University of South Florida Botanical Gardens, Tampa

The University of South Florida Botanical Gardens, located on the campus of the University of South Florida in Tampa, covers 15 acres of developed gardens and 6 to 9 acres of natural greenbelt. The gardens, established in 1969 for use by the Biology Department in the USF College of Arts and Sciences, are now part of the Department of Geography, Environment, and Planning.

The gardens contain over 3,000 taxa of plants, including fruit trees, bonsai trees, grasses, begonias, orchids, bromeliads, palms, aroids, bamboo, gingers, carnivorous plants, cycads, cactus and succulent plants, an herb and scent garden, wetland forest, temperate forest, subtropical shade garden, and Florida upland scrub and sandhill habitats. There is also a medicinal herb garden, used by the USF College of Pharmacy for research purposes. Native wildlife, such as butterflies and over 60 species of birds, can also be found in the garden.

In addition to being a beautiful spot to visit, the USF Botanical Gardens hosts events such as flower and garden festivals, workshops, and yoga classes. It is also a popular venue for weddings.

The gardens are open to the public during weekday business hours and on shorter weekend hours, with an admission fee of $5 for adults.