Splendid views of the colors and shapes at the Florida Botanical Gardens

At the Florida Botanical Gardens in Largo, walking paths wind through a variety of flowering shrubs, shady trees and dark ponds layered in vegetation. It’s quiet here, but for the trickling water of the fountains, the chirp of birds and the busy hum of bees.

Regular visitors can find new ways to take in the sights. Focus on the abundance of color; no orange flower is the same, every shade of pink is represented in different species. The light filters through the trees playfully, like an interesting take on a gnarled trunk peeking out of the deep shade.

Notice the geometry in the succulent gardens, the sharp angles of planter boxes, the lollipop roundness of retro umbrellas that offer shade. It’s a lovely retreat from the world outside the front gates — good for inspiring the amateur gardener, ministering to the nature lover or offering a discreet place to hold someone’s hand or grab a kiss.