mackay gardens and lakeside preserve

In our busy world of traffic snarls, congested shopping malls and instant media access to tragedies around the world, it is often hard to escape it all. Yes, we can book a costly get away vacation to an idyllic Caribbean island. However, that often involves more hassles with busy airports, invasive airport security measures, delayed flights and baggage snafus. Visiting Mackay Gardens and Lakeside Preserve is a great opportunity to escape back to a quieter time and commune with nature if just for a few hours. Best of all, it is only a car ride away from where I live. Our small group of twenty travelers in two vans visited this very serene and quiet 112-acre property one recent weekday. It was a perfect day - cool and sunny with a light breeze. We made an advance reservation and a volunteer met us outside the historic house. The house is still in the process of restoration. Only the lower level is open for visitors to explore. Inside the home are beamed ceilings, hardwood floors, fireplaces, an open floor plan, built-ins and a wide staircase. While sitting in the main room, we listen to a wonderful informative talk about the history of the house and the ecology of the gardens & semi-tropical preserve. Alexander Mackay originally from Scotland and Director of Shell Union Oil Company had the vision to purchase the property along the shores of Lake Rochelle in 1915 and began construction of his 8,000 square foot family estate named La Rochelle. We learn about the restoration work underway to preserve the high style Craftsman estate with the multi-paned windows, textured brick exterior, low-pitched gable roof and wide overhanging eaves. The large porch columns are impressive. There is ongoing work to maintain the uniqueness of the gardens and preserve. After answering several of our questions, we move outside for a guided nature tour around the grounds. We learn the names of the various stately trees including the Cabbage Palm or Sabal Palmetto that is the Florida state tree. Our tour guide points out the markings on the trail guide post and their meanings. He discusses conservation issues and recites nature poems pertinent to our tour. I even know a couple of them that I had memorized in elementary school. Then we visit the demonstration garden where ongoing efforts to save the endangered Florida scrub lupines, a plant found only here, are underway. On our visit, the purple and white flowers are just completing their bloom. Two years of mild winters have helped the semi tropical and tropical plants to bloom with bright colors. We learn how invasive non-native plants are threatening to take over the native plants and the efforts by the volunteers to contain their growth or remove them. There are too many Lantanas (the pink blooms are beautiful, though), Rosary Pea and Cat’s Claw, we learn. We carefully avoid the small anthills as we walk. Although we are on the lookout to spot gopher tortoises, I do not spy any. Recently more were moved here from a nearby location. Perhaps you will see one if you visit. Volunteers are working to restore their habitat. Later, we visit the grotto (ravine) and observe the ornamental vines, bamboo and trees growing here. Be sure to take the Self Guided Nature Trail. Expect to see Cats Claw, Lemon scented Eucalyptus, Mulberry, Spiny Monkey-Orange, Century Plant, Podocarpus (native to Japan & China) and Mother-in-law’s Tongue. Some notable trees are the Cherry Laurel, Eastern Red-Cedar, Longleaf Pine, Laurel Oak, Sand Live Oak, Indian Rosewood and Pygmy Fringe-Tree. Visit in the spring/early summer months and the Pink Trumpet Tree, Golden Trumpet Tree and the Jacaranda (Lavender flowers) will be blooming. There are several varieties of palms to see on the trail including Gru Gru Palm, Queen Palm and Senegal Date Palm. We have some free time to stroll around the grounds, take photos of Lake Rochelle and the lovely gazebo overlooking the lake. Finally, we tour the rest of the lower level rooms of the house before we depart. Bicyclists can access the preserve on the Winter Haven Trail from downtown Winter Haven. Rental of the house is available for corporate events and meetings, private parties and weddings. A pavilion, playground and restrooms are also on the property. Do not expect a botanical gardens type of experience as I did. There are not any formal gardens here. It is just a nice place to visit, stroll around the grounds and enjoy the peaceful surroundings.

For 21 years I was patrolled the streets and the grounds of this private preserve with a good friend being the second generation caretaker when old man MacKay still used to make his winter sojourn across the great pond to winter here. The City of Lake Alfred was so smart in grabbing up this little jewel and holding onto it. What a great publicly available venue for a typical southern lawn wedding on its magnificent vista of the main lawn gently rolling down to the water on Lake Rochelle. Or observing some of the bald eagles which nest on the grounds all year long. The house itself reflects the typical Scottish land baron theme with its Ivy covered brick walls. Great place for a wedding and reception or private party. Come to think of it, it would make a great backdrop for an antique classic car show and auction.