Orchids and bromeliads

Our one full day in the Sarasota area could have been spent involved in so many different activities.  It was tempting to choose several of the possibilities, to organize a tightly timed iterary and try to do it all.  But, we thought better of it, zeroing in on the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens downtown on the shore of Sarasota Bay and Hudson Bayou.

The Selby specializes in the study, collection of and research on epiphytes, that is air plants, like orchids (pictured here is a pitcher plant orchid) and bromeliads.  The greenhouses are beautiful and overwhelming -- too much to take in. 

Likewise, the grounds -- 14 acres.  A bonsai garden, mangrove forest, bamboo and banyan groves to name a few.  It's a beautiful location where couples like to get married, parents like to have their children pose for photo shoots, where people like to sit on a bench by the water and, well, just sit.  

It was a delightful visit, one that couldn't have been long enough.  We drove onto Siesta Key for lunch at Turtles on Little Sarasota Bay. though.  Wouldn't have wanted to miss that!