Nestled in a northeasterly corner of the city is the Miami Beach Botanical Garden. A surprisingly small, 2.5-acre paradise, it is home to tropical plants, trees, shrubs and more importantly a much needed serene, quiet, green space in a bustling urban area.
If desired one can rent the garden grounds for a wedding, social event, birthday or anniversary celebration. There is also a gift shop.
While small in size compared to many botanical gardens this one still manages to live up to expectations when it comes to the variety of plants on display as well as offering an artistic and holistic atmosphere.
It is rarely quiet in South Beach, so finding this pond with a fountain in the background and being able to hear the continuous splash of the water is a soothing and most enjoyable sound.
The turtle pond attracts young and old visitors alike.
There were in fact two ponds and two fountain. This second contained koi - some where huge!
This seating arrangement is not only functional, but a perfect artistic setting.
Everywhere one looks there are flowers and/or ornamental berries. (My apologies for not knowing names, but I appreciate them nonetheless!)
The oriental garden with this red bridge was all the more pleasant because of the sweet, fragrant aroma of a nearby flowering tree.
John noticed the bumps on this particular tree trunk and apparently it is a natural characteristic of this type of tree.
What would a botanical garden be without a butterfly garden?
This tree was overflowing from top to bottom with these 'grapes'.
The blooms high above our heads on this tree caught my attention (proving I can and do often look up.)
This tree trunk is covered with spikes and we discovered it just outside of the botanical garden gates as we were leaving.
Many, many years ago orchids used to be a favourite flower of mine, that is, until we spent some time in the Caribbean and I learned they are a parasitic plant and more often than not covered with ants. Still, they are gorgeous flowers - just don't offer me a bouquet of them!
It is beneath this huge banyon tree that weddings, teas, etc. take place. The shade is a welcome commodity in southern Florida.
We also visited the Miami Beach Holocaust Memorial which given the current climate of divisive politics and promotion of increasing levels of fear between peoples seemed more poignant than ever.
A brief history of the holocaust including horrific photos, terrifying facts and the extermination of six million jews is a sobering experience - one that sadly began not with gas chambers or work camps, but with words. Words that created a mindset and climate where genocide became a methodical, orderly and all too real reality.
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