On Friday, December 5, 2025 we had the pleasure of dedicating the BJ and Eve Wilder Therapeutic Garden at the Wilmot Botanical Gardens (Fig 1). This 2,600sqft completely accessible garden is enhanced by the inclusion of the Betty and Delton Price Horticultural Education Complex (Fig 2). The garden with 10 planters of varying heights and sizes also includes a 12 x 16ft, 192sqft structure, the Josh Chase Memorial Garden Shed (Fig 3) funded, in part, by the Gainesville Sunrise Rotary Club. The garden also features a centrally-located antique, cast-iron water pump especially-plumbed to provide a central water source (Fig 4).
This specialty garden, the 9th that has been created within the 4.8 acre Wilmot Botanical Gardens during the past 18 years, was made possible by gifts from several generous donors including Ms. Karen Scott (Wilder Family Foundation), Drs. Nancy and William Mendenhall, and Ron and Dianne Farb (Climb for Cancer Foundation).
The second quarterly meeting of the Wilmot Botanical Gardens Board of Advisors was also held on December 5. The program presented by the garden director, Dr. Tisher, provided an in depth review of the many activities that are conducted in the gardens, the conference center and the greenhouse.
Camellias are now taking center stage in the gardens. In our Lifestyles garden there is a particularly interesting species, Camellia Vietnamese, that is currently in full bloom with it’s medium-sized, beautiful, fragrant, white blooms (Fig 5). In our experience this camellia blooms quite early in the season and continues over an extended period of time. As the name implies it’s primary origin is Vietnam.
Kanjiro of the species Hiemalis is one of our favorite camellias. It’s origin is unknown, but it has been suggested that it may not be a separate species, but actually a Non-Reticulata hybrid with Japonica and Sasanqua parentage. It has been flowering for nearly a month and providing beautiful semi-double rose pink, small to medium blooms in large quantities (Fig 6). We have found that it grows quite well in heavy, damp soil and is relatively disease resistant. Because we have a great deal of clay in our soil, you will find several specimens scattered throughout the gardens.
Another of our favorites is Moonlight Bay, a japonica with a very large, semi-double bloom that is light orchid pink in color. This cultivar first bloomed in 1976 and was a chance seedling developed at Nuccio’s Nurseries. It has an interesting family tree. The camellias, Dale Fitzgerald and Sweetie Pie are seedlings of Moonlight Bay, while Louise Fitzgerald is a sport of Sweetie Pie. Sweetie Pie but not Louise Fitzgerald can be found in our garden.
As we bring 2025 to a close, we wish all of you a very happy holiday and a peaceful and prosperous New Year!
C. Craig Tisher, MD
Director, Wilmot Botanical Gardens, College of Medicine