Flamingo Gardens: Perfect in Pink!
At Flamingo Gardens, pink isn’t just worn on Wednesdays.
Gorgeous flamingos strut their stuff every day in Davie, Florida, ruffling beautiful feathers ranging in hue from coral to salmon to bubble gum. (Yes, I used some Crayola crayons to figure out various shades of pink.) However, there’s so much more to Flamingo Gardens than just these stylish avian friends! There are elaborate botanical gardens, a museum, and an entire sanctuary dedicated to wide-ranging wildlife, from black bears to turtles.
Both tranquil and engaging, Flamingo Gardens is the ultimate day trip for lovers of both history and nature. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to journal about various flora and fauna (complete with watercolor illustrations), like an intrepid explorer from the mid-1700s. Even if artistry isn’t your strong suit, Flamingo Gardens is sure to inspire and nourish your soul.
The Founding of Flamingo Gardens
For nearly 100 years, Flamingo Gardens has offered solace to Everglades travelers.
Originally founded as Flamingo Groves, a citrus orchard, in 1927, the acreage would soon blossom into one of Florida’s first botanical gardens and tourist attractions.1 However, unlike a circus or show, Flamingo Groves simply offered a taste of true Florida—the best of Florida.
Owned by Floyd L. and Jane Wray, the couple welcomed the public onto their property to enjoy the natural hammocks, their citrus groves, and their gardens. Admittedly, the gardens weren’t exactly Floridian, as they were filled with foreign plants and seeds, sent to the Wrays by the government for test planting.2 Nevertheless, the Floridian soil provided a fertile ground for this beautiful, lush scenery.
As for the famous flamingos, they were said to have been nesting on the property when it was bought by the Wrays, making them 100% original.
Floyd wrote in 1939, “You are welcome to Flamingo [Gardens], and are invited to spend as much time as you desire, my only request being…that you help us preserve this beauty spot for others.”3
Thankfully, as a wildlife sanctuary and with the property listed as a Broward Cultural Heritage Landmark, Flamingo Gardens is safe and sound. Every time someone like you chooses to explore the property, the Wrays’ wish of preserving the gardens for future generations comes true.
Today, you can tour the Wrays’ house—now a museum on the property—and enjoy a slice of life from the 1930s while getting to know the people who first cared for this lovely piece of Southern Florida.
Beautiful Botanical Gardens
You don’t have to be a plant nerd to get lost in the wonder of Flamingo Gardens. (Although being a plant nerd will take the experience to a whole new level of awesome.)
There are hundreds of native and exotic trees, creating a venerable forest teeming with trickling streams and burbling waterfalls. There’s even a Live Oak hammock with picturesque 200-year-old giants draped in Spanish moss. Of course, the gardens are also burgeoning with rare flowers from across the world.
There are many different flower gardens to stroll through on the property, and we love that several have been specially curated to help pollinators like Monarch butterflies get back on their feet.
The pride of the flower gardens is surely the orchid collection. With thousands of orchids—in fact, it’s one of the largest orchid collections in Florida—you’ll find yourself immersed in a world of color. Famous fictional detective Nero Wolfe had a penchant for orchids, and his assistant Archie Goodwin explained Wolfe’s fascination as such: “[H]e gets some special kind of kick from color. He says you don’t look at color, you feel it, and apparently, he thinks that really means something.”4
Like Archie, you might be skeptical about “feeling color,” but once you walk among the orchids at Flamingo Gardens, you might just find your heart moved by a brilliant lilac blossom or feel your soul sing at the sight of a yellow bloom. There’s something ethereally beautiful about the majestic orchid.
Wonderful Wildlife Sanctuary
Located within Flamingo Gardens is the Everglades Wildlife Sanctuary. Established in 1990, the sanctuary offers a loving forever home to injured and non-releasable Florida wildlife.5
Birdwatchers will be delighted with the large, free-flight aviary, home to over 250 birds (over 45 species), as well as the Birds of Prey Center, which houses owls, hawks, falcons, and Bald and Golden Eagles! With all of the cute owls, you might just feel like you’re at Hogwarts. It’s certainly a magical sight, at any rate.
And of course, we can’t forget about the namesake flamingos! These pretty pink friends like to hang out at the Flamingo Pond, surrounded by lush vegetation and sparkling waterfalls. For an extra fee, you can book a Wildlife Encounter and feed the flock of flamingos, venturing into their habitat alongside an animal caretaker!
Other water-loving residents include playful river otters, alligators, snapping turtles, and softshell turtles! There are even dry-land African spurred tortoises. While these guys can get pretty big (over 100 pounds!6), they do have some competition for size with the resident panthers and Josh the black bear.
Along with the flamingos, Josh is probably the best-known buddy at Flamingo Gardens. Sociable and adorable, Josh is known for enjoying the company of humans. In fact, meeting and hand-feeding Josh is the other special Wildlife Encounter offered by Flamingo Gardens!
Special Wildlife Encounters must be booked a week in advance, and the price is in addition to general admission. However, if you or someone in your family is absolutely head over heels for bears or flamingos, these are really must-do experiences!!
This is just a snippet of what Flamingo Gardens has to offer! They also have rotating exhibits, special events, free daily wildlife shows, and a tram tour of the grounds. It’s easy to spend an afternoon here and highly enjoyable!
What are you most excited to see? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll see you on the next adventure!
Are you a fan of quiet, natural adventures? Check out these other awesome Florida gardens:
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