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This attraction is a must-see for orchid enthusiasts. The 20,000-square-foot Mediterranean-style building has an atrium and copula, and the balcony is adorned with custom-designed medallions decorated with an orchid motif. The craftsman used several pictures of cattlelyas for inspiration as he created his own "artistic hybrid" for the design.

A 1,690-square-foot gift shop features a variety of items -- from typical gift shop fare like books, jewelry and T-shirts to hand-painted candlesticks and orchid motif doormats. Adjacent to the gift shop is a tiled garden room, which sells displays from local growers on a consignment basis.

The 3.5 acres of gardens, designed by Connie Roy-Fisher Landscape Architects in Jupiter, showcases more than 600 species of ornamentals as well as orchids. The design was adapted from ideas developed by students from the University of Florida's Department of Landscape Architecture. There are two greenhouses. One greenhouse is for display and another is a private production house and storage for the bulk of the collection. Visitors can walk into a staged display area and follow the sound of the waterfall, which is in the back of the greenhouse with a small bridge.

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