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Marie Selby Botanical Gardens: Sarasota's Leisurely Legacy

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By KAREN HAYMON LONG

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 14, 2007

SARASOTA - A visit to Marie Selby Botanical Gardens makes a perfect complement to a stay on Siesta Key.

At the gardens, visitors learn the names of tropical bushes and trees that grow on the key. And they get to see colorful orchids, bromeliads, hibiscus bushes and other plants that will make them want to move here.

The gardens take at least two hours to see, and that includes watching a short video about its history.

In the 1920s, Bill and Marie Selby, oil and mining multimillionaires, built a Spanish-style home on seven acres on Sarasota Bay and Hudson Bayou. Marie Selby, a charter member of Sarasota's first garden club, transformed the property into lush gardens and planted bamboo along the shoreline overlooking the bay.

Her husband died in 1956. When she died in 1971, she left their house and property to the community as a botanical garden. Today, the gardens specialize in orchids and bromeliads but boast all sorts of other plants, flowers and trees.

The giant banyan trees in the center are among the highlights of a visit. Their massive trunks look like the burly brown legs of giants stretched out on the lawn. The shaded lawn under them looks like the perfect setting for an outdoor wedding.

The Selbys' house serves as one of the gardens' two gift shops, while a Georgian Revival mansion built in 1935 houses an art gallery with changing exhibits and period furniture.

The gardens also have a cafe and children's building.

Visitors are free to walk around the gardens at their leisure and to linger in the spectacular orchid display house, where

6,000 orchids burst from ceilings, walls and walkways.

The property hugs Sarasota Bay, with lovely views of sailboats and new downtown high-rises. Red and green bromeliads cling to branches of ancient oaks growing by the water amid lush ferns and exotic rare tropical plants.

A koi pond, teeming with plump, orange koi, is close to creaturelike cactuses and a colorful butterfly garden. Visitors sit on benches, tucked under shade trees and along winding paths, marveling at the natural beauty of the place.

A gift shop at the main entrance sells orchids and bromeliads at good prices (some for less than $20), books about orchids and other topics as well as gifts and children's items.

The gardens also host workshops and classes on horticulture, art, photography and other topics.

But the gardens' greatest gift is their invitation to relax amid spectacular beauty and some of nature's finest flowers.

GARDEN GLORY

WHAT/WHERE: Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 900 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota

HOURS: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; closed Dec. 25

ADMISSION: $12; $6 for ages 6 to 11; free for 5 and younger

INFORMATION: (941) 366-5731; www.selby.org

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