Greetings and welcome to this issue of the Wilmot Botanical Gardens newsletter. Spring has come and gone, with its splash of color and the renewed urgency of leaves and shoots returning. Now we settle in for what some come to dread—summer in Gainesville. Some cope with the heat by decamping to cooler, drier latitudes. My strategy is to find a shady and cool oasis, like these beautiful gardens.
I am not alone in finding Wilmot Botanical Gardens a welcome sanctuary. We are joined again this year by nesting Osprey, whose insistent cries have been hard to miss lately. The juveniles have been becoming more adventurous, even instinctively exploring our Chapman Healing Garden fountain in search of tasty morsels.
I have another new arrival to report, Acer skutchii, or Mexican sugar maple that was kindly donated to the Gardens. This should make a good addition to our maple collection, and we await stunning spring and fall colors as it matures.
We appreciate your continued support, whether it comes in the form of a purchase at one of our sales, a generous donation, or with your precious time as a volunteer. Thank you for helping us protect this oasis and sanctuary.
I hope you find an opportunity to visit us soon. The Agapanthus africanus, Canna spp., and Brugmansia spp. are putting on quite a show. As always I sincerely hope you will…
Find something beautiful today!
Jim Stribling
Assistant Director, Wilmot Botanical Gardens