Down a sleepy Volusia County road awaits a true secret garden.
"A place of peace," as volunteer Dianne Gilpatrick calls it. "We try to keep it like old Florida somewhat."
Upon entering, you will not find a ticket booth. Instead, you'll grab a map from the mailbox and behold the peace of nature.
"Here we are in the middle of nowhere," Gilpatrick reminds visitors.
The Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens in Port Orange is an Eden waiting to be discovered.
"We lease this land from the county," she explains of the quiet hammock.
There are no employees here. There is no entrance fee. There is no outside noise.
The Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens is home to water gardens, flower gardens and a wedding chapel that Gilpatrick says is booked through 2016.
Plus, you'll find sundials.
"You stand in between the months, you raise your arm and that will tell you what time it is," said Mary Ann Parks, a volunteer. "It's a very big attraction for lots of our visitors. They love it."
Yet, not everything is what it seems. These gardens are home to the stars of summer's biggest blockbuster. Like the film "Jurassic World," the Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens has towering dinosaurs.
The land here used to be home to "Bongoland," a prehistoric theme park from the 1950s that was located too far off the beaten path. Today, the triceratops and Tyrannosaurus rex still stand as prehistoric plants accompany them.
"People take their children and stand under these great big creatures," Gilpatrick says proudly. The T. rex towers 20 feet tall.
The former Dunlawton Sugar Mill that used to be active on this site is now home to a quiet respite. Folks tour the Mill and read educational panels.
"They all feel so at peace," Gilpatrick concludes.
About this destination
Where: Port Orange, Volusia County
Times:
Opens at 8 a.m.
Phone number:
386-767-1735
Tickets:
Free (donations appreciated)
Garden address:
950 Old Sugar Mill Road
Port Orange, FL 32129
Website:
http://www.dunlawtonsugarmillgardens.org/index.html
Parking:
Free in the small lot across from the gated entry
Accessibility note:
Flat surfaces, very little is paved
GPS Longitude & Latitude:
Latitude-Longitude:
29.141608,-81.006656
Lat: 29° 8' 29.7888"
Long: -81° 0' 23.9616"
Drive times:
From Orlando: 1 hour, 20 minutes
From Tampa: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Tankful on Television
You can catch new Florida on a Tankful stories each Thursday and Saturday on News 13 and Bay News 9. New editions play at the end of each hour starting at 6 a.m. Classic Florida on a Tankful stories can be found each Friday and Sunday on Bay News 9 and News 13 at the end of each hour starting at 6 a.m.
Tankful on Demand
This story was part of the Florida on a Tankful Summer Road Trip. Catch the 30-minute special with Scott Fais now on Bright House Local On Demand, Channel 999. Use your remote to scroll to the right to the TRAVEL category. Then SCROLL DOWN to TANKFUL.