More than 100 years ago, in 1903 a plumber with a love of gardening purchased four acres of land with a sunken freshwater lake. The lake was the result of an old sinkhole. With that purchase, he began one of Florida’s oldest roadside attractions.
Disclosure: Some links on our site are affiliate links. If you purchase a linked item, we will make a commission, at no extra charge to you.
George Turner Sr. quickly drained the lake to create his own private garden. However, the beauty he created did not stay private long. By the 1920s, he had opened a nursery and began selling fruit. A few years later (1935) he fenced the area and began charging a 25-cent admission fee. By doing so, he created a home for more than 50,000 tropical plants with meandering paths and what is now the oldest living museum in St Pete.
Popularity grew in the 1950s and by the 1970s Sunken Gardens was ranked one of Florida’s top commercial attractions. Today you won’t wander far from other St. Pete activities. The garden is just off a busy street near downtown. Entering the gardens, you will descend fifteen feet below street level (at its deepest) while wandering the paths. Surrounded by some of Florida’s oldest tropical plants and cascading waterfalls is a flock of flamingos.
The Growing Stone
While wandering you will come across a seemingly plain limestone rock. Uncovered while draining the lake, the bench-size rock has a sign stating…
Legend has it that, “He who sits upon the ancient stone shall be granted tranquility, inner harmony, and the talent to make things grow.”
More Information on Sunken Gardens
1845 4th Street St. Petersburg, Florida 33704
