Bok Tower Gardens...

Today was a tour day out, as our Neighbours Wayne and Carol from Nova Scotia, wanted to check out Bok Tower Gardens with us. We left around 10:30 this morning, and it is only a 15 minute drive out to the Gardens...

Above is the Museum, Cafe, and Visitor's Centre that you arrive at. This Property is a National Historic Landmark, and is open 365 days a year.

Judy and Carol arrange for our walking tour of the grounds above at Information Desk...the buildings are all real nice and well kept!

These Gardens were established in 1929 by Edward W. Bok as a gift to the American People. It is a 50 Acre parcel of land, and the highlight is the Bok Tower. Also included now on the grounds, is the Pinewood Estate, which is a Mediterranean-style home.

This is the Pinewood Estate above, built in 1932, as a summer home with 20 rooms, by C. Austin Buk... (not Bok) It is a five acres estate, and was purchased by the Bok Tower Gardens to compliment the property. Buk was an Industrialist with 9 Children, and was a Widower. The property is in mint condition inside.

 

These pictures above give you a good idea of what the house is like.

We headed over to the Bok Tower, which is also known as "The Singing Tower!" The bells are all in that upper part of the Tower. The brass door at the bottom is the only way in. The public cannot enter the Tower... however Members have a chance to climb to the top from the inside! Bok had a study inside the Tower for personal use.

There is a reflecting pool right in front of the Tower... check below for that.

It is called the Singing Tower, as it has an amazing Carillon built into the top of it. 60 Bells make up the Carillon and they still play live concerts here on the weekends. We head the Carillon today in "automatic" mode, and it sounded great!

Above are the Original Controls for the Carillon that are now in the Museum, and a new control panel is installed high up in the 200 foot tall tower.

The property was meant to be a preserve, and it protects many plants, also cranes, herons, eagles, seahorses, jellyfish, fin fish, pelicans, flamingos, geese, swans, fox, storks, tortoise, hare, and baboons. Phew...

In case you are wondering, $35.00 gets both of you into the Gardens and the Estate Home.

The gardens are spectacular, and here are just a few examples...don't be asking me the names of the flowers and plants! I don't know!

 

 

I got the shuttle driver to stop so I could take a picture of this guy on the side of the road... this is his den. Oh, you are looking at his butt!

Wayne and Carol's Christmas Picture... arn't they sweet???

We enjoyed and great day at the Gardens, and a fantastic lunch in the Cafe! The weather was perfect... what else is there?

Till tomorrow...

 

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