Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Turns 75
On March 23, 1938, 83 acres of land were dedicated in a ceremony that brought together some of the biggest names in America’s horticultural history: Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Dr. Walter T. Swingle and Dr. Liberty Hyde Bailey, among others. The dedication was for Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, a nature lover’s paradise purchased by Col. Robert H. Montgomery and landscaped by William Lyman Phillips. Montgomery, a successful businessman and plant collector, wanted a botanic garden where tropical plants could grow-year round. Miami was the perfect place. He named the land he bought after his good friend Dr. David Fairchild, the great explorer responsible for introducing thousands of plant species into the U.S., including the famous cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. and the mangos so loved in South Florida. Many of the plants originally planted by Fairchild are still growing strong in the garden today, 75 years later. Fairchild will kick off its yearlong 75th Anniversary with activities commemorating this milestone from March 2013 – March 2014.
