Thursday, 15 August 2013

Gardens Throughout Miami

By Maria Cabrera


When someone references the city of Miami, the initial images that many travelers bring to mind are the attractive beaches and the exciting nightlife. But there are other attractions available to those who need to experience something different during their stay in Miami. These are the numerous botanical gardens in Miami, Miami public parks and nature preserves that may delight both travelers and locals.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

This is one of the floral gardens Miami is famous for, specifically its palms and various other tropical plants. The Windows to the Tropic section brings a real example of a rainforest to the visitor, together with the plants, rainfall and humidity found in those areas. The plants go from indigenous plants from Florida to rainforest species from South America. This garden also includes the Lisa D. Anness Butterfly Garden, that has plants used to draw in over 30 different sorts of butterflies. Also combined in the Fairchild Gardens are the Arboretum and an area for succulent flora.

The Kampong

The Kampong is an oasis set within the Miami metropolitan area. At the Kampong, one can view many plants not usually found on our continent. These include the Sausage Tree, named for its long fruits, as well as a one hundred year old Baobab tree from Tanzania. Collections include plants from the Caribbean, Southeast Far East and Central and South America. Thanks to the great variety of plants here, many researchers use this garden to complement their experience in their horticulture classes. If a visitor is searching for something unique, the Kampong is the one to visit.

Miami Beach Botanical Garden

This garden, though comparatively small, is packed with many examples of utilizing space with plant arrangements. Constructed in 1962, it is preparing to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Here, one will find a Japanese garden together with collections of orchids. There are examples of vertical landscaping, sometimes commonly known as a living wall. Water is also a crucial aspect here, and therefore there are many water gardens. This is another example of the botanical gardens Miami has to offer to its residents and visitors.

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

The gardens and museum here have been honored as a National Historic Landmark. The gardens are a mix of French and Italian designs. They consist of out of doors areas or rooms with focal points like elegant statues, fountains, raised islands and a centrally located pool. The 10 acres of gardens include sub-tropical forests as well as a large Orchid Garden.

Fruit and Spice Park

This unique site, part of Miami public parks is situated in the center of vast areas of tropical foliage. Here, one will find more than 500 differing kinds of nuts, exotic fruits, spices and herbs. These include 70 types of bamboo, 80 sorts of bananas as well as many variances of grapes and mangoes. There is no other garden of this type in the U. S.. Visitors are welcome, and can sample the items grown here that have fallen off plants naturally.

Parrot Jungle and Gardens

When walking through these gardens, travelers might forget that they are only a short distance from an important town. The gardens, together with waterfalls, streams and a lake, are home to 1200 kinds of exotic plants including orchids, bromeliads and bananas. Many tropical animals live in Parrot Jungle, for example indigenous mammals, tropical birds and even some endangered baby apes. Not limited to the gardens and animal exhibits, a copy of the Everglades is also available. This exhibit employs the plant and animal life of the Everglades, including alligators.




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