Nestled in the heart of Orlando’s northeastern urban sprawl is a 50-acre jungle of green, often riotous with color, a virtual oasis of nature trails bordering Lake Rowena with a historical twist: Leu Gardens. It also houses the historical Leu House Museum, the only house museum in Orlando that is open to the public.

Only a mile or so from busy Interstate 4, the gardens feature thousands of varieties of plants, including one of the largest collections of camellias in the Eastern United States, according to Museum Director Robert Bowden.