The Naples Botanical Garden was started in 1993 by 8 Naples residents. Comprised of over 170 acres in Old Naples it was transformed in 2008 into 6 cultivated gardens with 2.5 miles of walking trails and 90 acres of restored native preserve. Those 6 cultivated gardens represent unique environments. "Nature Connects, Art with Lego Bricks" is a traveling exhibit of larger than life sculptures inspired by nature and built using over 500,000 Lego bricks that represents the complex and amazing network that interconnects all things that currently calls the Garden its home.
The exhibit features 27 award winning sculptures designed and created by the world’s first Lego certified professional Sean Kenney. From his studios in New York City with the help of several creative assistants Sean created this impressive
collection for us all to enjoy.
These 27 creations are spread throughout the parks 6 Gardens as a compliment to those environments. After leaving the visitor’s center and enter the gardens via the Palm Walk the first example is a mural wall where you can have your picture taken.
Named after the major benefactor of the Botanical Gardens the Kapnick Brazilian Garden includes flora from Brazil’s seven terrestrial ecosystems. The major attraction of the Brazilian Garden is the impressive waterfall. Atop the Water fall is a pool covered by 5 giant lily pads with a lotus bloom and a frog.
Next is the Caribbean Garden also named for the Kapkick family was designed to make you feel like you are on one of the Caribbean Islands. It includes a diverse landscape of lush tropical forests and exotic plants to dry forests and savannah’s of cactus and scrub. Along the Caribbean Lawn another of Sean Kenney’s creations can be found it is a lawnmower.
The Children’s garden is a carefree example of colorful flowers, vegetables, and butterflies with a tree house and babbling streams. Kids and adults alike can enjoy the jets of water or orient themselves with the huge in-ground compass. Here can be found the majority of the Lego creations. In Judy’s Herb Garden you can find a garden worker tilling the soil, Golden Finches enjoying a birdfeeder. In the Butterfly gardens a Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly can be found. The most impressive display is the American Bumblebee flying majestically through the Tree house. Even farther in to the Children’s garden you can find a Fox stealthy hunting a Rabbit as he munches on some of the vegetation.
The Water Garden is at the heart of the Botanical Gardens. It is a river of grass and is filled with water lilies, lotuses and papyrus. A boardwalk transects the water garden and often serves as a stage as it did on the day of our visit. We were treated to the sound of music from the performing Jazz in the Garden Trio. It is surrounded by the Great Lawn and is a popular spot for visitors to lay out a blanket and have a picnic. Along the boardwalk flying over the water is the Common Green Darner Dragonfly. 
The Asian Garden is a collection of tropical and subtropical plants including rice paddies, coconut groves and rubber plants. It includes a Balinese Shrine, the Candi Suka Ruin and a Thai Riverside Pavilion. The Jumping Koi can be found in the serene Japanese tea Garden here.The Florida Garden’s major element is the Great Circle which is reminiscent of the numerous pot lakes that can be seen all over southwest Florida. It is planted with many of the indigenous plants including bougainvillea and silver palmetto. It is also home to four impressive exhibits. As you walk in you can’t help but see the Hummingbird and Flower floating effortlessly as it drinks the nectar. Behind him are a Bison and Calf grazing in the grass. As you approach the more forested section you find a fallen acorn now germinating hoping to one day grow big and strong. Along the way out you find a oversized Rose so beautiful it’s hard to not want to lean in and see it if smells as sweet as it is large.
