The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden !!!

Posted in Americas, Florida

Another sentimental favorite while my living in my dear Florida and glad to have found me a picture to do this post in my blog, memories forever !! Going down memory lane again with wonderful family experiences visiting Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden , and this is my tribute to it, Do read my other wonderful posts on my Florida. Hope you enjoy the post as I.

The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is a 34-hectare, (about 83 acres) botanical garden located at 10901 Old Cutler Rd. Coral Gables and in Miami-Dade County of Florida. The garden features important collections of rare tropical plants, such as palms, cycads, flowering trees. The garden’s name pays homage to American botanist and traveler David Grandison Fairchild and friend investor Robert H. Montgomery, The garden was established in 1936, inaugurated and opened to the public in 1938. Voted Best Botanical Garden in North America by USA Today in 2021, 2022 & 2023 and Awarded Best Place for Kids by Miami New Times

Miami Fairchild tropical gardens house entr aug09

Fairchild is located next to Matheson Hammock Park, a wonderful natural mangrove area worth the detour as well, David Fairchild,was one of the great explorers and collectors of plant specimens, and Robert H. Montgomery pursued the dream of creating a botanical garden in Miami. Mr Montgomery purchased, the site, named it in memory of his friend Fairchild, and later deeded most of it to Miami-Dade County, Dr. Fairchild’s extensive travels brought many important plants to the United States, including mangoes, alfalfa, nectarines, dates, horseradish, bamboo, and cherry blossoms, and including a giant African baobab tree, not far from the entrance. The garden itself was designed by landscape architect William Lyman Phillips, a member of the Frederick Law Olmsted Society, and one of the leading landscape designers in South Florida during the 1930s.

The first 15 years the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden focused on the construction of its buildings including the Montgomery Palmetum, the Bailey Palm Glade, the Alameda and surrounding areas, the Vine Pergola, the Amphitheater, the Porch House, Montgomery Library and Museum, 14 Lakes, the stone walls of the terraces, the irrigation systems, the moss garden, and the garden auditorium of Montgomery’s house. The last buildings to be included were Davis House (1953), Hawkes Laboratory (1960), Robbins Botanical Science Building (1967), Rare Plant House (1968), Corbin Botanical Education Building ( 1972), and several extensions that have been made over the years in the different buildings already built.

The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is a leading research center in horticulture and palm conservation, with 7,054 accessions and 4,249 taxa in cultivation. Among its collections are Arecaceae, Cycas, Bromeliaceae, Araceae, plants from the flora of Madagascar, flora from the Caribbean, Bamboos, as well as tropical ornamental plants and flowers (trees, shrubs and vines). The garden also includes a large ex situ collection of endangered species from Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Among its sections: The Richard H. Simons Rainforest, which opened to the public in October 2000. The William F. Whitman Tropical Fruit Pavilion, opened in November 2003. Jewels of the Caribbean. And the International Mango Festival that is celebrated annually during the month of July. A free 45-minute narrated tram tour, is recommend, to show you the highlights, and, then you’re on your own to browse the gardens as you see fit.

A bit on the City of many visits and friends, Coral Gables is a planned community, noted for its landscaped plazas and parkways, gateways of coral rock and royal poinciana trees. Spanish, Mediterranean and contemporary architecture blend in the downtown area. Many estates are in the older section of the city; modern mansions line the bayfront. The  Merrick House, 907 Coral Way, was the home of founder George Merrick, who named the city after his family home Worth a ride by its streets with beautiful architecture indeed.

The official Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden : https://fairchildgarden.org/

The official organisation Botanic Gardens Conservation International of which Fairchild is a member : https://tools.bgci.org/garden.php?id=87&ftrCountry=US&ftrKeyword=&ftrBGCImem=&ftrIAReg=

The City of Coral Gables on Fairchild : https://www.coralgables.com/attractions/fairchild-tropical-botanical-garden

Another lovely nostalgic spot in the world for me and my family, maybe never back again, but always in our hearts for the memories that will never fade away. Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden as I,

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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