Botanical gardens nearby

These special venues offer respite and inspiration as they showcase local flora and fauna.


The Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens is in nearby Williston. [Photo courtesy Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens]

Home » Home & Garden
Posted February 3, 2025 | By Belea T. Keeney, [email protected]

With the recent gorgeous weather in our area, this might be a good time to shake off the winter blahs and take a stroll in one of three nearby botanical gardens. While some plants may still be recovering from recent cold snaps, others will have weathered the winter months. No matter what is or isn’t in blossom, these gardens still offer respite in very beautiful settings.

Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens – This gem is a 40-minute drive west of Ocala, on U.S. 27, just the other side of Williston. It’s an enchanting place, created from an abandoned limestone quarry and transformed into a lush garden with multiple levels, a waterfall feature and steppingstones through the main quarry pond.

The ecosystem created by the quarry allows for subtropical plants to survive in a humid, warmer environment. Ferns, bromeliads and orchids surround koi ponds and other water features. Wildlife abounds in the garden—hawks hover overhead, owls glide through the tree branches and songbirds zip about. The ponds support fish, turtles, swans and geese.

Light snacks and drinks are available, and you can bring food and drink for the picnic area. This attraction is not totally accessible by wheelchair or scooter. See cedarlakeswoodsandgarden.com for more information.

The Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainesville offer a wide variety of plants, many with showy blossoms. [Photo by Leslie Height]

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens – Just a 30-minute drive north from Ocala, off Archer Road in Gainesville, you will find 24 garden collections spread over 68 acres. A 1 ½–mile paved walkway meanders through the gardens, which include a labyrinth, azalea and camellia collections, a butterfly garden and a sinkhole with a scenic overlook.

The venue sells basic drinks and snacks, and you’re welcome to bring food and drink to eat at the picnic areas. Visit kanapaha.org for details.

Nature Coast Botanical Gardens and Nursery – This is a bit further, in Spring Hill, about a two-hour drive via State Road 200 through Hernando and Inverness, through the Withlacoochee State Forest on U.S. 41 before turning west toward U.S. 19.

There are 22 themed garden “rooms” on 4.5 acres, tucked away in a residential neighborhood. The site is peaceful and soothing. The themed gardens include Wildflowers and Native Plants, the Rose and Poinsettia Garden, the Asian Room, the Bromeliad Garden, a Butterfly Garden and a Water and Railroad Garden . Artwork pieces and sculptures are set among the various plants.

Paved pathways meander throughout the garden. Visit naturecoastgardens.com for more information.

The Nature Coast Botanical Gardens and Nursery is about two hours from Ocala. [Photo courtesy Nature Coast Botanical Gardens and Nursery]

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