Harry P. Leu Gardens facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mizell-Leu House Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Location in Florida Show map of Florida Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Orlando, Florida
Area	15 acres (61,000 m2)
Built	1858
Architect	John T. Mizell
NRHP reference No.	94001495
Added to NRHP	December 29, 1994

The Harry P. Leu Gardens are amazing gardens in Orlando, Florida, United States. They are filled with semi-tropical and tropical plants. Imagine nearly 50 acres of beautiful grounds and sparkling lakes! You can walk along winding trails shaded by huge 200-year-old oak trees. There are also forests of camellias. These gardens are open for everyone to visit.

A 15-acre part of the park is a special U.S. historic district. This area is called the Mizell-Leu House Historic District. It's also known as the Leu Botanical Gardens and Leu House Museum. This special name was given on December 29, 1994. It includes three important historic buildings.

The Story of Leu Gardens

The Leu Gardens were created by Mr. and Mrs. Harry P. Leu. They bought the Leu House and 40 acres of land in 1936. The Leus loved to travel all over the world. They brought back many cool and unusual plants for their gardens. They even collected 240 different types of camellias! In 1961, the Leus gave their house and gardens to the city of Orlando. This way, everyone could enjoy them.

Explore the Leu House Museum

Right in the middle of the gardens is Harry and Mary Jane Leu's old home. It's called the Leu House Museum. This house has been carefully fixed up to look just like it did long ago. It's even on the National Historical Register! You can take a guided tour of the Leu House. These tours show you what life was like in Florida around the early 1900s.

Amazing Plants at Leu Gardens

Leu Gardens is in a warm, subtropical climate zone. This means it can grow a cool mix of plants from both warm and mild areas. The gardens are famous for their huge collections of many different plants. These include aroids, azaleas, bamboo, bananas, and bromeliads. You'll also find camellias, citrus trees, and many kinds of flowering trees and shrubs. There are also gingers, heliconias, hibiscus, magnolias, and lots of different palms.

Cool Areas to Discover

Leu Gardens has many different sections, each with its own special plants and features.

Colorful Annual Garden

This is one of the brightest spots in Leu Gardens. It shows off more than 7,000 annuals, perennials, and shrubs. These plants grow well in Central Florida. The plants here are often changed every four months to keep things fresh and colorful.

Arid Garden: Plants That Love Dry Weather

This garden shows many plants that don't need much water. Many of them come from deserts or places that are dry for part of the year. You can see plants like agaves, aloes, cacti, and different types of succulents here.

Aroid Collection: Unique Flowers

Aroids are a big group of plants with a special flower shape. Most of them grow in tropical or subtropical places. You can find many aroids in the Tropical Stream Garden. Some examples are Aglaonema, Anthurium, Caladium, and Philodendron.

Bamboo Collection: Giant Grasses

There are nearly 50 different kinds of bamboo here. Some are only a few inches tall. Others are giant timber bamboos that can grow over 70 feet high! Their stems can be more than 5 inches across.

Banana Collection: More Than Just Fruit

Bananas are part of the Musaceae Family. Many kinds grow the fruit we know. But other types are grown just for their pretty flowers or amazing leaves.

Bromeliad Collection: Bright and Beautiful

Bromeliads are a large and varied group of plants. Many have super bright flowers or leaves. Some grow in the ground, while many others grow on trees. You can find bromeliads all over the gardens.

Butterfly Garden: A Home for Butterflies

This garden has many plants that butterflies and moths love. Some plants provide nectar for them to eat. Others are "larval plants" where caterpillars can feed. This garden also attracts hummingbirds!

Camellia Collection: Mr. Leu's Favorite

This is the most important plant collection at Leu Gardens. It started with the camellias Mr. Leu and his workers planted. Today, there are over 2,000 camellia plants and more than 230 different types. This includes the Tea Camellia, which is used to make tea. This collection is one of the largest in the United States!

Mizell Cemetery: A Look Back in Time

The Mizell Cemetery has 36 graves, some marked and some not. These are family members, including David and Angeline Mizell. They were the first owners of the land where Leu Gardens now stands. Some tombstones date back to the 1860s.

Citrus Grove: Florida's Sweet History

Citrus trees are a big part of Central Florida's history. This grove has over 50 different kinds of citrus trees. It's a sweet reminder of the past!

Citrus Statue: Honoring Workers

This statue honors all the citrus workers who helped build Florida. It was made by Mr. William Ludwig and put in place in 1992. You can find it among the citrus trees.

Cycad Collection: Plants from Dinosaur Times

The Cycad collection has over 50 types of these ancient plants. Cycads have been around for almost 200 million years! They were the main plants when dinosaurs lived on Earth. They look like palms but are actually more related to ferns and conifers.

Daylily Collection: Blooming Beauty

You can find over 200 different kinds of daylilies here. They bloom from late spring to mid-summer. They come in many colors and shapes.

Floral Clock: Time in Bloom

This huge 50-foot clock was given by the Kiwanis Club of Orlando. It came from Scotland in 1966. You can find it on the far west side of the gardens.

Garden House: Your Welcome Center

This large building is the entrance to the gardens. It has classrooms, event spaces, a library, and a gift shop. It also has an art gallery with paintings by Mulford B. Foster.

Herb Garden: Grow Your Own Flavors

This garden shows off herbs for cooking, medicine, and just looking pretty. It's like the kitchen gardens from long ago. You can see herbs that grow well in Central Florida.

Home Demonstration Garden: Ideas for Your Yard

This 3-acre space gives you ideas for your own garden. It has 10 smaller "idea gardens" that show different plants and gardening tricks.

• The Bird Garden has plants that attract birds. Some have berries for birds to eat. Others offer places for birds to hide or build nests.
• The Fragrance Garden is full of plants with sweet-smelling flowers or leaves.
• The Urban Patio Garden is perfect for small city spaces. It shows how to add shape, form, and color to a tiny area.
• The Wildflower Garden has wildflowers that are easy to care for. They add color almost all year and attract butterflies and bees.

Magnolia Collection: Big, Beautiful Blooms

This collection has many types of magnolias, including the famous Southern Magnolia. Many of these trees have very sweet-smelling flowers.

Palm Garden: Tropical Paradise

This garden has nearly 400 kinds of palms that can grow in Central Florida. It's one of the biggest palm collections in the United States! You'll also find cycads, bamboo, and other ancient plants here.

Rose Garden: Mary Jane's Favorite

This garden is named after Mrs. Leu, who loved roses. She planted her first roses by the lake. Today, there are over 650 roses of 215 different types. All of them grow well in Central Florida.

Tropical Stream Garden: A Rainforest Feel

This garden feels like a tropical rainforest. A gentle stream winds through the plants and into Lake Rowena. You'll see many tropical plants here. These include aroids, bananas, bromeliads, and different kinds of palms.

White Garden: A Peaceful Spot

This small, calm garden is a lovely place for small weddings. The plants here have white flowers or green and white leaves.

Wyckoff Overlook: Lakeside Views

The boardwalk and gazebo on Lake Rowena are named after John Wyckoff. He was one of the garden's first board members. This area now has a wetland garden with mostly native plants. You might see birds and other wildlife here. Just remember not to feed the alligators!

Images for kids

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  The Harry Leu House in Leu Gardens.

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  A beautiful view of the Leu Botanical Gardens.

See also

In Spanish: Jardines de Harry P. Leu para niños