This 83 acre garden was opened
in 1938. It is named for David Fairchild (1869-1954) who was
a plant explorer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He
visited every continent except Antarctica in search of plant
that could be of use in America. Included in the group of
plants he brought to North America are mangos, alfalfa,
nectarines, dates, bamboo and the flowering cherry trees
famous in Washington D.C.
Left - Marjory
Stoneman Douglas (1890-1998) was a journalist and
environmentalist who was instrumental in preserving the
Everglades and establishing Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.
If you are interested in tropical and sub-tropical plants,
this outstanding garden is a "must see". It has a large
collection of trees, shrubs, perennials and vines from the
warmer parts of the world. Take the free tram ride around
the garden for a nice introduction and to see some of the
more remote areas that would require quite a walk. The
butterfly exhibit is wonderful and contains only exotic
species. You must walk through a couple of isolation rooms
when entering and leaving to be sure that none of them
escape into the local environment.
