Cypress Gardens

Aerial Scene of Florida's fabulous Cypress Gardens.

Winter Haven, Florida

Episcopal-Catholic Apartments

500 Ave. L N.W.

Winter Haven, Florida 33880

Winter Haven, Florida

City of 100 Lakes

Chain O'Lakes Park, winter home of the Boston Red Sox and the Florida Citrus Showcase (dome).  Home of Beautiful Cypress Gardens.

Cypress Gardens

Orange Festival Time in Florida

Red and White Poinsettias in Full Bloom

Canoeing on Florida Lake

Motels - Winter Haven, Florida

Thunderbird Motel

One of Winter Haven's finest motels, convenient ot Beautiful Cypress Gardens on Hwy 540.  Luxurious, but not expensive.  20 Beautiful "King-Size", air-conditioned, heated roofully carpeted, T.V., heated tile bathrooms.  Fun for all, colorful pool, sun deck, and shuffleboard.  Guests enjoy golf, room phones and country club privileges.  Restaurant and shopping center adjacent.

(This motel was demolished some years ago.  I always enjoyed walking or riding past it as a kid.  It always looked clean and inviting and had a great retro feel.)

Garden Lodge Motel

2000 Cypress Gardens Rd.,

Winter Haven, FLA.

22 Units - Room-controlled heat and air-conditioning - TV - Lake Ina Beach - swimming - boating - fishing - shuffleboard - close to restaurants, churches shopping district.  Overnite and Weekly rates - 17th day FREE!

(Another Winter Haven motel demolished in the name of Progress.  The defining feature of the Garden Lodge was it's mushroom shaped picnic table on the shores of Lake Ina.  The motel was demolished during the widening of Cypress Gardens Boulevard in the late 90's.)

Polk County Greetings

Top View:  Bougainvillea, at Florida's Cypress Gardens

Bottom View:  Singing Tower in Mountain Lake Sanctuary

Cypress Gardens

When I recently remembered that I had these jumbo postcards I really didn't have any idea as to the content on them.  They had been packed away for over ten years.  Imagine my happiness to discover todays cards which are my favorite from among those found and the last of the jumbo Cypress Gardens cards.  Two of the three feature Esther Williams from her time at the Gardens filming the MGM motion picture Easy to Love.  Sadly I've never seen the full movie but I have seen the big water skiing extravaganza.  I would suggest to everyone to check it out on Youtube as it is really something to behold.

A Great Water Show at Famous Cypress Gardens, Florida:  Cypress Gardens is famous not only for its beautiful tropical gardens, but also for the magnificent daily water shows performed by the master water skiers of the world.  This picture shows a cavalcade on water led by Esther Williams, star of MGM, in preparation of a forthcoming motion picture, taken at Cypress Gardens.

Famous film star Esther Williams who waterskis with the aquamaids and champions at Florida's Cypress Gardens in the M.G.M. movie EASY TO LOVE.

Water Skiing is one of the favorite sports of Florida.  Champion water skiers from all over the world meet at Cypress Gardens, Florida, to compete where this scene was taken.

Cypress Gardens

A typical Florida scene:  Palms, Live Oaks with Spanish Moss, blooming Azaleas, dark waters and blue sky.  To the left of the trail some big Camellia plants, bountiful in Cypress Gardens, famous attraction of Florida, where this picture was taken.

Azalea Time in Cypress Gardens

Winter Haven, Florida

The brilliant flowers bloom along the winding trail of this famous attraction and the photographic models pose in hoop skirts of the old south for visiting camera fans.

Cypress Gardens

Famous Cypress Gardens one of the outstanding attractions of Florida.  Beautiful flower gardens, studded with palms, cypress and other tropical trees, electrically driven boats take the visitor through a wonderland of tropical beauty.  Lovely Southern belles pose in romantic settings for camera fans.  At the same time, master water skiers show their skill on another part of this garden on Lake Eloise.

The Most Beautiful Garden in Florida is Cypress Gardens near Winterhaven, where this picture was taken.  Deep blue waterways are framed by a most colorful tropical vegetation.

Sightseeing Boats glide through a wonderland of tropical beauty at Florida's Cypress Gardens.

Cypress Gardens

The State of Florida.  An unique mosaic of citrus fruit, grapefruit, framed by oranges.  Florida Belles decorate this big layout of the State at Cypress Gardens, Florida.

Pretty Southern belles beneath a magnificent bougainvillea at Florida's Cypress Gardens.

One of the most beautiful gardnes of the south:  Cypress Gardens, Florida, the outstanding attraction of this State, a must for every tourist.

Cypress Gardens

A Lovely Florida Garden Scene:  Colorful flowers stand out against the background of dark blue waters framed by stately Palms.  This wonderland of nature is famous Cypress Gardens, Florida.  Hostesses in colorful costumes greet the visitors and pose for pictures.

The fabulous Esther Williams swimming pool built as a set for the M.G.M production EASY TO LOVE, shown here at Florida's Cypress Gardens with the Grapefruit Queen and her court.

Charming Southern Belles in colorful costumes pose for pictures on one of the numerous small bridges at world famous Cypress Gardens, Florida.

Cypress Gardens

A lovely florida garden scene:  Colorful azaleas, bougainvilleas, petunias and many other beautiful flowers stand out against the background of palms.  This wonderland of nature with its deep blue waterways is famous Cypress Gardens, Florida.

A Beautiful Setting in Famous Cypress Gardens, Florida.

A myriad of tropical flowers framed by stately cypress trees at Florida's Cypress Gardens.

Cypress Gardens

Today is the first of several posts of jumbo (6.5" x 9") postcards of Cypress Gardens leading up to the October 15 opening of Legoland Florida on the site of the former park.  The botanical gardens will be a part of the new park and I can't wait to see them again.

Tropical vegetation in Florida:  Palms, Cypress and Banana trees, blooming Azaleas, Bougainvillea and other Florida flowers.  this romantic picture was taken at beautiful Cypress Gardens, Famous attraction of Florida.

A Lovely Florida garden Scene - Colorful bougainvilleas, azaleas, petunias, and many other beautiful flowers stand out against the background of palms and live oaks, and Florida cypress.  this wonderland of nature with its deep blue waterways is famous Cypress Gardens, Florida - Hostesses and models in colorful costumes greet the guests and pose for pictures.

Arbor of purple bougainvillea in Florida.

Cypress Gardens November 1991

I think 1991 was the last time I went to Cypress Gardens until 2004 when it reopened as Cypress Gardens Adventure Park.  These pictures come from that day.  I think this may have been during the annual Mum festival.

Italian Fountains

Italian Fountains.

Actually located outside the park on the rim of an old sinkhole that had been transfomed into a circular parking area.

Mediterranean Falls

Mediterranean Falls

Resting on the lawn with the Gardens of the World in the background.

Southern Belles.

Cypress Gardens

A lovely Florida garden scene:  Colorful flowers stand out against the background of dark blue waters framed by stately palms.  This wonderland is famous Cypress Gardens, Florida.  Hostesses in colorful costumes greet the visitors and pose for pictures.

Cypress trees many centuries old grow far out in the waters of Lake Eloise at Florida's Cypress Gardens, and together with the brilliant flowers form a picture of the South that will never be forgotten.

Cypress Gardens March 1990

More Cypress Gardens, today from March 1990.  Today's model is Barbara.

The Mediterranean Falls.

The Oriental Gardens.

The Italian Fountains in the Gardens of the World near Mediterranean Falls.

The Snively Mansion.

Not sure if this was in the Gardens of the World or the historic Gardens.

Cypress Gardens November 1989

We continue our exploration of Cypress Gardens through the years with todays post moving us to 1989 While 1989 is not exactly vintage, my thought is that since the park no longer exists everything is vintage (besides, that was 22 years ago).  Some friends and myself went to the Gardens on this day to film a video entitled "The Hick Family Vacation" (not exactly politically correct, but loads of fun). 

Mediterranean Falls in the Gardens of the World area (with our beautiful models Martha and Doreen Hick)

Martha and Doreen strike a pose in front of what I believe was the Village Restaurant in the Dixie Crossroads section of the park.  In earlier years there was a great walk-thru attraction here called Legends of the South, which I spent an entire afternoon continuously going through one day when I was about 10, but I believe it was gone by 1989.

Martha in the Oriental Gardens.

Martha, Doreen, and an unidentified man in the Oriental Gardens with Buddha.

This area of the park had some carnival style games and several kiddie rides but I don't recall what it was called.

Here Martha, Floyd, and Doreen all pose at the Gator Show.  There were some smaller sized gators swimming just behind us on the other sided of the plexiglass wall.

Cypress trees in Lake Eloise.

A deer rests in the shade in the petting zoo section of the park.

This was in the Gardens of the World section of the park not far from the Snively Mansion.