Bok Tower Gardens

Though Ireland seems to have become my muse, I realized it is time I start exploring the hidden gems found right here in the sunshine state. To begin this task, I started with the historic and intriguing Bok Tower Gardens located in Lake Wales, Florida, about an hour and a half south of Orlando (near Lakeland). This unique location has a lot to offer being that it is a national historic landmark containing an expansive garden, a bird sanctuary, the celebrated Pinewood Estate, and the memorable Singing Tower.

A few friends and I planned a day of learning, exploring, and picnicking. But there was one lesson we discovered that we should already have known by now - always plan for rain on a Florida outing. The weather was perfect, bright and sunny for the whole drive to Lake Wales. Almost as soon as we arrived, the weather took a turn for the worst and rained the rest of the time we were there. But we didn’t let that stop us from having the exciting day we planned!

Working with the unexpected rain, we started our tour of Bok Tower Gardens at the Pinewood Estate. We were greeted at the door by a lovely docent who welcomed us inside and began telling us some background information about the residence. She explained that the estate was built in 1930 for Charles Buck, vice president of Bethlehem Steel. The alluring garden was actually built first and the estate was settled in later as Mr. Buck was an avid lover of nature and even dabbled in horticulture. He wanted there to be an organic flow from the garden to his home. As for the design of the estate itself, Charles wanted to portray his admiration for Latin architecture. Every detail inside and out, and in every room is different and specific to Mr. Buck’s vision.

The tour of the mansion is extremely informative and leaves you in awe at the incredible attention to detail and the magnificent beauty and history it holds. We were encouraged to come back during the holidays when the entire location is all lit up and filled with holiday activities, or for Valentines Day when you can reserve a romantic dinner at the Pinewood Estate! After we finished the tour, which lasts about an hour, we hitched a ride with a man on a golf cart who escorted us to the Singing Tower.

The Singing Tower is another example of this location's intricate attention to detail. You could endlessly find new and unique elements that make up this 205-foot tall neo-gothic tower that contains an unrivaled carillon which produces mesmerizing concerts daily at 1pm and 3pm.

When you first reach the tower, after you get over the incredible height, you notice a lovely koi pond that surrounds it, like a moat. The awe-inspiring brass door surrounded by a marble arch and steps contains imagery that portrays the Book of Genesis - from the creation of light to Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden. Beautiful variations of marble make up the structure of the tower with ornate displays of animals and wildlife portrayed with sculpture and tile. As you circle around the tower to take in all of this detail, you come across a large captivating sundial built into the south side of the structure. This particular element has to be my favorite part of this towering masterpiece. The hours are displayed as the 12 zodiac signs and the gnomon (the piece that tells time by casting a shadow on the dial face) contains a bronze rod supported by a bronze snake. We made it just in time for the 3 o’clock “singing of the tower” and it truly was a gift of sight and sound to behold.

We took a quick walk around some of the gardens before we couldn’t take the rain anymore. A lovely view of the tower from the reflection pool was accompanied by fascinatingly giant water lilies. This truly is a place where peace and zen can be easily found. 

Before heading back home, we stopped by the information center and the lovely little gift 

shop. We came across tons of information varying from extensive background on Mr. Buck himself, the creation of the Bok Tower, wildlife found in the area, and so much more. In the gift shop, we sampled some locally made varieties of popcorn and gummies, ooh’d and ahh’d at the selection in the garden shop, picked out our little knick knack’s and souvenirs, and called it a day. We all left feeling enlightened and grateful for a special day full of laughs, learning, and a sense of relaxation, despite the rain!