On a late spring morning, I walk Sleeping Turtles Preserve in Venice. Blooms of tarflower brighten up a dark patch of woods.
“They have an unpleasant scent,” a hiker comments. “But this plant is useful,” I assure her. “Insects are attracted to tarflower and they get stuck. Early settlers hung it over the doors and windows of their houses to keep out flies and other pests. That is how it got its name.”
There is a Florida unseen by most people. Ranches, truck farms, the edges of citrus groves, even weedy ditches along a roadside, may reap rich rewards. Little gems can turn up in waterways clogged with McDonald’s wrappers and Styrofoam cups. Remnants on back roads, along railroad tracks, and in the yards of small houses create a historic tapestry of the state. Knowing where to look is good; looking at everything, all the time, is better.
Parks are not hard to come by in Florida. There are 11 national parks, 174 state parks, 38 state forests and more than 184 wildlife management areas sprinkled throughout the state. Just about every county has a park. There are pocket parks tucked in here and there in older subdivisions, which could satisfy a yearning for a bit of nature.
The entrance into Prairie Creek Preserve, a 1,600-acre tract in Punta Gorda, is down 5 miles of dirt road. The ride is worth it. One day, I am serenaded by meadowlarks the whole way. Another time, blue crabs flail about in a muddy ditch and then surface to eat their catch. Thistle pops up in the fields, drawing in butterflies.
Urban areas are challenging but still can yield treasures. In downtown Sarasota, a red cedar of indeterminate age by a county building has somehow evaded the chainsaw gang. A few slash pines on the horizon hold their heads up proudly. Old street trees, under the loving care of a homeowner, assure me that all is not lost. A huge blue cedar someone planted in a front yard is a delight.
The bigger the city, the greater the challenge. On summer days, the abundant tree canopy in Gainesville makes the heat bearable. Miami challenges any flower child, but places such as Coral Gables offer a respite.
Let us weave this beautiful tapestry into our lives so the next generation can pick up the thread. How? By not chopping down a pine or scraping clean land to build. By electing governance that sets aside land and water and protects what remains. By falling in love with a bird, a flower.
Fran Palmeri is the author of Florida Lost and Found, A Bouquet of Days and Tapestry, books of essays and photographs about Florida’s natural places. In 2021, she created a Vimeo, Green Pilgrimage for Sarasota County’s Centennial. Her work can be seen at www.franpalmeri.com and on Amazon.