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by David John Turner (Author)
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens of Sarasota Florida occupies one of the choicest pieces of waterfront property in the city. The land eventually became a world-renowned research and display garden for orchids and epiphytes in spite of all the plans to convert the property into a government center or rows of high-rise condos.
This is a story of the many interesting characters who lived on this land: British planters, wealthy social mavens, oil tycoons, the Granddaughter of President U.S. Grant, a Russian Count and other assorted dreamers and speculators. This is also the story of the Selbys, who had a winter retreat on the property and especially Marie Selby who finally decided that the land was worth preserving and shut down the developers to create a world class garden that she never lived to see.
The author explores the twist and turns of this incredible story of the founding of this garden of tropical wonder which miraculously escaped the fever of development.
