Friday, October 16, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Gator snatches, kills dog at Estero Country Club » Naples Daily News
Gator snatches, kills dog at Estero Country Club » Naples Daily News: "Chasing a duck cost the 7-year-old Yorkshire terrier her life Friday afternoon at the Estero Country Club when an alligator came out of a pond and snatched her as she chased her feathered friend."
Monday, June 1, 2009
With no lease bids, Alligator Alley in limbo - Broward - MiamiHerald.com
With no lease bids, Alligator Alley in limbo - Broward - MiamiHerald.com
With no lease bids, Alligator Alley in limbo
Friday would have marked a milestone in the history of Alligator Alley, but because no one submitted a bid to lease the storied highway its fate remains uncertain.
BY ALFONSO CHARDY
achardy@MiamiHerald.com
Ever since engineers conceived of Alligator Alley more than four decades ago, the 78-mile toll road that slices across the Everglades from Weston to Naples has spawned controversy.
From the outset, it was fiercely opposed by Dade County, the city of Miami and the American Automobile Association, which dubbed it Alligator Alley -- only to find the derisive term stick.
The latest controversy centers around a plan by the Florida Department of Transportation to lease Alligator Alley for 50 or 75 years to a private company or companies to operate, maintain and collect toll revenue.
With no lease bids, Alligator Alley in limbo
Friday would have marked a milestone in the history of Alligator Alley, but because no one submitted a bid to lease the storied highway its fate remains uncertain.
BY ALFONSO CHARDY
achardy@MiamiHerald.com
Ever since engineers conceived of Alligator Alley more than four decades ago, the 78-mile toll road that slices across the Everglades from Weston to Naples has spawned controversy.
From the outset, it was fiercely opposed by Dade County, the city of Miami and the American Automobile Association, which dubbed it Alligator Alley -- only to find the derisive term stick.
The latest controversy centers around a plan by the Florida Department of Transportation to lease Alligator Alley for 50 or 75 years to a private company or companies to operate, maintain and collect toll revenue.
OLL: Hurricane season is here, but residents not bustling to stock up on supplies
OLL: Hurricane season is here, but residents not bustling to stock up on supplies
By LESLIE WILLIAMS (Contact)
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Have you made any preparations for hurricane season?
COLLIER COUNTY — More than half of residents in hurricane-prone areas don’t feel vulnerable to storms, nor do they have a plan in place.
Those are the findings of a Mason-Dixon poll commissioned by American Initiatives and announced Thursday at the International Hurricane Research Center at Florida International University in Miami just in time for today’s start of the hurricane season. Sunday, the day before the season commenced, was a quiet one in Collier County, with no runs on emergency supplies like bottled water or batteries in local grocery and hardware stores.
However, the warnings all over television and newspapers this time of year seem to be having an effect in Southwest Florida, said David Collins, an associate at the Home Depot on Davis Boulevard.
“I’ve been here in Naples 10 years,” said Collins. “I’ve noticed that people here tend to wait until the first storm to prepare. But, there’s been more early preparation this year than a couple of years ago.”
A steady flow of battery sales has increased over the last few weeks, Collins said, and sales of permanent and portable generators have picked up recently after a steady trickle all year long.
“We get people (buying generators) all year long because people come and go all of the time,” said Collins.
The retail push to hock hurricane-season essentials was obvious at the Target store at the corner of Pine Ridge and Airport-Pulling roads Sunday, where both batteries and bottled water were on sale in special displays on the end-caps of aisles and in front of cash registers. All 12-packs of one water brand were gone from the shelf, but plenty of gallon-size containers and 15- to 24-packs remained, many on sale through this Saturday.
At Sunshine ACE Hardware in downtown Naples, water and battery-operated lanterns went on prominent display on Thursday.
Assistant Manager Mike Wood said he had helped two people Sunday who were there to buy hurricane supplies, but said he expected the big push to happen before the first storm.
“Usually when you see the bigges
By LESLIE WILLIAMS (Contact)
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Have you made any preparations for hurricane season?
COLLIER COUNTY — More than half of residents in hurricane-prone areas don’t feel vulnerable to storms, nor do they have a plan in place.
Those are the findings of a Mason-Dixon poll commissioned by American Initiatives and announced Thursday at the International Hurricane Research Center at Florida International University in Miami just in time for today’s start of the hurricane season. Sunday, the day before the season commenced, was a quiet one in Collier County, with no runs on emergency supplies like bottled water or batteries in local grocery and hardware stores.
However, the warnings all over television and newspapers this time of year seem to be having an effect in Southwest Florida, said David Collins, an associate at the Home Depot on Davis Boulevard.
“I’ve been here in Naples 10 years,” said Collins. “I’ve noticed that people here tend to wait until the first storm to prepare. But, there’s been more early preparation this year than a couple of years ago.”
A steady flow of battery sales has increased over the last few weeks, Collins said, and sales of permanent and portable generators have picked up recently after a steady trickle all year long.
“We get people (buying generators) all year long because people come and go all of the time,” said Collins.
The retail push to hock hurricane-season essentials was obvious at the Target store at the corner of Pine Ridge and Airport-Pulling roads Sunday, where both batteries and bottled water were on sale in special displays on the end-caps of aisles and in front of cash registers. All 12-packs of one water brand were gone from the shelf, but plenty of gallon-size containers and 15- to 24-packs remained, many on sale through this Saturday.
At Sunshine ACE Hardware in downtown Naples, water and battery-operated lanterns went on prominent display on Thursday.
Assistant Manager Mike Wood said he had helped two people Sunday who were there to buy hurricane supplies, but said he expected the big push to happen before the first storm.
“Usually when you see the bigges
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sandpiper - A poem by Elizabeth Bishop - Poetry Connection
Sandpiper - A poem by Elizabeth Bishop - Poetry Connection: "Elizabeth Bishop - Sandpiper
The roaring alongside he takes for granted,
and that every so often the world is bound to shake.
He runs, he runs to the south, finical, awkward,
in a state of controlled panic, a student of Blake.
The beach hisses like fat. On his left, a sheet
of interrupting water comes and goes
and glazes over his dark and brittle feet.
He runs, he runs straight through it, watching his toes.
--Watching, rather, the spaces of sand between them
where (no detail too small) the Atlantic drains
rapidly backwards and downwards. As he runs,
he stares at the dragging grains.
The world is a mist. And then the world is
minute and vast and clear. The tide
is higher or lower. He couldn't tell you which.
His beak is focussed; he is preoccupied,
looking for something, something, something.
Poor bird, he is obsessed!
The millions of grains are black, white, tan, and gray
mixed with quartz grains, rose and amethyst."
The roaring alongside he takes for granted,
and that every so often the world is bound to shake.
He runs, he runs to the south, finical, awkward,
in a state of controlled panic, a student of Blake.
The beach hisses like fat. On his left, a sheet
of interrupting water comes and goes
and glazes over his dark and brittle feet.
He runs, he runs straight through it, watching his toes.
--Watching, rather, the spaces of sand between them
where (no detail too small) the Atlantic drains
rapidly backwards and downwards. As he runs,
he stares at the dragging grains.
The world is a mist. And then the world is
minute and vast and clear. The tide
is higher or lower. He couldn't tell you which.
His beak is focussed; he is preoccupied,
looking for something, something, something.
Poor bird, he is obsessed!
The millions of grains are black, white, tan, and gray
mixed with quartz grains, rose and amethyst."
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Florida remains attractive overseas property investment destination – aboutproperty.co.uk
Florida remains attractive overseas property investment destination – aboutproperty.co.uk
Wednesday, 09 Jan 2008 09:53
Florida remains attractive investment Printer friendly version
Recommended... The American state of Florida remains an attractive overseas property investment destination.
That is according to Property-Abroad.com and comes despite fears of a slowing property market in wider America and concerns over the lingering effects of the subprime mortgage crisis.
However, optimism remains over the future direction of the Florida market.
"We've already noted an increase in enquiries for Florida, obviously due to the fact that the dollar's doing pretty badly against the pound sterling," said Les Calvert, director of Property-Abroad.com.
At present the dollar is trading at $1.96 to the pound, having previously fallen as high as $2.1 to the pound.
This weakening of the American currency has made investment more attractive, increasing the spending power in UK buyers.
New areas of Florida are also offering exciting destinations which have proved to be a further lure to investors.
"Orlando is still a very firm favourite with the British investor, but then you have got things on the Gulf coast as well which are starting to bring interest as somewhere different to Disney, like Naples and places like that," continued Mr Calvert.
The market, however, remains keenly focused on families looking for a holiday home overseas.
"Most of our enquiries are family and investor orientated. For the retired market, Florida doesn't seem to appeal, as they tend to be more close to the UK - i.e. Spain, France and Italy."
Wednesday, 09 Jan 2008 09:53
Florida remains attractive investment Printer friendly version
Recommended... The American state of Florida remains an attractive overseas property investment destination.
That is according to Property-Abroad.com and comes despite fears of a slowing property market in wider America and concerns over the lingering effects of the subprime mortgage crisis.
However, optimism remains over the future direction of the Florida market.
"We've already noted an increase in enquiries for Florida, obviously due to the fact that the dollar's doing pretty badly against the pound sterling," said Les Calvert, director of Property-Abroad.com.
At present the dollar is trading at $1.96 to the pound, having previously fallen as high as $2.1 to the pound.
This weakening of the American currency has made investment more attractive, increasing the spending power in UK buyers.
New areas of Florida are also offering exciting destinations which have proved to be a further lure to investors.
"Orlando is still a very firm favourite with the British investor, but then you have got things on the Gulf coast as well which are starting to bring interest as somewhere different to Disney, like Naples and places like that," continued Mr Calvert.
The market, however, remains keenly focused on families looking for a holiday home overseas.
"Most of our enquiries are family and investor orientated. For the retired market, Florida doesn't seem to appeal, as they tend to be more close to the UK - i.e. Spain, France and Italy."
Monday, January 7, 2008
Florida Real Estate Market Reached Bottom in 2007; Market Expected to Recover from... | Reuters
Florida Real Estate Market Reached Bottom in 2007; Market Expected to Recover from... | Reuters
Florida Real Estate Market Reached Bottom in 2007; Market Expected to Recover from ''Indigestion''
Report Forecasts Florida Real Estate Market Through 2010
ORLANDO, Fla.--(Business Wire)--A new report released today by Attorneys' Title Insurance Fund
Inc. (The Fund) and posted on www.MyRealEstateStory.com finds that
Florida's housing market slowed in 2007 in nearly every county
analyzed. The report also shows that real estate markets flattened out
in spring 2007, before the subprime mortgage crisis in August knocked
markets down another 10 percent across the state. Since then the
housing market has flattened and is expected to begin to recover
during the next several years.
The 2008 Fund Real Estate Forecast, commissioned by Florida-based
Attorneys' Title Insurance Fund's Consumer Education Campaign, was
created by economist Hank Fishkind, Ph.D. of Fishkind & Associates,
Inc., using The Fund's extensive online system of deed data for more
than 30 Florida counties. The report provides a snapshot of the
national economic outlook and 33 county-specific forecasts for 2008
through 2010, as well as a section detailing how actual 2007 data
compared to projections that were made in last year's Fund 2007 Real
Estate Forecast report.
"Florida is one of the leading states for job creation and
outperformed the rest of the country despite the housing market
meltdown," stated Fishkind. "The state's population growth also
slowed, but is still nearly greater than all of the other Southeastern
states put together. Florida has a very large and powerful economy
that has gone through a cyclical downshift, but it is still
outperforming compared to the rest of the nation."
The Fund's 2008 Real Estate Forecast shows that Orlando continues
to be the strongest residential real estate market in the state
because of its large share of fast-growing industries, such as
tourism, healthcare, education and defense manufacturing. Not all
markets in Florida mirror Orlando's resiliency, however. Miami-Dade is
currently going through the worst condominium bust cycle that Florida
has seen since 1975. Additionally, significant excess supply of
single-family homes in the Fort Myers and Cape Coral markets will not
begin to be absorbed until 2010.
"With Florida's real estate market, it is important to maintain
some perspective as recent reductions in home prices come after a very
lofty and unsustainable peak, and prices are still up considerably
compared to 30 years ago," explained Fishkind. "Florida has created a
tremendous amount of wealth and - despite many of the problems that
loose lending practices and subprime mortgages have caused - the state
now has the highest level of homeownership ever. The market has some
indigestion now, but housing markets will return to normal during the
next few years; the damage for some is significant, but in the
aggregate, Florida still had some significant economic gains."
Florida Real Estate Market Reached Bottom in 2007; Market Expected to Recover from ''Indigestion''
Report Forecasts Florida Real Estate Market Through 2010
ORLANDO, Fla.--(Business Wire)--A new report released today by Attorneys' Title Insurance Fund
Inc. (The Fund) and posted on www.MyRealEstateStory.com finds that
Florida's housing market slowed in 2007 in nearly every county
analyzed. The report also shows that real estate markets flattened out
in spring 2007, before the subprime mortgage crisis in August knocked
markets down another 10 percent across the state. Since then the
housing market has flattened and is expected to begin to recover
during the next several years.
The 2008 Fund Real Estate Forecast, commissioned by Florida-based
Attorneys' Title Insurance Fund's Consumer Education Campaign, was
created by economist Hank Fishkind, Ph.D. of Fishkind & Associates,
Inc., using The Fund's extensive online system of deed data for more
than 30 Florida counties. The report provides a snapshot of the
national economic outlook and 33 county-specific forecasts for 2008
through 2010, as well as a section detailing how actual 2007 data
compared to projections that were made in last year's Fund 2007 Real
Estate Forecast report.
"Florida is one of the leading states for job creation and
outperformed the rest of the country despite the housing market
meltdown," stated Fishkind. "The state's population growth also
slowed, but is still nearly greater than all of the other Southeastern
states put together. Florida has a very large and powerful economy
that has gone through a cyclical downshift, but it is still
outperforming compared to the rest of the nation."
The Fund's 2008 Real Estate Forecast shows that Orlando continues
to be the strongest residential real estate market in the state
because of its large share of fast-growing industries, such as
tourism, healthcare, education and defense manufacturing. Not all
markets in Florida mirror Orlando's resiliency, however. Miami-Dade is
currently going through the worst condominium bust cycle that Florida
has seen since 1975. Additionally, significant excess supply of
single-family homes in the Fort Myers and Cape Coral markets will not
begin to be absorbed until 2010.
"With Florida's real estate market, it is important to maintain
some perspective as recent reductions in home prices come after a very
lofty and unsustainable peak, and prices are still up considerably
compared to 30 years ago," explained Fishkind. "Florida has created a
tremendous amount of wealth and - despite many of the problems that
loose lending practices and subprime mortgages have caused - the state
now has the highest level of homeownership ever. The market has some
indigestion now, but housing markets will return to normal during the
next few years; the damage for some is significant, but in the
aggregate, Florida still had some significant economic gains."
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
FOXNews.com - Fit After 50: Top 5 Exercises For Baby Boomers - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News
FOXNews.com - Fit After 50: Top 5 Exercises For Baby Boomers - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News
In a society where looking young and fit is a way of life — it's no surprise that more and more “baby boomers” are lacing up their sneakers and heading to the gym. But boomer workouts have gone way beyond basic aerobics and running on the treadmill.
Nowadays it's all about endurance sports and yoga mats.
But are some people pushing themselves too far?
"I've had a couple of patients try to contort themselves," said Dr. Sean McCance, co-director of spinal surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. "A trainer pushed too hard and ruptured a disc in their back."
Back injuries are a common theme among baby boomers, who make up an estimated 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964.
"A lot of people in their 50's and 60's have arthritic changes in their back and neck," said McCance. "This includes disc degeneration and spinal arthritis or disc herniations. If you stress those body parts they say ouch."
Often times, these injuries are a result of someone trying to do too much, noted McCance.
"People have stressful jobs and they try to make up for a sedentary lifestyle in one afternoon," he said. "They often try to jam too much into one session."
Mirabai Holland, director of fitness and wellness program at the 92nd street Y in Manhattan, knows this trend all too well. She's been in the fitness industry for more than 25 years and has recently developed an exercise program to help people ease into getting in shape.
Click here to view program
"I see this all the time... people who are boomers want to know why exercise is so important," said Holland. "Basically fitness equals longevity. Studies have shown that exercise will reduce your chances of dying prematurely from cancer, heart disease and many other health problems."
Holland isn't the only one who believes this. Several studies have shown that exercise helps promote a healthier and longer life, including a recent study published in the Dec. 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The University of South Carolina study found that people over age 60 with better cardio-respiratory fitness appear to live longer than unfit adults regardless of their levels of body fat.
The researchers recommended a daily brisk walk for fitness — just one of the activities Holland said is essential.
Click here to read full study (subscription required)
Here's a List of Holland’s Top 5 Boomer Workouts:
1. Cardio
"Basically anything that uses your full body to get your heart pumping." said Holland.
— At least 30 minutes of moderate cardio exercise a day
— This includes brisk walking, running, swimming, biking, or exercise videos
— If you don't have time in your day for the full 30 minutes, try three 10 minute bouts of exercise throughout the day
2. Strength training
"As we get older the muscles are getting smaller and losing the ability to contract," said Holland. "We can change this by strength training. The other thing we see is that mature adults have higher fat content. There is more diabetes due to lower muscle mass, so strength training is essential to regulate glucose metabolism."
Work those muscles twice a week for 30 to 45 minutes by doing exercises such as:
— Pushups (if you're a beginner, do them against a wall to start)
— Using a resistance band which is light weight and inexpensive
— Bicep curls and tricep extensions
— Modified squats and lunges which works many muscles at once
And make sure you leave 24 to 48 hours between strength training because your muscles need time to bounce back and rest. You don't want overuse injuries.
3. Flexibility training
"With reduced flexibility people tend to lose their ability to balance because there are changes in connective tissues in the body," said Holland. "Regular stretching can help, even as little as five to 10 minutes a day."
— To start the day, try some head circles and stretching in the shower
— At the end of day, stretch calf muscles and hamstrings
4. Balance training
"Because we see in older adults a loss of balance, which results in more falls," noted Holland.
— You can do this standing in line at the grocery store
— Stand on one leg and see if you can let go of the shopping cart
— Hold for about 10 seconds
— Also try standing on your tippy-toes and holding for a few seconds
— Balance should be done everyday — all you need is two to three minutes
5. Core training
"We see so many people as they get older avoiding their abs, which results in a bad back," said Holland. "They're not really supporting upper torso."
— Try a few minutes of abdominal exercises
— Reverse curl while you're lying in back and pull your knees into you
— Hold for five seconds and release
— Start with 10 reps a day and work your way higher
— Crunches are key — not full sit-ups — because some people can do more damage than good
— Keep back on the floor and don't go all the way up
— Really concentrate so you can feel you're abdominal wall contracting
— This will help support your back
Avoiding 'Boomeritis'
For baby boomers, supporting the back and the rest of the body is crucial, especially if they want to avoid "boomeritis," a condition that affects older athletes that have pushed their limits. When this happens, it usually results in a trip to the doctor's office.
"If pain starts translating into severe pain or pain that travels down the leg with numbness or weakness or down the arm," said McCance. "Then it's definitely time to see a doctor."
McCance's advice to aging athletes is simple:
-- Warm up before you workout to get the blood flowing
-- Make sure your body (an muscle tone) is in shape for the exercise you're doing
-- Cross-train — it's a great way to keep in shape
-- Get on a swimming program — it's low-impact and gets the blood flowing to back and muscles
-- Finally, remember pain is a warning sign — don't try to power through it
"If someone is prone to back and neck problems and they get reoccurring neck or back pain," McCance said. "Check with a spine doctor before embarking on a new workout program."
In a society where looking young and fit is a way of life — it's no surprise that more and more “baby boomers” are lacing up their sneakers and heading to the gym. But boomer workouts have gone way beyond basic aerobics and running on the treadmill.
Nowadays it's all about endurance sports and yoga mats.
But are some people pushing themselves too far?
"I've had a couple of patients try to contort themselves," said Dr. Sean McCance, co-director of spinal surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. "A trainer pushed too hard and ruptured a disc in their back."
Back injuries are a common theme among baby boomers, who make up an estimated 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964.
"A lot of people in their 50's and 60's have arthritic changes in their back and neck," said McCance. "This includes disc degeneration and spinal arthritis or disc herniations. If you stress those body parts they say ouch."
Often times, these injuries are a result of someone trying to do too much, noted McCance.
"People have stressful jobs and they try to make up for a sedentary lifestyle in one afternoon," he said. "They often try to jam too much into one session."
Mirabai Holland, director of fitness and wellness program at the 92nd street Y in Manhattan, knows this trend all too well. She's been in the fitness industry for more than 25 years and has recently developed an exercise program to help people ease into getting in shape.
Click here to view program
"I see this all the time... people who are boomers want to know why exercise is so important," said Holland. "Basically fitness equals longevity. Studies have shown that exercise will reduce your chances of dying prematurely from cancer, heart disease and many other health problems."
Holland isn't the only one who believes this. Several studies have shown that exercise helps promote a healthier and longer life, including a recent study published in the Dec. 5 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The University of South Carolina study found that people over age 60 with better cardio-respiratory fitness appear to live longer than unfit adults regardless of their levels of body fat.
The researchers recommended a daily brisk walk for fitness — just one of the activities Holland said is essential.
Click here to read full study (subscription required)
Here's a List of Holland’s Top 5 Boomer Workouts:
1. Cardio
"Basically anything that uses your full body to get your heart pumping." said Holland.
— At least 30 minutes of moderate cardio exercise a day
— This includes brisk walking, running, swimming, biking, or exercise videos
— If you don't have time in your day for the full 30 minutes, try three 10 minute bouts of exercise throughout the day
2. Strength training
"As we get older the muscles are getting smaller and losing the ability to contract," said Holland. "We can change this by strength training. The other thing we see is that mature adults have higher fat content. There is more diabetes due to lower muscle mass, so strength training is essential to regulate glucose metabolism."
Work those muscles twice a week for 30 to 45 minutes by doing exercises such as:
— Pushups (if you're a beginner, do them against a wall to start)
— Using a resistance band which is light weight and inexpensive
— Bicep curls and tricep extensions
— Modified squats and lunges which works many muscles at once
And make sure you leave 24 to 48 hours between strength training because your muscles need time to bounce back and rest. You don't want overuse injuries.
3. Flexibility training
"With reduced flexibility people tend to lose their ability to balance because there are changes in connective tissues in the body," said Holland. "Regular stretching can help, even as little as five to 10 minutes a day."
— To start the day, try some head circles and stretching in the shower
— At the end of day, stretch calf muscles and hamstrings
4. Balance training
"Because we see in older adults a loss of balance, which results in more falls," noted Holland.
— You can do this standing in line at the grocery store
— Stand on one leg and see if you can let go of the shopping cart
— Hold for about 10 seconds
— Also try standing on your tippy-toes and holding for a few seconds
— Balance should be done everyday — all you need is two to three minutes
5. Core training
"We see so many people as they get older avoiding their abs, which results in a bad back," said Holland. "They're not really supporting upper torso."
— Try a few minutes of abdominal exercises
— Reverse curl while you're lying in back and pull your knees into you
— Hold for five seconds and release
— Start with 10 reps a day and work your way higher
— Crunches are key — not full sit-ups — because some people can do more damage than good
— Keep back on the floor and don't go all the way up
— Really concentrate so you can feel you're abdominal wall contracting
— This will help support your back
Avoiding 'Boomeritis'
For baby boomers, supporting the back and the rest of the body is crucial, especially if they want to avoid "boomeritis," a condition that affects older athletes that have pushed their limits. When this happens, it usually results in a trip to the doctor's office.
"If pain starts translating into severe pain or pain that travels down the leg with numbness or weakness or down the arm," said McCance. "Then it's definitely time to see a doctor."
McCance's advice to aging athletes is simple:
-- Warm up before you workout to get the blood flowing
-- Make sure your body (an muscle tone) is in shape for the exercise you're doing
-- Cross-train — it's a great way to keep in shape
-- Get on a swimming program — it's low-impact and gets the blood flowing to back and muscles
-- Finally, remember pain is a warning sign — don't try to power through it
"If someone is prone to back and neck problems and they get reoccurring neck or back pain," McCance said. "Check with a spine doctor before embarking on a new workout program."
The News-Press, news-press.com, Lifestyles, Botanical Gardens expanding
The News-Press, news-press.com, Lifestyles, Botanical Gardens expanding
Naples Botanical Gardens is thinking big.
Big like a Swiss Family Robinson-sized banyan tree.
Big like 5-foot-wide waterlillies with flowers the size of small basketballs.
Big like a whopping 45 acres of Asian, Caribbean, Brazilian and Florida plants.
Executive director Brian Holley says he's incredibly excited about all those big, big plans.
"We have a really beautiful garden right now," Holley says, "but it's quite small. This will be a quantum leap in the sort of experience that people will have."
By 2010, the garden will have expanded from one acre of visitor's space to more than 45 acres. That will grow to 65 acres in future phases of the expansion, plus another 10 acres has been set aside for future development.
The Naples garden opened in 1994, and this expansion project has been gestating ever since. A groundbreaking was at one time planned for spring 2003, but that got pushed back by changing plans and slow-downs because of environmental permitting and zoning.
Now things finally seem to be happening, Holley says.
They've already raised $27 million for the $55 million project, and Holley expects them to reach $35 million by late this year. When that happens, groundbreaking will finally start on the 160-acre property just 2.5 miles east of downtown Naples (About 95 acres have been set aside for preservation).
The money has been raised mostly through private donors and some corporate donors.
The gardens could open by late 2010. And when they do, Holley says, they'll be like nothing else in the U.S.
"It's going to blow people's socks off," he says.
Naples Botanical Garden is working with what Holley calls a "dream team" of garden designers: famous names such as Robert E. Truskowski of California and Made (pronounced Mah-de) Wijaya from Bali.
"These are some of the top people in the design game," Holley says.
Together, they're designing five gardens that celebrate the rich plantlife between the 26th north and south latitudes, the area that stretches from central South America to Southwest Florida. In other words: the tropics and the subtropics.
Those five themed gardens will be:
• The Florida Garden, featuring a stylized Calusa Indian shell mound, a fragrance garden and a circle of sabal palms and bougainvilleas surrounding a meadow of native wildflowers.
• The Children's Garden, where kids can climb a giant banyan tree, play hide-and-seek in a gumbo limbo grove, run through a fountain and make mud pies.
• The Brazilian Garden, filled with huge Victorian garden lillies, swaths of brilliant bromeliads and Brazilian trees with pink, yellow and purple flowers high up in their branches.
• The Caribbean Garden, filled with coconut palms and blue water.
• And The Asian Garden, which will mix highlights from across the Asian world for a spiritual, calming feel. The garden will feature bridges over water, Asian-style buildings, lichees and other fruit trees, plus live nutmeg, cinnamon and other herbs.
The whole idea is to bring people closer to nature, says Thomas Hecker, the garden's director of horticulture.
"We want people to be engaged," he says. "They'll be able to touch stuff, too, especially in the Children's Garden."
Hecker is convinced people will come away impressed by this big undertaking.
"It's going to be an experience unlike any other," he says.
Naples Botanical Gardens is thinking big.
Big like a Swiss Family Robinson-sized banyan tree.
Big like 5-foot-wide waterlillies with flowers the size of small basketballs.
Big like a whopping 45 acres of Asian, Caribbean, Brazilian and Florida plants.
Executive director Brian Holley says he's incredibly excited about all those big, big plans.
"We have a really beautiful garden right now," Holley says, "but it's quite small. This will be a quantum leap in the sort of experience that people will have."
By 2010, the garden will have expanded from one acre of visitor's space to more than 45 acres. That will grow to 65 acres in future phases of the expansion, plus another 10 acres has been set aside for future development.
The Naples garden opened in 1994, and this expansion project has been gestating ever since. A groundbreaking was at one time planned for spring 2003, but that got pushed back by changing plans and slow-downs because of environmental permitting and zoning.
Now things finally seem to be happening, Holley says.
They've already raised $27 million for the $55 million project, and Holley expects them to reach $35 million by late this year. When that happens, groundbreaking will finally start on the 160-acre property just 2.5 miles east of downtown Naples (About 95 acres have been set aside for preservation).
The money has been raised mostly through private donors and some corporate donors.
The gardens could open by late 2010. And when they do, Holley says, they'll be like nothing else in the U.S.
"It's going to blow people's socks off," he says.
Naples Botanical Garden is working with what Holley calls a "dream team" of garden designers: famous names such as Robert E. Truskowski of California and Made (pronounced Mah-de) Wijaya from Bali.
"These are some of the top people in the design game," Holley says.
Together, they're designing five gardens that celebrate the rich plantlife between the 26th north and south latitudes, the area that stretches from central South America to Southwest Florida. In other words: the tropics and the subtropics.
Those five themed gardens will be:
• The Florida Garden, featuring a stylized Calusa Indian shell mound, a fragrance garden and a circle of sabal palms and bougainvilleas surrounding a meadow of native wildflowers.
• The Children's Garden, where kids can climb a giant banyan tree, play hide-and-seek in a gumbo limbo grove, run through a fountain and make mud pies.
• The Brazilian Garden, filled with huge Victorian garden lillies, swaths of brilliant bromeliads and Brazilian trees with pink, yellow and purple flowers high up in their branches.
• The Caribbean Garden, filled with coconut palms and blue water.
• And The Asian Garden, which will mix highlights from across the Asian world for a spiritual, calming feel. The garden will feature bridges over water, Asian-style buildings, lichees and other fruit trees, plus live nutmeg, cinnamon and other herbs.
The whole idea is to bring people closer to nature, says Thomas Hecker, the garden's director of horticulture.
"We want people to be engaged," he says. "They'll be able to touch stuff, too, especially in the Children's Garden."
Hecker is convinced people will come away impressed by this big undertaking.
"It's going to be an experience unlike any other," he says.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
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