A toast to all gardeners.
Someone once said, “Good things come in small packages.” I may not be positive about who should get credit for the phrase, but I’m pretty sure he or she must have been referring to Key West.
Measuring just 7.4 square miles, there’s a lot crammed onto this legendary Florida paradise — from Ernest Hemingway’s house to Fantasy Fest to the Audubon House & Tropical Gardens to the daily sunsets, often met with a liquid toast.
Tucked away among the touristy attractions is one of the last free admissions on the island: the Key West Garden Club at West Martello Tower. Since 1955, the garden club, through strokes of luck and vision, dedication and hardwork in the tropical sun, transformed a Civil War-era fort into a walled garden filled with native and exotic trees and plants.
The entrance to the garden.
An area of the old fort now used for greener purposes.
As visitors step outside of the entrance area, they’re in a world that is lush, silent, peaceful — and alien. It almost feels as if we are all Dorothy as she steps into Oz for the first time.
The butterfly garden.
A spiky ground cover seems quite content under the shade of a Cinnecord Tree.
Canna.
The water feature.
The orchid house.
The other water feature.
A piece of the old wall is able to support the weight of a massive tree.
A closeup.
The Strangler Fig, so named because the seeds germinate in the canopy of neighboring trees.
Once its roots reach the ground, it grows and strangles its host.
The blooms of the aptly named Powder Puff Tree.
By the end of the tour, I was melted
The bloom of desert rose.
By the end of the visit, it was time to return to the conveniences of our modern world — an air conditioned car — but not before one last smile.
Gardener humor knows no climate zone.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Man 
Wow, pictures are stunning. I love the one of the wicker chair and table, but really, I love them all. Just love.
Hi Cinthia. Thanks for stopping by. Actually, the orchid house provided so welcome shade from the summer heat. About the only thing missing was a frosty cocktail! 🙂
love love love these photos!!!
Thanks Alesia. 🙂
Hi Kevin!
Such a strange tree — creepy. Are they native to Key West?
Susan!! It is a creepy kind of tree — but it’s native to Florida, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Hope all is well with you!!
All is well – thank you. And you?
Does it produce fruits, like Figs or is that just it’s name?
Glad we don’t have those around there here parts. LOL!
😀 I’m hanging in there. As far as I understand, the strangler fig produces a small, bitter fruit. Humans shy away from them, but birds love them. They eat the fruit, but the seeds are indigestible — so when that bird poops, the seeds are viable. They land in the upper branches of host trees, where they germinate. Roots spread down the trunk of the host or dangle in the air until they reach the ground. At that point, the strangler becomes even more aggressive. It competes quite strongly for water and nutrients and literally squeezes and overwhelmed the host. I hope a seed never lands on my head.
That is some serious Creature Double Feature creep-show shit. Ha! Ha!
Yah, seriously. Note to self: Wear hat when visiting Key West’s gardens. 🙂
Amen to that, sister. Amen to that!
That powder-puff thing is amazing. Your photos are just gorgeous!
Thank you, Ann. I also liked the powder puff tree — fun and lovely! 😀
Any ideas for your new garden? (Oh, and loved “the other water feature.”)
The other water feature got me, as well, Cheryl. 😀 I’m falling in love with orchids and bromeliads. In addition to the orchid house, the garden club also wired orchids to the trunks of trees. Nice. I also think I’ll stay very far away from the strangler fig.
Thanks for the incentive to visit Key West. ‘Never been, but love the look and your description of it.
Hi Ronnie. It’s definitely worth a visit — especially the drive. There’s plenty to do and eat and drink. Enjoy!
Love the gardener’s toast! Cheers!
And to you, as well, Kat. 😀
The other water feature does it for me.
LOL! As far as the eye can see, unless another island gets in the way. 😀
Hi, Kevin! Loved this post, but was especially intrigued by the beauty of the desert rose and the powder puff tree! Absolutely gorgeous!!!. Glad you found this little oasis in the Keys!
Hi Aunt Pat. The desert rose is growing on me — not literally. It’s an interesting plant with a thick, woody trunk — but the flowers are showstoppers. 🙂
Great pictures and sounds like you enjoyed your trip down there. I remember seeing a show where they talked about the struggles with hurricane damage…. Wow, puts my Japanese beetle damage in perspective!
Hi Bittster. I agree — Key West is definitely one place where I wouldn’t want to be during a hurricane. It certainly looks much nicer on a sunny day. 🙂
What a beautiful place…I wouldn’t want to leave. Shadows, roots, nooks n’ crannies…love it x
JANE!!! I understand why you may not want to leave, but you may want to find your way indoors, where it air conditioned. 🙂
Loved all the garden photos, the descriptions and the house – wow, overlooking the sea – a perfect garden – thanks for this delightful post, Kevin.
Hi Flavia. Glad you enjoyed the visit. 🙂
Wow, that tree on the wall is amazing! And the Strangler Fig is fascination. I never knew Key West was so small. What a gorgeous area!
Hey Indie! Not only is Key West small, but the touristy area is a small part of the small island. Definitely worth a visit. 🙂
Some very beautiful plants! I love the powder puff tree and that interesting fig! The “spiky ground cover” looks like a popular succulent that does very well in our climate. I have so much of it that after a while I am forced to discard it. What an interesting place for a garden club–a renovated Civil War-era fort! A great space!
Hi Debra. The volunteers have done an amazing job in keeping up the grounds — and how fortunate for them to have so much ground to play in! It had me wondering about other garden clubs around the country — if there was a way for them to take a dilapidated property and turn it into their space. Imagine an old warehouse or department store turned into a walled garden!
So you mean to tell me the gardens I saw in my KW trip several months ago was just the tip of the iceberg? Gosh… I really need to go back just for garden exploration!!
Thanks for the great recap.
Hi Victor. Key West may be a small island, but it’s big in spirit — and gardens. By all means, visit the Key West Garden Club! Thanks for stopping by.