Grounds and Gardens

Enhance your overall experience by taking a stroll around The Museum's beautiful gardens and grounds which overlook Sarasota Bay, it will enrich you and make for a memorable visit. Be sure to bring your camera as photograph opportunities pop up at practically at every turn. The grounds include three distinct gardens, towering Banyan Trees and a variety of native trees.

A must-see is Mable Ringling's Rose Garden. This traditional Italian garden patterned after a wagon wheel is accredited by All-American Rose Selections. It boasts 1,200 rose plants, the same variety planted by Mable herself, such as Tree Roses, Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, Grandifloras, miniature roses, shrubs, and Old Garden Roses.

Go back in time and envision Mable Ringling entertaining her houseguests in her Secret Garden. See where she placed several plant varieties that were given to her as gifts while wintering in Sarasota at the Cà d'Zan mansion.

The Dwarf Garden, located on the south side of the John M. McKay Visitors Pavilion, is reminiscent of romantic 18th and 19th century German and Italian gardens. Anchoring the garden are amusing stones that John Ringling bought from Italy. They represent a symbolic link that bonded the visual and performing arts at the Ringling.