Tropical Garden
Having relatives in the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami areas in Florida, we’ve had the opportunity to spend some time in a climate quite diverse from our native Wisconsin climate. And during the winter, this can be a welcome respite, indeed.
Last winter while visiting relatives, we spent some time at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. The garden is just south of Miami, right on Biscayne Bay, and it is a fabulous spot to see plants and vegetation from around the world.
The 83 acre garden was founded by Robert Montgomery in 1938, and named after Dr. David Fairchild – a botanist who traveled the world searching for plants and vegetation that could be of potential use to the American people. Some of the plants he brought back to the U.S. include mangos, alfafa, nectarines, dates, horseradish, bamboos, and flowering cherries.
Sunning Iguana
Interestingly, the garden is not just home to a wide variety of tropical plants. There are many species of animals that roam loose on the grounds as well.
This iguana is a young one, sunning itself on the banks of a pond inside the garden. We saw many iguanas on this visit, ranging in size from this small one to orange-colored adults five feet long.
What I didn’t know is that iguanas are arboreal, and spend most of their time in trees. We saw several iguanas high up in the tropical trees, their orange color standing out against the green foliage.
Below are some additional pictures from the garden, and to see where these pictures were takend, click here: 
