GARDENS

At the Orchid Center
The Vaughn Focus Garden will feature orchids and trees from the Vaughn estate, including the first cattleya that started Lewis Vaughn's collection. This area will feature a circular pool with a backdrop of rocks. Water will flow into the pool from a bronze orchid medallion.The Florida Native Garden will feature a boardwalk that spans a cypress swamp. It will be surrounded by native as well as endangered plants.The Jungle Garden will feature a pond with a triple cascading waterfall that will be surrounded by tropical plants and exotic orchids.Later this spring, two greenhouses will be added. One greenhouse will be for display and another will be a private production house and storage for the bulk of the collection. Visitors will walk into a staged display area and follow the sound of the waterfall, which will be in the back of the greenhouse with a small bridge.Plans are under way to build a free-standing library and museum to house the society's collection of rare orchid books and journals, information that used to be stored in bank vaults. Eventually, an 80-seat theater will be built as a place for guest lecturers and educational forums.