Explore the three-acre botanical gardens and interact with more than 300 rescued, rehabilitated and non-releasable birds and reptiles in historic Downtown Bonita Springs, Florida.
You’ll find African mahogany trees, kapok trees, giant staghorn ferns, gorgeous Shaving Brush flowers, orchids, bromeliads, and fruit trees that all flourish in South Florida’s warm wet climate.
The Native Butterfly Garden is a relatively new exhibit with plenty of butterfly-attracting plants such as milkweed and passionflower that provide food and egg-laying sites for the brightly colored butterflies.
Plant and Animal Exhibits
Wonder Gardens is home to some amazing birds such as pink flamingos – which you can hand-feed!
There is also wood ducks, Amazon parrots, cockatoos, and rainbow lorikeets.
Wonder Gardens also has 40 resident alligators that inhabit the lake, sharing it with turtles, fish, frogs, and other native wildlife.
Other Florida wildlife exhibits include snakes, lizards, and tortoises.
The History of Wonder Gardens
Entrepreneurs and Bonita Springs settlers Bill and Lester Piper established the original garden in 1936. They developed it as a roadside attraction to rehabilitate injured wildlife and allow visitors to get up-close and learn about these native animals.
The attraction was created by the two brothers as the Bonita Springs Reptile Gardens. By the 1950s it had been renamed the Everglades Wonder Gardens and was Florida’s premier wildlife attraction with threatened American crocodiles as one of the main exhibits.
The gardens also pioneered a program of breeding endangered Florida panthers long before the terms “eco-tourism” and “environmental conservancy” had even been coined.
The original purpose of the Wonder Gardens is not forgotten and John Brady, a professional photographer himself, has added an art gallery showcasing stunning photographs of Florida wildlife. There is also a gift and souvenir shop providing income to support the future development of this much-loved historic family-friendly attraction.
Wonder Gardens is open daily* from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
*Closed on Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Easter.
Wonder Gardens is wheelchair accessible. There is a ramp-up to the Welcome Center, and there are a limited amount of wheelchairs available on a first-come, first-served basis.
