Florida Flowers and Gardens: Estero Island Garden Club visits Lovers Key

On May 4, 2021, members of the Estero Island Garden Club had a private viewing of the new Welcome and Discovery Center at Lovers Key State Park in Bonita Springs, Florida. Lovers Key is a 712-acre Florida State Park located on Lover's Key and three other barrier islands—Black Island, Inner and Long Key. Lovers Key State Park has it all:

--swimming in the Gulf of Mexico along the 2 ½ miles of sugar-sand beaches;

--bicycling or hiking on the 5 miles of wooded trails;

--kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boarding in the 2 ½ mile estuary;

--fishing from the bridges inside the park or from the shoreline of the beach;

--reserving a campsite for an overnight or extended stay;

--getting married in a picturesque setting of natural beauty.

Welcome Center

From the outside, the Welcome Center is drop-dead gorgeous. It is very sleek and modern, but the delicate pillars, meant to represent mangroves, belie the capacity of the center to withstand the winds of a category 5 hurricane. The center was ten years plus in the developmental stages. Throughout inception to realization, the driving force of the park has always been stewardship of our natural resources

Welcome Center

Underneath the building are an outdoor classroom, a picnic area and gardens.

Outdoor classroom, where members of our group assembled before the tour

Bonnie in the outdoor classroom

Our docent for the Garden Club visit was volunteer Louise Kowitch, Education Coordinator for Friends of Lovers Key. The official opening of the Welcome Center is May 15, but our club was given the opportunity for a sneak peek beforehand.

Garden with botanical plant names displayed beside each plant

Garden with trellises for climbing plants

Our group observing the garden

Carol and Ethel on the garden path

Ethel and wooden tortoise sculpture

Alligator at the foot of the up ramp to the Welcome Center

Alligator sculpture in front of the graceful pillars

The up ramp continues around three tall pillars

The up ramp continues with the parking lot in the background

The up ramp rounds the corner

Louise welcomes our members to become Friends of Lovers Key, which is the organization responsible for supporting and preserving the park, as well as for bringing the Welcome Center to fruition.

There are also programs offered at the center which promote environmental education and stewardship. During the summer, Lovers Key offers day camps exploring Florida’s coastal ecology for youngsters ages 6-17.

Members of our group in the community room

The interior of the Welcome Center has a community room, restrooms and an interactive education room, containing exhibits showcasing the park’s flora and fauna.