Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens — Attraction in Port Orange

Another hidden gem tucked away in the thicket of Florida's native tropical plants and hundred year oak trees, is a symphony of gardens among the grounds of the former plantation, with a wide range variety of vines and groundcovers to shrubs, trees and palms. Winding amongst the foot-beaten paths, covered with coquina shells, are guided venues of circular gardens, a gnome garden, a Chinese garden, and along the way are sculpted dinosaurs in and around the children's garden, from what once was an attempt at creating a prehistoric creature exhibit, but never came to fruition. On the outskirts of the grounds are extensive paths taking you to the quiet places for the birders and nature lovers. Bring your binoculars and you may spot the elusive ruby-throated hummingbird sipping nectar from a hibiscus covered garden...in January! This was the highlight of my visit today. The gardens are open daily from 8am-5pm. There's a small but generous parking lot across from the entrance. The old sugar mill, which is the main attraction, serves as reminder of the Florida sugar cane history. Bring the kids and grandparents, it's a truly nice, tranquil outing. Don't worry about getting tired..there are lovely benches and stone seats along the paths for resting, pondering, bird watching, writing in your journal, or just de-stressing from a long hard work day! And don't forget to peak into the outdoor chapel tucked away from the entrance to the back. Lovely and peaceful with benches for a small intimate gathering. The great thing about the gardens is that you can walk at your pace, there's no overcrowding now in the winter cool months and it's mostly shaded from the hot sun. And, there's even a human sundial, just before the plantation "boardwalk." The restrooms are available until closing and 2 water fountains are ready nearby and usable to quench your thirst on very warm days. A red metal donation box is posted near the entrance, any amount is always appreciated. And if you want, there's a plant garden from which you can choose a small, medium or large potted plant cuttings. It all depends on what's on the trays and tables, but there was something I liked for my small garden. Here, the suggestion of a small donation is posted. Today, my small potted plant costed a dollar which I put into the red donation box as I was leaving. Bring yourself or your family, it was worth the trip. Note, there was a posted warning about the current Covid19 pandemic and social distancing, but honestly I had my mask ready on my chin if I came across a big group of people. But it's outdoor space and I was never really around anyone. No pressure...I felt free and easy. And...

I was planning a day-trip with my boyfriend to NSB/Volusia County, and found the gardens when I searched "things to do in Volusia." After we spent a few hours at the beach, we drove about 20 minutes north to get to Dunlawton. My boyfriend commented that he knew we were in for a treat when we started driving through a residential area, in which the garden is tucked away. While I'm sure locals are familiar with the spot, it really felt like a small hidden gem to us, coming from Orlando. Both my boyfriend and I were surprised at how extensive the paths were for what we thought was going to be a much smaller garden. We spent almost exactly one hour making sure we saw everything. I was especially impressed with the collection of Florida Native plants that had been organized and thoroughly labeled. I walked away with a few new FL native plants added to my mental rolodex. It rained a little just before we got to the garden, and the water that was left on the leaves of the plants made them shimmer in the late afternoon sun, making it feel like walking through a "lush, rainforest paradise" (my boyfriend's words). This garden offers a unique blend of curated landscape and old Florida, including remnants of the sugar mill that once existed where the garden now stands, and some of the naturalistic, swooping features of the wild Florida landscape intertwining with the cultivated species. As a plant lover and gardener, I loved coming here, and my boyfriend who is not necessarily a plant person honestly seemed to love it...

A lovely place to visit with some very nice trails This is a historical site and a botanical Gardens with a rich history. It is a 10-acre property that is maintained by the Botanical Gardens of Volusia, Inc. They are an all-volunteer organization working to keep the gardens beautiful for everyone. It is located on the north side of Old Sugar Mill Road with a parking lot on the south side for about 20 cars. The gardens are free but have a lot to offer any visitor. There are maps in a green mailbox to the left of the entrance. The map has 59 points of interest located around the park starting to the right and going in a counter-clockwise fashion. One of the one-of-a-kind sites is the archeological site of the old Sugar mill. It has a well-designed structure over and around it that allows the visitor to walk over the ruins with display boards to explain the various parts. Right next to that is the centuries-old beautiful Live Oak tree. There are several trails throughout the property that allow you to see parts dedicated to bulb, ferns, palms, plumerias, gnomes, bromeliads and more. There are life-size dinosaur sculptures when the area was a tourist site called Bongo Land. Overall it is a very pleasant and beautiful park that has a lot to offer the visitor looking for a nice gardens...