Fairchild Tropical Garden in Coral Gables is a tranquil oasis with lakes, woods and thousands of plants. Rare palms and orchids flourish in glass conservatories and the tropical Vine Pergola is festooned with dazzling, fluorescent flowers.
The garden was established in 1938 by Col Robert Montgomery and named in honour of David Fairchild, the maverick American explorer. Its original purpose was to collect, document and study tropical plants from around the globe. Emphasised horticulture includes palms, cycads, flowering trees, vines and fruit trees.