History Park

On Florida:
It is an undisputable fact that the true nature lover, who has enjoyed this delightful climate, the ocean breezes, the enchanting moonlight nights and all the charms that nature has spread out with a lavish hand for all those who really seek to understand her, cannot stay away from Florida for a long period without being homesick.
Dr Henry Nehrling

Chairman -Carole Biggs

The 2003-2005 National Garden Club’s theme is “Preserving the past – Forging the Future”. That administration decided that the club project would be to create a “historically correct “ garden in the Punta Gorda History Park. The village of Punta Gorda was incorporated in 1887 and the buildings in the History Park are circa 1890. In 1890, cattle roamed free within the city. Therefore homes with any garden at all were enclosed with picket fences. While sod had been introduced, at that point it was only used for cattle feed not for yards as it is today. The only flower we could find advertised for sale was roses. Apparently other flowers that were native to this area of Florida were brought in from the countryside and planted as well as seeds and plants brought from the North. These included among others Allamandas, ferns, orange Amaryllis, white Crinums, and spider lilies. The grounds of the Hotel Punta Gorda were surrounded with a picket fence covered roses.

(more recent pictures first)

A few new ones November 07