In 1923 Alfred B. and Louise Maclay purchased property in Tallahassee for their winter home. Over the years they established one of the most beautiful ornamental gardens in Florida. Today, the gardens are a masterpiece of floral architecture, featuring a picturesque brick pathway, a secret garden, a reflection pool, a walled garden and hundreds of camellias and azaleas. In 1953, nine years after Mr. Maclay’s death, Mrs. Maclay and her children donated the gardens to the State of Florida. She expressed her wishes that the Gardens always be maintained as a memorial to her husband and his creation, and opened to the public for the enjoyment of the people of Florida and guests. Park land surrounding the Gardens offers recreational sites for swimming and wooded trails for hiking, jogging, bicycling and horse-back riding.
Please visit the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park website for more details on the gardens and the many recreational activities it has to offer.