Gardens of the Florida Keys
The richly diverse ecosystems of the Florida Keys can be discovered in hidden gardens, tucked off main thoroughfares and the Overseas Highway, throughout the 125-mile-long island chain.
Names of Florida Keys subtropical trees, plants and flowers often are mysteriously lyrical, with monikers such as “gumbo limbo,” known as the “tourist tree” because of its peeling red bark (really!), and “lignumvitae” — Latin for “wood of life,” whose dense bark contains a resin used for treating arthritis.
Hidden gardens, nurtured and enjoyed by Keys locals, protect and preserve rare and exotic trees, plants and flowers. And they’re open to the public, providing behind-the-walls access, during winter garden tours. Exploring these spots is a rare treat that lets visitors make a meaningful connection to the island chain’s natural world.
The Upper Keys Garden Club, located between mile markers 89 and 100, includes Croton Color, Big Palm, the 4-acre Indian Mound Estate, Living History Grove and Orchid Cottage.
The Marathon Garden Club’s Annual House & Garden Tour gives visitors a chance to encounter unique horticulture and outdoor foliage, exotic plant species and hidden natural beauty. This intriguing tour is a favorite “can’t-miss” event for locals — and allows visitors a unique chance to discover Keys residents’ beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces
The 15-acre Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden — the only frost-free tropical moist forest garden in the continental United States — is a fascinating attraction. Attendees can browse and buy tropical and native plants, including more than 150 species of native plants in the garden’s nursery. Arts and crafts, eco-friendly products and services, a children’s program, live music, refreshments and an on-site beer garden round out the event’s enticing aspects.
Rich in biodiversity, it’s home to plants native to the Florida Keys, Cuba and the Caribbean. It includes two wetland habitats, two butterfly gardens, seasonal flowers and national and state champion trees — all awaiting exploration via eight self-guided tours.
The Key West Garden Club of West Mortello Tower tours include gardens created by noted landscape designer Patrick Tierney at the home of a former U.S. Navy commander in the Truman Annex neighborhood. Other private venues showcase butterfly gardens, orchid collections and fruit trees.
The garden club site is a tranquil haven overlooking the Atlantic Ocean at 1100 Atlantic Blvd. It features a white perfume garden with fragrant jasmine, gardenias, sweet almond and Chinese perfume plants — as well as indigenous plants, rare palms and plant exhibits.
These lovely trees and plantings are set against the backdrop of historic West Martello Tower, a never-used fortification built during the Civil War era. It was declared a National Historic Site in 1976 and today is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
By exploring Florida Keys gardens, visitors can discover the island chain’s horticulture and outdoor foliage, hidden natural beauty, unique ecosystems and exotic plants — and add fragrant memories to a winter vacation in the warmly welcoming island chain.
