By Yours Truly and Jan Engoren

Now’s the time for the annual home and garden tours which you read about in Part 1. Here are self guided tours you can do to suit your own schedule,  from Key West to Palm Beach, leading gardens in South Florida and nurseries well worth visiting.

Leading Nurseries and Gardens in South Florida to Visit

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens

In January, this historic sub-tropical estate – the Bonnet House Museum & Gardens – located in downtown Fort Lauderdale, celebrated its 100th Anniversary on the estate’s magical grounds off A-1A. Built in 1920 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Bonnet House Museum & Gardens is one of the few complete homes and studios of two American artists with original furnishings open to the public.

Nestled on just off Ft. Lauderdale beach, the gardens are an oasis among the hustle and bustle of downtown, sitting on 35 acre ecosystem of a native barrier island. In addition to its historic significance, the Bonnet House grounds represent one of the last examples in South Florida of that natural habitat.

Five distinct ecosystems can be found on the property including the Atlantic Ocean beach and primary dune, a fresh water slough, the secondary dune which includes the house site, mangrove wetlands and a maritime forest. In complement to the natural vegetation, the grounds contain a Desert Garden composed of arid plantings, a hibiscus garden and the main courtyard which showcases tropical vegetation. Orchid displays are rotated regularly through the estate’s Orchid Display House. From 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm, enjoy their annual Concerts Under the Stars series premiers.

In April, they the Gardens will host their 13th Annual International Orchid & Garden Festival.

Self-guided tours are available using your mobile device:  Tuesday – Friday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saturday & Sunday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Welcome Center on the day of your visit or by visiting bonnethouse.org.

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens is located at 900 N. Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. It is open all year round (except Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day) from Tuesday – Friday, from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday, 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

To find out more about this historic property, or to register for one of its many tours, click here or call (954) 563-5393.

Fraga’s Nursery

The creative talents of Otto and Noram Fraga, owners and founders of their eponymous Miami nursery are on display with their larger-than-life whimsical topiaries of teddy bears, giraffes, porpoises and of course, alligators. Founded 35 years ago, the family-owned business which now includes their children, Robert and Vivian, specializes in unique and rare plants.

Offering a garden experience with white glove service, Fraga’s Nursery – known as “The King of Topiaries,” is home to a greenhouse filled with orchids, bromeliads, ferns, palms and varieties of hostas. No matter where you are on property, it’s abundantly clear that, at Fraga’s, every plant is very well cared for.  The property is a testament to nature as much as it is to the family that loves its plants.

Fraga’s Nursery is located at 12300 SW 46th Street, Miami, FL 33175. It is open Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Saturday from 7:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. There are no formal tours, but the Fraga family is always available to take you through the property. For more information about Fraga’s Nursery, visit fragasnursery.com or call (305) 559-9555.

Bullis Bromeliads

Can you say Bromeliads? Family owned and operated since 1977, Bullis Bromeliads – a wholesale nursery – continues to prosper on over 25 acres of land with over 18 acres of shade houses and 2.5 acres of greenhouses. Traditionally known for producing large bromeliads, Bullis specializes in the largest selection of Aechmea and Neoregelia species and hybrids in the market.

Their bromeliads are used extensively in landscapes, interior applications and retail garden centers all over, including South Florida, Canada and the Caribbean.Over the years, Bullis has introduced thousands of new hybrids with hundreds in production.

They currently hold dozens of U.S. patents. They are most known for their Aechmea Blue Tango (P.) and Del Mar (P.), as well as dozens of Neoregelia’s such as Donger (P.), and Maria (P.), and Valentines (P.).

Bullis Bromeliads is located at 24350 SW 147th Avenue, Princeton, FL 33032 and open Monday – Friday, from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Retail purchases can be made by appointment on Fridays only by calling (305) 258-8932. There is no formal tour, but there is always someone onsite who can show you around. You can also wander the front garden and waterfall area or take a rest under their wraparound patio. For more information about the nursery, or to find out what plant species they currently have available, visit bullisbrom.com.

Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach

The Moai have arrived at Mounts Botanical Garden in West Palm Beach, one of the leading gardens in South Florida. Easter Island’s acclaimed and mysterious larger-than-life figures can now be seen gracing the gardens at Mounts.

The latest addition to the Gardens’  permanent installation brings the awe and wonder of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) to its grounds. The three imposing Moai statues, replicas of the iconic monolithic, human figures, designed by artist Dennis MacDonald add a striking touch of wonder to the gardens.

“This artistic tribute is meant to evoke questions, rather than answer them, and to serve as a link to the past—our history, art and culture,” says benefactor Margaret Blume. “If a visitor feels a sense of mystery and awe while being in the presence of the moai, then we have achieved our mission.”

Mounts Botanical Garden is the oldest and largest public botanical garden in the Palm Beaches.  A 14-acre living plant museum with 25 unique garden areas, the hidden gem is a tropical paradise with ever-changing beauty, that you can stroll through for enjoyment, relaxation or inspiration.

Themed gardens include the O’Keeffe Rain Garden, the Rose and Fragrance Garden, the Garden of Well Being, the Mediterranean Garden, the Tropical Forest, Children’s Maze, An Edible Landscape, Tranquility Garden and the Windows on the Floating World – Blume Tropical Wetland Garden and more.

Mounts Botanical Garden is located at 531 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach, FL 33415. For more information, or to learn more, visit mounts.org or call (561) 233-1757.

Last but certainly not least of gardens in South Florida to visit

Key West Garden Club

In addition to Duval Street and the Hemingway House, why not add the Key West Garden Club gardens to your Key West itinerary? The Club was founded in 1934 as a part of a WPA project to convert Key West into a tourist town.

The Key West Garden Club at West Martello Tower is a tropical garden and Certified Butterfly Habitat by the sea on the site of a former Civil War fort. With garden rooms to delight you, history to intrigue you and the beach and sea to inspire you, the gardens are a welcome respite from daily life. Visit their latest white perfume garden in the Inner Courtyard, alongside a large fountain and pool bracketed by two stands of giant black bamboo and brilliant red-trunked lipstick palms.

Opposite the green gazebo, view the “Dinosaur Garden,” created with plants which were around in pre-historic times: Cycads, Dioons and Zamias juxtaposed with a collection of rare Cuban palms. Don’t miss the swathe of native wildflowers overlooking the ocean from on top of the hill.

Open to the public, the gardens are maintained by member-volunteers. As a non-profit organization, it has a mission to provide the community with educational opportunities related to tropical gardening and to the West Martello Tower, a National Historic site where the Club is located.

Key West Garden Club is located where White St. meets the Atlantic Ocean. Open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s Day 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information visit keywestgardenclub.com or call (305) 294-3210.  Admission is free, but donations gratefully accepted.

Wondering what else you can do in Key West, click here for my blogpost on Unique Things to See and Do in Key West.

Interested in botanical gardens in South Florida? Click on the link below.

Botanical Gardens in Miami, New Best Walks and Nightlights