After seeing the Casements House, the gardens and grounds were next. This is the view from Rockefeller’s office on the second floor. The grounds went all the way to the water. He had the retaining wall built so his friends could moor their boats while visiting. The restoration of the property in the 1970s put a street between the house and the park area. The park is now used for festivals and events.
On one day we were here, the park was full of tents and vendors for a running event. It might have been a good day to bring a picnic while it was quiet like this.
A short walk away is the pond with a fountain, and flower beds.
This fish gives the illusion of jumping right out of the water.
The water wheel was decorative, not functional.
Out in the inlet, a pod of dolphins was moving through, so fun to see.
We watched them come up and then dive for several minutes as they made their way up stream.
It was in March, a bit early even for Florida to have a lot of flowers yet. There were a few though, like these begonias coming into bloom.
I thought this one was quite unusual, I don’t think I have ever seen one like it. In some ways it resembles an iris, but I wasn’t sure. Update – thanks to reader Trudi, mystery solved, this is a Dietes bicolor.
Several of them together, they seem to have the long, frond shaped leaves typical of bulbs and rhizome flowers. I thought maybe a type of lily, but it doesn’t have the stamens typical of lilies. So I was back to an iris, or maybe a hibiscus?
The large tree in front of the house has such great lines. It was just leafing out.
Contrasting the tree against the blue sky, it was so interesting to see the lines of the curved branches. In the background are the Ormond Beach condominiums, which were built on the site of the Ormond Hotel some years after the hotel closed and was demolished. The condos are in keeping with the style and colors of the old hotel.
A drawing inside the house shows what the old hotel used to look like. Only the cupola was saved from destruction as it was demolished.
This gazebo was on the side of the house. We were told that many outdoor weddings occur here every year.
This wicker chair is the only one remaining from the hotel, and was used for guests to sit outside in the fresh air but out of the sun.
These small purple flowers were in abundance around the house and grounds.
There wasn’t much else in bloom while we were visiting, but it seems like more would be blooming as the year goes on. We visited a wonderful garden and sugar mill while we were in Florida, and I’ll show that in a couple of weeks. I’ll also show you my irises that are coming out, and they are going to be gorgeous. I was out digging in the dirt, planting my seedlings, and pulling weeds last weekend. So more garden posts coming, more quilting on the way, and more travel too.
What are you up to this weekend?
From My Carolina Home 
it is all so very pretty – that wicker chair sure is unique have never seen one like that
Interesting. I noticed that tree with character right off in your first photo. The archway is very lovely, too. It looks like there’s a lot of traffic on that bridge! That tri-flower is beautiful. Did they say what they did with the cupola they saved? And what unusual chairs. I hate to think of them being destroyed. Maybe they were sold off to individuals. Thank you for the tour, Carole!
What a wonderful adventure Carole. March was a good month to go south. We had some annoyingly cold days in Virginia.
Yesterday I babysat 3 year old Sarah for a few hours. She was a lot of fun, and the day was perfect for playing outside “digging” in the garden, and “washing” the bird bath
Hello Carole,
Haven’t talked to you in a while, been busy going through some of my scraps to donate to the Linus group so they can make some other blankets to donate. Didn’t realize how many scraps I actually had here stored in boxes I forgot I had. Went to a meeting to help organize a neighborhood watch cause we have begun having a lot of problems with stolen lawn equipment and tools and windows in cars broken into and other cars and garbage trucks going to fast in the area and we still have a lot of little children in the neighborhood.
Love you sharing the trips to the gardens. I have developed quite a love for the Botanical gardens in my older years, guess its cause I have more time to enjoy them, do keep sharing your trips with us.
Hello Carole; I have enjoyed both of your posts now! When you give the historical facts while posting, I always think of my Father and how much he loved to take us all on trips to see various parts of history throughout his life. I have come to respect and enjoy every type of historical landscape or even just a sign along the road. I miss him and think of him often. It is always such a blessing when someone, a town or a state restores a site such as this one and then uses it in some way. I do not believe that I have ever known of a town using a site to this degree and I feel it is such a fantastic idea! History will continue to be made here and therefore this history will not be lost. Thank you Carole for sharing this, I really enjoyed it! Have a great day.
Almost forgot, I am working on a quilt that is for my second Mother, my daughters God Mother and my Mother’s Best Friend. The blocks are 23 and 1/2 ” unfinished, have a white background an inner star that is outlined with a square line and the outside has three points to a star on each corner. It is rather hard to describe, oh and I am using her favorite color of Purple ( a lot of various choices). So what are you working on?
The flower is a Dietes and comes mainly from South Africa and some from Australia. I have some dietes in my garden, they start flowering in Spring and keep going right into Autumn (Fall). I was looking for various grasses, so when I found a grass that was not only draught resistant but also gave me pretty flowers, I was sold on them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietes
Love the gardens…I think that is an Asian iris? We finished planting the garden this weekend and started cleaning out the iris beds, a never ending battle with the grass! 😄
This looks like a lovely place to visit. I enjoy these posts. Hope you have a lovely monday!
Hi Carole-we go to Ormond Beach every summer for the past 6 years (going again in July for a week) we have never toured Rockefeller’s but talked about it–seen everything else. Our idea of vacation is the beach and i like to go to the Byrds Nest Quilt Shop-which i KNOW you have had to stop and see 🙂 We love it there and stay at the same condo. I”m so excited for you to have gone and of course I can’t wait till July. We for sure will be touring Rockefeller this go round. I’m going to share your post with my husband-when I told him you were there he was wondering how you knew of our secret place! HAHA (small world) Thanks for sharing the pictures. We normally drive so can get around on our own. It is so nice….. I can’t wait till July now!!! 🙂 🙂
I enjoyed reading about your visit to the Casements house and gardens.
Carole, I love a historical Home! Thanks for the lovely tour!