Peggy and I are presently in Safety Harbor, Florida visiting with our son Tony, his wife Cammie, and their three boys, Connor, Chris and Cooper. Whenever we visit, Tony and Cammie always plan at least one special outing. This year it was to the Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg, one of the oldest roadside attractions in the US.
In 1911, George Turner, a plumber with a passion for gardening, bought a sinkhole and immediately started turning it into a garden. Before long his neighbors started showing up to walk through it. The walk became so popular that George figured out he could charge people $.15 to do it. Move the decimal two places to the right and you have today’s price, which is an incredible bargain when compared to most other Florida attractions. We enjoyed the flowers and other plants but I was particularly attracted to the flamingos. Here are some photos. From here we will be heading down to Everglades National Park.
Our blog will continue its focus on our African safari, however. It’s lions on Friday!
There is much more to see at the Sunken Gardens. It’s well worth a visit if you are in the area, an inexpensive family adventure.
Wandering through Time and Place 
Gorgeous photos & love the colors on the flamingos!
My new camera lets me focus right in. And it helps to have such a photogenic subject.
Curt, I LOVE the flamingoes and what a beautiful place! Its creator was a genius, his passion for nature resulting in this oasis of colourful garden and stunning birds. No wonder your son and his wife chose this as a family outing day and yes, a very keen price as well! Wishing you and Peggy a wonderful time in Florida! Annika
Thanks, Annika. A peaceful retreat in the middle of a busy city. They had to fight to keep it over the years since developers had several ideas on how to make more money off of the property. True vision and love of what the family had created. The flamingos fit right in! Tomorrow we will be in the Everglades. More beauty, nature, and fun! –Curt
NICE
Thanks.
Yes, aren’t the flamingos beautiful?!! The west coast seems so much more peaceful that the Gold Coast.
It gets pretty busy around Tampa and St. Petersburg, but not Miami busy. We are in Naples today and heading out to see the botanical garden and probably the Old Town. Tomorrow we will drive over to Marco Island and then down to Everglade City where we will be for three days before heading off to the other side, where we will be glamping. Grin.
Enjoy!!
Love this!
Thanks.
These are some of the best up-close flamingo photos I have ever seen. Wonderful, Curt. The story of this sunken garden sounds so similar to the sunken garden at Butchart Gardens outside of Victoria. Florida has been on my bucket list for years and I appreciate seeing it through your eyes.
First, thanks Crystal. The new camera continues to perform! 🙂 Peggy and I have been to the Butchart Gardens a couple of times and loved them. My all-time favorite photo of Peggy is from there.
Your post title could have been ”flamingos and flowers and a whole lot of pink’. Great photos.
I like it. Pink they were! Thanks.
Florida does have some beautiful gardens. Your photos of the flamingos are gorgeous, Curt. It was fun to see them in action as they preen. (Much better than the plastic kind). 🙂 Have fun in the Everglades. I hope you and Peggy get to see some alligators. 🙂
Laughing about the plastic flamingos, D. If ever there was a statement to be made, it’s putting plastic flamingos in your yard. They had one at Burning Man several years back that must have stood 30 feet tall!
As for alligators, there is no lack of them down here. We went on a drive through Big Cypress National Preserve yesterday and saw several. 🙂 Thanks.
When I lived in CT for a while there was a huge highway interchange with ramps going in all directions, as well as over and under each other. In the very center was a large drainage pond and guess what? It had about 8 artfully arranged plastic flamingos that would change positions about once a week. I got a laugh every day when driving to work.
Looking forward to reading about more of your adventures!
A sense of humor about plastic flamingos is a must. Once, when I was traveling through the South, I tried to take photos of them every time I came across them featured in someone’s yard.
Lol. They’re iconic at this point.
Gosh Curt, these pics are exquisite. It is just me or are you getting even better at photos. It sure makes me want to get a real camera instead of an iphone or better yet, learn how to use it! The Sunken Gardens look wonderful and the flamingoes are sooooo beautiful with their yummy plumage. It makes me miss my Moluccan cockatoo… You remember I’m sure.. the one that was eaten by the coyote… sigh. Hope you had great family time💕❤️💕
The camera makes a big difference, Cindy! Grin. Then there is the fact that flamingos are so darn photogenic. And the darn coyote probably didn’t even notice the beauty! Thanks on the family. It was a great visit. ❤️
Not sure in my lifetime. They are. And then all he got was a mouth full of feathers and my broken heart.. sigh❣️ Glad you had fun❣️
Yeah, the coyote was probably disgusted that the feathers got in his way. Normally, feathers are all that are left.
Gorgeous photos of the flamingo!
Alison
Thanks Alison. I still remember yours from Argentina (as I recall). They are always photogenic. 🙂 –Curt
Bolivia, and Mexico 🤗
So much for my memory. Grin. But at least I was close on the area.
Wow, Curt, these photos are stunning! The shade of the flamingos is gorgeous, along with the flowers. And I love that tortoise too! Not only do you get to spend time with your son and family, but what a beautiful place to visit.
It almost seemed the flamingos were posing for us as they went through their everyday business of preening, Lauren. It was hard to take a bad photo. The flowers and tortoise added to the show. This coming Wednesday, assuming I get to it (a big assumption), we are going to feature the Naples Botanical Garden, which is much more plant oriented. We had a great visit with our kids who are at a good place in their lives. We are down in the Everglades now.
Glad you had a good visit with your kids. Enjoy the Everglades, Curt!
Lots to like! Not quite the Northwest, however. Grin.