Plants in WDW

[Donfan]

I'm hoping to get a thread started on Plants in WDW like the one that Tyler had going on the transportation recently. I hope this is the right place.

Two weeks ago, we stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and I noticed that the plants that they had around the place were very different from the ones they have had there in the past. When in WDW in the summer a few years ago, I noticed that they had a lot of Rocky Mountain regional wildflower growing: Gaillardia, Penstemon, and others. This time, in mid-September, they seemed to be going more for flowering shrubs than perennial wildflowers. Is this just a seasonal change, or have they found that its too hard to keep the smaller flowers growing in Florida?

Thanks for any insights.

 

[Maria]

Nice topic!
I have no idea though, but I admire the gardening and the gardeners in WDW! My mom and I went to Epcot once during F&G Festival and she was so excited! We had never seen the park so beautiful! Then we went for Christmas and she was thrilled with the flowers for that season.

There is a member of these forums who is a gardener in WDW. Hopefully he/she will see this thread and give you some info. (Let´s keep it active...hehehe).

 

[josh_e_washie]

Yes, I have to say i really don't know much about gardening or botany either, but I really admire the incredible work done at WDW...some of my favorite places include....
-Animal Kingdom-THE WHOLE PARK...it's amazing how they can create seemingly endless jungle environments and make everything appear if its been there forever. The Oasis, Maharajah Jungle Trek and the area around the Tree of Life are my personal favorites to admire the incredible landcaping.
-Epcot...the small gardens dotted around Future World really do a great job emphasizing the architecture. They seem to 'flow' with that hidden music they play as well.
-Magic Kingdom-Adventureland has some incredible landscaping...maybe I'm just fascinated with the whole 'jungle' look!

What are some other people's favorite landscaped areas??:wave:

 

[tigsmom]

The gardens in WDW just amaze me! They are always so beautiful. I was under the impression that the flowers change season to season. Now I have to do some research.

 

[MouseMadness]

I agree with everybody. The landscaping at WDW is just impeccable. And while I don't know if htis is what you're talking about or not, but I love to go into the main building of the Grand Floridian to look at the flower arrangements in there. Just breath taking. We were going to breakfast one morning at 1900 Park Fare and saw them putting one together. Oh my gosh! The work! But so worth it.

 

[Avenger23]

Those metal palm trees in tomorrowland are the best...I wonder how they get those to grow...:hammer:

Joel

 

[Donfan]

Originally posted by Avenger23
Those metal palm trees in tomorrowland are the best...I wonder how they get those to grow...:hammer:

Joel

Metal Palm Trees aside, I really enjoy all the different plant themes at the various hotels, as well as the parks. My original question had to do with Wilderness Lodge, since I live in the southern Rocky Mountains and am familiar with many of the plants they have there. But things like the Cretaceous Trail in Dinoland in the Animal Kingdom are just as interesting. And you're right about the flowers at Christmas, hundreds of Pointsettias everywhere, as well as that huge Christmas Tree in the Grand Floridian.

If anybody knows the horticulturist CM, see if you can get him/her to chime in.

 

[Donfan]

More Questions

Well, since I can't get many responses with the questions I asked, here's another one:

Since Disney doesn't seem to be able to get Rocky Mountain plants to grow very well at the Wilderness Lodge, does anybody know what they have planned for Saratoga Springs? Will upstate New York plants grow any better in Florida than Rocky Mountain plants? Maybe it has something to do with being on the east coast.