Mead Botanical Garden is maintained by the City of Winter Park’s Parks and Recreation Department with help from volunteer organizations and citizen volunteers.

Discover the many native species that thrive there and the wildlife who make their homes at Mead Garden. Look for turtles, raptors, butterflies, hummingbirds, and wading birds. Marvel at the many wildflowers including marsh fleabane, beautyberries, and Mexican primrose. Invasive species and other plants that do not support wildlife are being replaced with native species.

Bring your picnic lunch and enjoy a day at Mead Botanical Garden.

Click here for more information about Mead Garden, events, and activities: https://www.meadgarden.org/

Photo Credit: Dan Kon

Lake Lily

Lake Lily, located in Maitland, is a 10-acre park with a 1/2 mile walking trail around the Lake. Saunter near the lake as you watch for limpkins, green herons, ibises, and a variety of ducks. Sit on one of the many benches and watch squirrels who will keep you smiling with their jumping skills. Listen for birds of prey, crows, and a variety of songbirds.

Lake Lily is open from 8 am until Sunset most days. There is a playground for the kids, a rentable wedding gazebo, and restrooms. Your leashed dog is welcome to enjoy the day with you.

For more information: https://maitland.recdesk.com/Community/Facility/Detail…

Photo credit: Dan Kon