Part II: Bok Tower

Bok Tower as seen from  the nature trail approaching the tower

The Peace Lantern

This Japanese stone lantern was a gift to the gardens as a tribute to Edward Bok to reflect his interest in world peace, symbolized by the dove carvings.

Becky and the Peace Lantern

Bok Tower is still obscured by trees.

A full view of Bok Tower

The Singing Tower is the centerpiece of the gardens. Its architect was Milton B. Medary, a prizewinning Philadelphia architect and President of the American Institute of Architects. The tower was built at the highest elevation of the site, south of a reflection pool that allows the water to reflect its full image. The tower is 51 feet (16 m) square at its base, changing form at 150 feet (46 m) high to an octagon with 37 feet (11 m) sides that include sculptures designed by Lee Lawrie. It is built of pink Etowah marble and grey creole marble, mined in Tate, Georgia, and Florida native coquina stone in a soft tan color, from Daytona Beach, Florida.

The small polychrome tile grille by artist J. H. Dulles-Allen shows lower orders of life found in the sea: seaweed, jellyfish, fish and seahorses. The grille above it represents Adam and Eve and the villainous serpent in the Garden of Eden.

The top of the tower features filigrees of ceramic tile by Dulles-Allen. These grilles present herons, smaller birds, baboons, in a brilliant blue color, and trees. The grilles, which are at bell-level, measure 10 feet wide and 35 feet high. The bells were made by the John Taylor & Co., Ltd. bell foundry of Loughborough, England. There are 60 bells in all, weighing from 16 pounds to almost 12 tons.

Inside the bell chamber is a playing room that houses a clavier, or keyboard, that is used for playing the carillon bells. Recitals are given daily from the 60-bell carillon set. The carillon bells ring on the half hour, and live performances can also be heard at scheduled times. One fun feature is an outdoor video that allows visitors to watch the carillonneur play in real time.

Wrought iron fences, gates and hardware were fashioned by America's premier metal worker,

 Samuel Yellin.

An ironwork bridge across the moat

Detail of the ironwork on the bridge

Bird’s heads serve as finials atop the rods, and no two are exactly alike.

The bridge from the opposite angle

The tower is surrounded by a 15-foot (4.6 m) moat that serves as a koi pond.

Turning the corner of the moat

The sundial was designed by sculptor Lee Lawrie of New York.

Above the sundial is a band of sculpted marble figures which circles the tower. Lawrie’s sculptures typically portray tropical and subtropical plants and birds, such as pelicans, flamingos, herons, geese and swans. His flora and fauna are done in the Art Deco style.

Continuation of the moat with a view of the sundial from the side

Koi in the moat

The moat around the far side of the tower. Reflections in the water enhance the view.

A wrought iron bridge over the moat on the opposite side of the tower

Edward Bok is buried at the base of the carillon,

close by a reflecting pool inhabited by two Mute Swans.

The ornate brass door leading into Bok Tower

It served as the entrance to Bok's own room, the Founder's Room.

The brass door and the burial place of Edward Bok

The brass door and the grave across a reflecting pool

A live oak tree looms over the reflecting pool in front of the tower.

Bok’s burial place is on the lower left hand side.

The reflecting pool in front of the tower

The tower and its reflection in the pool

This is the iconic view of Bok Tower, and I was happy to get a few of my own.

Maybe more than a few.

Bok Tower framed by a number of different varieties of trees

Another view of the tower

The tower with a closer view of the upper grille work

The purpose of the grilles by Dulles-Allen is to allow the sound of the bells to have enough open space to pass out freely.

The tower and its reflection

Becky with the tower in the background

Becky and Robert with the tower

This is without a doubt the most photographed vista in the Gardens.

Behind the tower is a beautiful and peaceful area of sweeping lawns and tall trees.

These trees are part of a live-oak grove that overlooks rolling hills of citrus trees.

Past the trees, the land drops precipitously.

The marble exedra, the semi-circular high-backed bench, was a gift to Edward Bok from friends.

The sunset view inspired Mr. Bok’s dream of the Gardens on his visits to Iron Mountain. At the elevation of 298 feet, this is one of the highest points in Florida.

The vista from the exedra

The view of the horizon seems to be far, far in the distance.

In Edward Bok's own words, he sums up the purpose of his Gardens:

The purpose of it all? Simply to preach the gospel and influence of beauty reaching out to visitors through trees, shrubs, flowers, birds, superb architecture, the music of bells, and the sylvan setting.And a restful, quiet, beautiful spot where visitors may feel, as the sign at the entrance declares by an extract from John Burroughs: "I come here to find myself. It is so easy to get lost in the world."

Edward William Bok, 1929

   

 

Part I: Christmas at Bok Tower Gardens

Bok Tower Gardens is a botanical garden and bird sanctuary, located north of Lake Wales, Florida. It consists of a 250-acre garden, the 205-foot tall Singing Tower with its carillon bells, Pine Ridge Trail, Pinewood Estate, and a Visitor Center. The tower is built on Iron Mountain, one of the highest points in Florida, estimated to be 295 feet above sea level. Bok Tower is one of this country’s most beautiful National Historic Landmarks. The tower houses a 60-bell carillon that was built by Edward W. Bok, who gave it to the American people in 1929.

The gardens began in 1921 when Edward W. Bok, editor of the popular women's magazine "Ladies Home Journal," and his wife, Mary Louise Curtis Bok, were spending the winter beside Florida's Lake Wales Ridge and decided to create a bird sanctuary on its highest hill (298 feet above sea level.)

Bok commissioned noted landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr., to transform what then was an arid sand hill into "a spot of beauty second to none in the country". The first year was spent digging trenches and laying pipes for irrigation, after which soil was brought to the site by thousands of truck loads and plantings began. The Olmsted plan included the planting of 1,000 large live oaks, 10,000 azaleas, 100 sabal palms, 300 magnolias, and 500 gardenias as well as hundreds of fruit shrubs and trees including blueberry, holly and kumquat. The meandering gardens of Bok Tower also include camellias, tree ferns, creeping fig, yaupon and dahoon holly with its bright red berries, Asiatic  jasmine, spider lily, wax myrtle, date and sabal palm, papyrus, philodendron, blue plumbago and horsetail rush.

Under construction for over five years, Bok Tower Gardens was dedicated by President Calvin Coolidge on February 1, 1929. Edward Bok died in Lake Wales within sight of his beloved Singing Tower on January 9, 1930, and is now buried at the base of the tower.

Bay Oaks Social Seniors

Carmen, Helen, Cora, Margie, Violet, Jean and Irma at the entrance to

Bok Tower Gardens

The courtyard with the Visitors Center on one side and the Blue Palmetto Café along with The Tower and Garden Gift Shop on the other side

The fountain in the courtyard and pots of succulents on the ledge above it

Lin and Autumn at the Information Desk in the Visitor Center

Becky and the Christmas tree in the Visitor Center

Irma, Becky, Violet, Helen, Cora, Margie, Carmen, Don and Jean

in front of the Christmas tree in the Visitor Center

A sign with an Edward Bok quote at the entrance to the museum in the Visitor Center

Edward Bok’s Grandmother

In her words: “Make the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it.”

"Edward Bok was born in Den Helder, The Netherlands in 1863. When he was 6, Edward and his family left their native land settling in Brooklyn, New York. These words, of Edward Bok’s grandmother, to her grandson as he left for America, guided him throughout his life. They were often in his thoughts and were central to his concept of this garden. Making the world a bit better or more beautiful was consistent with his many other contributions to American life. It continues to be the guiding philosophy of Bok Tower Gardens."

A re-creation of Edward Bok’s Office, where there are historical documents which detail Bok’s family history, his time as editor of the Ladies’ Home Journal and his Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiography

A miniature replica of the Singing Tower explains what is housed on each level.

A closer view of the replica

Original keyboard for the carillon in the Singing Tower

The carillon keyboard (usually called “clavier“) differs from a piano keyboard in that its keys are played with the base of the fist rather than by the fingertips. This requires wider spacing between keys. Since the carillon mechanism is entirely mechanical, the force required to depress each key (which, in turn, moves the corresponding bell clapper) is greater than that required for piano keys. Nevertheless, the subtle shadings of expression possible on the piano are also possible on the carillon.

The cut-out of the largest bell of the Singing Tower offers visitors a chance to compare their size to that of the bell, which stands more than six feet tall and weighs 11 tons.

The courtyard between the Visitors Center and the Blue Palmetto Café with Christmas poinsettias everywhere

A close-up of the courtyard on the left side with poinsettias both high and low

More red and white poinsettias

The right corner of the courtyard

The centerpiece of the courtyard

Check out the “air plant wall.” It’s a very creative use of air plants, and it’s functional as a background and a divider, too.

A close-up of the centerpiece of the courtyard

I was pretty fascinated by the use of these air plants.

This is a view of the centerpiece of the courtyard from the other side.

The Pine Ridge Nature Preserve and Trail is an ecosystem which extends for three-quarters of a mile and is typified by towering Longleaf Pine and a dense groundcover of perennial grasses.

Garden Art on nature trail

A myriad of plants and trees along the nature trail

The garden of Saint Francis

A fork in the nature trail, with one side leading to Pinewood Estate and the Holiday Home Tour

Symmetrically-arranged trees adjacent to Pinewood Estate

C. Austin Buck’s mansion on the Pinewood Estate grounds

Located in Bok Tower Gardens, Pinewood is the estate of one of Edward Bok's neighbors. Pinewood has been preserved as it was in the 1930s, and is a perfect complement to the Bok Tower visit. Pinewood Estate, which features a twenty-room Mediterranean Revival mansion, covers 8 acres of the Gardens. This mansion was built between 1930-1932 by C. Austin Buck, vice-president of Bethlehem Steel Co. in Pennsylvania, as a winter residence. Its original name was "El Retiro," and it has been restored to its 1930s appearance.

Robert “framed” at Pinewood Estate

A side courtyard decorated with poinsettias surrounding a small fountain.

 Notice the suspended “poinsettia balls.”

A closer view of the fountain and poinsettias

Carmen, Cora and Don admiring the courtyard decorations

A pretty picture with Irma, Becky, Margie, Jean, Robert, Cora, Helen, Violet and Carmen

A small, picturesque grotto with a natural spring at the base of the plant

From November 25 through January 1, Bok Tower Gardens celebrates the season with a Holiday Home Tour at Pinewood Estate. The rooms are decorated for Christmas, but the decorations in each room bring to life moments from movie classics.

The theme in the pantry is “A Sip of Christmas,” and the decorations are sure to have your mouth watering for your favorite beverage, be it champagne or a spot of tea.

Anyone for hot chocolate or coffee?

The theme of the Dining Room is “Out of Africa."

The table is set for a dining expedition, echoing the setting of this Oscar-award winning film.

An “Out of Africa” Christmas tree is decorated with tiny stuffed wild animals.

The Round Room has as its theme “A Christmas Story.”

The classic 1983 film reminds us of a past holiday season, and its Christmas tree has the old-timey bulbs and decorations of another era.

The office of the owner of Pinewood, Mr. Buck, is decorated with the theme of Christmas in Hawaii with Elvis. The 1961 romantic comedy takes place on the beaches of “Blue Hawaii.”

A star-struck young fan is dreaming of Elvis

Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress alongside a tree in black and silver with blue Tiffany boxes calls up visions of the Oscar-winning movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” Christmas accessories

In the living room, there are preparations for a surprise Christmas party for a World War II General. The classic 1954 film “White Christmas” concludes with the toast,

 “May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white.”

The tables in “White Christmas” await men in the armed services.

On the porch, Snoopy and Woodstock play in their winter wonderland.

Mr. Buck’s bedroom showcases a winter scene complete with deer and snow from the 1945 classic comedy, “Christmas in Connecticut.”

Even the bathroom in this house gets gussied up for Christmas.

The “Christmas Love” we find in many Christmastime films is the inspiration for the decoration in this bedroom.

“Christmas Love” is all around in this room with red and white décor.

Scrooge lies asleep, unaware of the journey he is about to take when awakened by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, in the movie “A Christmas Carol.”

An old-fashioned trunk overflowing with glitzy, glittery gowns and shoes typifies the swanky 1930 musical, “Puttin’ on the Ritz.”

The Grinch flees Whoville in his giant red sleigh in “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

The Grinch must learn what Christmas is all about in order to celebrate the annual Christmas Whobilation on Christmas Eve.

After everyone finishes the tour of the home, they are invited to vote for their favorite room. This was a hard decision because there was something outstanding about several of the rooms. I thought the idea for “A Sip of Christmas” was stretching the movie theme a bit, but the decorations were very carefully crafted and displayed, and they showed a lot of attention to detail. “Out of Africa” was done by a professional designer, and the theme was beautifully carried out in the accessories. The jungle-animal tree was unique. “Blue Hawaii” conveyed the Christmas spirit through elaborate decorations specific to both Hawaii and Elvis. The decorations for “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” were sleek and sophisticated. I loved the forest scene with “snow” falling on the deer in “Christmas in Connecticut.” “Christmas Love” was lovely. The decorations for “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” left not one inch of the room without ornamentation. The room was entirely transformed into a winter wonderland. Which room would you have chosen?