When summer’s heat abates, gardeners know it’s time to head to Mount Dora and its breezy lakefr
ont park, Simpson Cove. The downtown park, with its red-and-white lighthouse, is a half-block from the busy shopping district.
Whether they garden on several acres or on a windowsill, people know they can count on the Mount Dora Plant & Garden Fair for rare and unusual plants.
“Many people new to Florida don’t realize we grow annuals in the fall and winter,” said Christine Cole, the event’s chairman. “Also, fall is the best time to plant most shrubs and ornamentals, such as camellias. Woody plants need time to put down roots before temperatures rise again.”
Central Florida’s finest growers bring more than 12,000 plants to the event, which features orchid growers and includes native plants, butterfly-attracting perennials, herbs, roses, camellias, begonias with a complete selection of rare and unusual tropical plants.
But great gardens depend on more than plants only. The Fair brings together purveyors of wrought-iron, containers, garden antiques and garden and patio décor.
For more information about the Fair, call Ms. Cole at (352) 357-4116.
