The garden at The Mermaid & The Alligator is ablaze with the blooming of spring and soon the Royal Poinciana trees will join in. The garden is a wonderful mix of native vegetation to the Florida Keys and tropicals plants that we are fortunate to grow in this subtropic environment. Dean spends hours in the garden with only help from the guy that cuts the grass. It is quite a chore, but something he absolutely loves.We have discovered our own "seasons" in our gardens. The spring months of April, May are upon us when the desiduous trees such as the mahogany shed it's leaves and immediately blossom out with beautfully fresh green leaves that darken as the summer goes on until we get to next spring again. The Royal Poinciana trees are much the same as the mahogany. The leaves shed in the spring in time for the new flowers to bud on the trees, which happens in May and then the leaves start coming back out as the trees ignite with the beautiful red/orange flower canopy.
For the plant/garden enthusists, there are many beautiful gardens around Key West if you are also an avid gardener and would like to learn about Key West native & tropical plants.
- Nancy's Secret Garden - is hidden away at the end of a small lane in Old Town, called FreeSchool Lane, off Simonton Street. There are lot's of palm species and tropical plants in this beautiful space, not to mention a collection of birds. http://www.nfsgarden.com/
- Key West Botanical Garden - is a several acre site on Stock Island the next key off Key West. It was originally started as a WPA project. It has been going through a massive restoration and expansion is going to be an amazing show piece for the Florida Keys. There is a large number of native trees and vegetation, several with Champion desingations. http://www.keywestbotanicalgarden.org/
- Key West Garden Club - is down at Higgs Beach and partially enclosed by remnants of a Civil War fort. This volunteer run garden is a beautiful setting and has a large orchid collection. http://www.keywestgardenclub.com/
Just one more thing to enjoy in the beautiful Florida Keys!
The Innkeepers
