The UCF Arboretum and What We Found Behind It
or
Yuck! My Shoes!
(Another chapter in the continuing antics of Derek and his camera)

January 3, 1998

(Throughout these pages, clicking on the pictures will bring up a larger version.)

Part 1: Introduction

A few years ago, I moved to Orlando, FL to attend school at the University of Central Florida. Among other things, UCF has a really nice Arboretum at the Eastern edge of the campus, bordering an expanse of (then) undeveloped natural Florida scrub land. It's a great place to just wander around between classes, and a mile or so down the trail you run across a retention pond with nice, grassy banks that just beg you to lie down and roll around or just stare at the clouds which would be fine except for all the fire ants.

I don't know who takes care of the place, but they're doing a great job and there has been more to see each time I go back. The latest project was to build a 20' or so wide pond supplied by a big rock waterfall.(Of course, I would love to supply the wet spots on the rock with some Utricularia...) There have been a huge number of new plants added. Signs are everywhere identifying plants. It's a great place to visit. Unfortunately, about a year ago, despite a lot of student protest, the University cut the Arboretum grounds in half by running a road right through it. It wrecked a huge part of the boardwalk and totally destroyed the "swamp preservation area" across which the boardwalk used to run. It's still a nice place, but the best part of it used to be that you could just start wandering and go for miles and miles. You still can, but you have to cross roads...

One day shortly after I started attending classes there, I was wandering through some of the lesser-traveled trails in the way-back of the Arboretum after school and what should I see by the edge of the path but a Pitcher Plant! Back then, I was "aware" of Carnivorous Plants (and had even grown a few species) but had no idea which one I was looking at. Seeing this one, though, put me in the mindset of looking for more. Sure enough, after just a little more hunting around I ran across some Sundew and a couple of teeny little Butterworts. I kept an occasional eye on them until I moved back to Tampa, FL for my job.

I went back a little less than a year ago to look for them again when I started getting into CP more seriously again. Nothing. Nada. Nowhere to be found. I spent almost three hours trudging through the muck, being eaten by mosquitos to no avail. I went back again in August, this time thinking, "Ok, now I really know what I'm looking for!" and found a few plants, not looking too healthy, and not much else. After tromping around for nearly four hours that time, I finally hit the jackpot and found the Drosera bog and the strange little ditch place that was filled with thousands of Utricularia in bloom and, eventually, one lone Pinguicula. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to bring my camera.

I went back again a few days ago; this time, I remembered to bring my camera.

I can hear you saying, "Shut up and show me the photos already!" Ok, let's get on with it.

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