DO check opening times before you visit!!!

Today I tried to visit a garden that's been on my list for a while - Historic Spanish Point - on the Tamiami Trail, near Osprey and south of Sarasota. But I hadn't checked the website and if I had, I would have discovered that Monday is the one day of the week it's closed. Now I know why I always provide links for my readers, so you can check the opening days and times before you go to any of the gardens I write about. Shame I didn't do that myself!

But I found another beautiful garden in the making and can't wait to tell you about it, because once it's open, it's definitely going to be worth a visit - this is the former Burrows-Matson home (above), adjacent to Spanish Point, which sits in beautiful grounds overlooking Little Sarasota Bay, and which is currently being restored by the Sarasota Conservation Foundation. They will open the property later this year as a public community park, and work is already well underway.

Other plans for the site include a museum in the former mansion; an artist-in-residence programme (with artists staying on site in one of the restored properties); walking trail; and a cayak and canoe launching area. It's a truly wonderful location for all these activities and visitors will also be able to visit Spanish Point - on the days it's open! And of course, I was in heaven here, just as I am elsewhere in Florida, because you've got all the birds in the bay, including pelicans (like the one diving below), ospreys, and herons. I will certainly be keeping a close eye on this beautiful property and perhaps when I return later this year, I'll also get to see Spanish Point.