Marie Selby Botanical Gardens - Sarasota, FL
Posted by: 
lazyCachers
N 27° 19.617 W 082° 32.403
17R E 347637 N 3023588
Located at 811 South Palm Avenue in Sarasota, Florida just south of US 41.
Waymark Code: WM4N79
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 09/10/2008
Views: 18
Admission:
Adults - $17.00
Children 6 through 11 - $6.00
Children under 6 are free
The contents of Marie Selby's will revealed her wish to leave her property to the community as a botanical garden "for the enjoyment of the general public."
A board of directors was appointed and after consultation with the New York Botanical Garden and the University of Florida, it was decided that the garden should specialize in epiphytic plants, thereby making it unique among the more than 200 botanical gardens in the country.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens was officially opened to the public on July 7, 1975. Marie Selby's final wish was fulfilled, and the Selby legacy was in full bloom.
Since the Gardens opened, the property has expanded from seven acres to nearly 13 acres. The elegant Mansion on adjoining property was purchased in 1973 and now houses the Gardens' Museum. The Gardens maintains a plant collection numbering more than 20,000 greenhouse plants, plus thousands more in the outdoor gardens. Eight greenhouses include the stunning Tropical Display House where unusual flora can be seen year round. The Center for Tropical Plant Science and Conservation provides headquarters for The Bromeliad Identification Center, the Orchid Identification Center and the Selby Gardens' Herbarium.
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