Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden -- Part Three

This is the last part of my tour to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami.  If you have not read the first two parts and you are interested to read more, you can check out part one and part two.

In part two, I have shown you all kinds of the beauties Fairchild displayed in their "Window to Tropic Conservatory".   After visiting the conservatory, we had a quick lunch in the garden cafe, and kids got the ice cream to cool down.  Then we are ready to explore more...

Fairchild has a showcase called "The Lin Lougheed Spiny Forest of Madagascar ".  It is a representative display of some of the wonderful plants found in Madagascar’s spiny desert.  Some of them are unusual and rare plants found in that threatened habitat.

These two Agave plants have their flower spikes soaring up to the sky. 

This Mouse Trap Tree is full of blossoms.  What a beauty!

Uncarina grandidieri (Mouse Trap Tree, Succulent Sesame)

Uncarina grandidieri
(Mouse Trap Tree, Succulent Sesame)

Euphorbia Viguieri

Aloe Sinkatana

I am always amazed to see cactus blooming.  How can a plant with such a tough out look produces such delicate flowers?

After stepping out the area of  "The Lin Lougheed Spiny Forest of Madagascar",  we are on the way back to the gate.  

Found two Heliconias blooming... It won't be called a tropical garden without some heliconias! 

Heliconia subulata

Heliconia x Pabstii

Even these banana flowers are kind of hidden among their huge leaves, I was still able to spot them in distance.  The color and the shape of the bloom looks so beautiful against the green leaves with the sunshine penetrating through.

These bush is full covered by three colors of flowers, white, purple, lavender.  All are on the same plant.  I was not able to find the plant label.  The three color bloom feature is similar to the plant 'Brunfelsia pauciflora', also called "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow".  However, the flower shape does not match when I looked it up.  Anybody recognizes this plant? 

This flower looks just like its common name, "Chinese Lantern" or "Japanese Lantern"!

Hibiscus Schizopetalus
(Chinese Lanterns, Japanese Lanterns, or Fringed Rosemallow)

 I love the water lilies.  If I can ever have a small pond in my garden, water lilies are the must!

Wonder who is the lady sitting on the bench in front of that giant gumbo limbo tree (bursera simaruba)? It is a life-sized sculpture of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, created by sculptor and Fairchild volunteer Freda Tschumy.  Marjory was one of America’s greatest conservationists and the first editor of Fairchild’s magazine. The existence of the Everglades National Park is largely due to her efforts. She also lobbied extensively for the formation of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.   A big salute to you, Marjory!

It was very hot and humid that day, and we were ready to head back home...

Hold on, do you still remember in part one that I said I was not only treated with a garden trip, but also some nice plants for Mother's Day?  Yes, it happened that day the Fairchild had a flowering tree sale going on! Guess it was my lucky day!   Even I was not looking for buying any trees (not I don't love flowering trees, I just don't have space for them in my garden, sigh...) , we went there to check it out anyway.

It turned out to be that they did have some other plants for sale in addition to flowering trees. 

Such as different color and types of Frangipanis, some in pots, and some sold as cuttings.... I have one grown in the pot right now, still trying to find a place to put in the ground.  I guess I won't get more. 

All kinds of Desert Roses (Adenium Obesum )...  Hmmm, I already have one in my garden as well.

Ooh, what is this pretty flower?  I want one!

Tibouchina lepidota nana
Dwarf Tibouchina

I believe this is also known as "Princess Flowers".   This type is supposed to grow much more compact than Tibouchina urvilleana, about 3 feet tall.  Perfect for my small garden, and purple is one of my favorite garden colors!

And how about this beauty?!  Ok, it is actually just the picture on the label, the plant itself does not have flower yet.  I recognized this Giant Apostle's Iris' flower from several Florida bloggers' posts.  I have been looking for it for a while.  Since only two was left, I grabbed one quickly!  It is not very cheap though, cost me $20.00, but I can not find it anywhere else.

Neomarica Caerulea 'Regina'
 (Giant Apostle's Iris)

I was quite satisfied with my two choices.  What a perfect way to end a perfect day!

Boys, Thanks for a perfect Mother's Day!  Oh, can not forget to thank my husband for his nice thought to bring me to this garden :)  I definitely will return here in the cool season, so that we can walk in the garden for longer time in much more comforts.

Thanks all for following along with the tour.  Hope you enjoyed it.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden -- Part Two

In the previous post I told you that my family treated me a visit to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami, Florida for Mother's Day. Today I will continue the tour of this amazing garden.

Fairchild has a "Windows to the Tropics Conservatory". The Conservatory houses tropical botanical collections that would suffer in Miami's outside environment. The enclosed areas of the conservatory maintain a temperature of at least 55°F, preventing cold damage on some of Fairchild's rarest specimens. It also maintains the optimum soil conditions for the collection.

Upon stepping into the conservatory, this is what we saw:

The art work is called "End Of The Day Tower", created by Artist Dale Chihuly.  The tower is made out of the various colored parts not used in the other chandeliers.  Thus, it was made at the end of the day, or at the end of the project.  The tower is situated in the middle of the entry in a small pond surrounded by all tropical plants.  Only I can not find a picture with a broader view. 

Among the lush green of the tropical plants, something really drew my attention.

Do you notice the red flowers close to the bottom of  that small tree?  Here is a close look.

Tapeinochilos Ananassae (Indonesian Wax Ginger )

What an exotic look of this plant!  The plant name is 'Tapeinochilos Ananassae', and it is native from Malaysia to Queensland, Australia. the trunk kinds of reminding me of the bamboo, only it is not the bamboo shoots emerging from the ground, it is the waxy and brightful colored bracts.

Wandering in the conservatory, everything is so lush and beautiful.  I am like a kid in the Disney World, excited and amazed by all the surroundings.

Look how big are these alocasia leaves!

What happened to this Anthurium? Two different colors of leaves on the same plant!

One of my favorites,  the Tree Fern!  I so wanted to have one in my own garden, but I don't think I have a suitable place for it.  It not only needs space, also needs some shade, both are lacking from my garden.

Ooh, how about this palm?   This salacca magnifica is a clustering spiny palm, which doesn't trunk.  It has very long and undivided leaves. It is said that its fruit is ediable.  If anybody has this palm grown in their garden, it surely makes a very tropical statement!

Salacca Magnifica

Here is again a display of Dale Chihuly's art work: "Copper Frog Foot Ikebana: Stem and Lapis Blue Split Bud". Chihuly grew up surrounded by flowers. His mother had a passion for gardening. This is one of his series of elongated stems and blossoms, called Ikebana, after the stylized beauty of Japanese floral arrangements.  

The plant on the left with giant rounded leaves and white flowers is lotus leaved begonia.  I found Fairchild has a nice collection of begonias as well, which is my new favorite developed recently :) 

Here are a few shots of the begonias I found in the garden, far from the complete though.

I believe this is either dragon wing or angel wing begonia...

Begonia 'Mirage'

This begonia is grown majorly for its colorful foliage.

Begonia 'Simple Simon'

 Now we moved to Epiphyte Room of the conservatory.  I found myself again immersed in the sea of ferns, bromeliads and other epiphytic plants.

This bird's nest fern with wrinkled leaves is different from what I have in my own garden.

Asplenium Nidus (Bird's Nest Fern)

Their display room features potted plants supplied by two greenhouses.  The plants are rotated through the season. 

This 40 foot long Tillandsia screen that displays plants suspended in mid-air really impressed me.

I noticed those pots in front of the Tillandsia screen only after I came home and browsed the pictures.  Are those "Nun's orchids" ?  How can I even have missed that?!   I guess with so many eye candies in one room, my two eyes are just not quick enough to digest them any more :)

Have you had enough yet?  I will save some for the last part of this tour.   Stay tuned :) 

Update:

For Part One of this garden tour, please click here.

For Part Three of this garden tour, please click here.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden -- Part One

What would be the best Mother's Day gift for a mother who loves gardening?  How about some nice plants and a garden visit?  Well, I got both this Mother's Day! 

I have been hearing a lot of nice things about Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden since I started my gardening passion one short year ago.  The garden is located in Miami, about 45 minutes drive south from where I live.   I never visited there even my husband and I had lived in Miami for about 6 years when we both studied there as international graduate students.  I have been talking about visiting the garden for a while, but with busy working schedule during the week days, and equaly busy weekends, the visit just remained in the talk until this weekend.

This past Sunday was the Mother's Day.  Since kids had Sunday Chinese school, my husband and two boys decided to fulfill my wish on Saturday.  So, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, here I come!

As soon as we entered the gate, this was what greeted us.  This kind of setting of massive bromeliads, palms and cycads is being seen everywhere in the garden.

Fairchild is not only a garden dedicated to conservation and education, it also serves as a backdrop for the art works from all over the world.

This three pumpkins are created by Japanese Artist Yayoi Kusama with her signature polka dots.  Although it is a little too modern to my taste, but it is something unique of this garden.   I saw lots of other Art works spreaded around in the garden.

Art work by Japanese Artist Yayoi Kusama

This is a fountain near the South Entrance.  The Cobalt Herons are made by American Artist Dale Chihuly.  They were formed by blowing glass.  I found it fits this setting quite well.

Cobalt Herons by American Artist Dale Chihuly:

Here is one of the water plants in the fountain with very cheerful flowers and beautiful leaves.  Anybody recognizes it? I can not find a plant label near by.

Fairchild has wide collection of palms and cycads. Here is the cycad circle that contains about 315 species  with more than 700 accessioned plants. All cycads are considered to be threatened with extinction.

Cycad Circle 1

Cycad Circle 2

Their palm collection is situated around the lake.  What a serene view it is! 

Palm collection around the lake

This large Jacaranda Cuspidifolia is in full bloom with its lavender flowers.  It is so distinct in its surroundings that I was immediately drawn into it.

Jacaranda Cuspidifolia

A closeup of its flowers...

The weather was very hot and humid. Boys wanted to get on the tram to get an easy tour first (I had to go back to take a closer look and took lots of pictures of the plants later).  When we got off the tram, I gasped at this giant live oak tree.

Its branches are packed with so many air plants, bromeliads, orchids and staghorn ferns. It is just a magic tree for me.

I found myself can not help keeping snapping the pictures of so many beautiful plants. Lots of them I have never seen, and let alone to know the names.  Thanks to the label system of the garden, I am able to show you with a name for most of the plants.  (After coming home, I found some of the label picture I took does not match the plant that I thought the name is for.  With the plants tightly packed, it is so easy to confuse the label when it is not directly put on the plant itself, especially for a new gardener like me.)

This flower attracts me by its bright color, and unique shape.  The texture of the flower appears to me very wax like.   I thought the common name of "Gold Finger" is very interesting.

Juanulloa Mexicana (Common Name: Gold Finger)

Bromeliads are all around the garden.  Every corner I turned, I can see some of their stunning blooms or the foliage.

Bromeliad Aechmea 'Blue Tango'

I have the exact same one as shown below in my garden.  It now has a pup growing next to the mother plant.  Hmmm.., wondering how many years it will take for mine to grow like this? Is that possible?

Neoregelia X Ultima

Neoregelia Hybrid

And how about this bloom?

Bromeliad Aechmea 'Royal Wine'

I also have an ornamental pineapple in my garden, but the leaves of mine are different from this one.  This red pineapple contrasts the varigated leaves so nicely.

Ananas comosus x Ananas bracteatus 'Tricolor' (Red Pineapple)

This flower is just so standing out with its bright red orange color.

Scutellaria costaricana
 (Helmet flower, also known as Scarlet Skullcap or Costa Rican Skullcap)

This bloom is white and airy with long white stamens that look like whiskers, hence the common name 'Cat's Wiskers'.

Orthosiphon Stamineus (Cat's Whiskers)

They also have quite a nice collection in ginger family.  Here are two of them.

Alpinia henryi 'Pink Perfection'

Costus barbatus (Spiral Ginger)

Even with careful picking, I found I still have so many pictures I have taken in the garden that I can not pack into this already long post.  I will share them with you in some future posts.

Hope you enjoyed the tour so far.   This garden has so many to offer.  I am so happy that my husband and two boys took me here to celebrate the Mother's Day.

Update:

For Part Two, please click here.
For Part Three, please click here.