NIGHTS OF LIGHT—

Just a mile or so north of our winter digs in Vero Beach is the McKee Botanical Garden where last week visitors were treated to their first-ever, after dark peek at this luscious, 18 acre piece of tropical real estate. 

          

In 1922 a local land company purchased 80 acres of tropical hammock along the Indian River and seven years later the McKee Jungle Gardens was born.  With the help of a landscape architect the basic infrastructure of streams, ponds and trails was designed.

Native vegetation was augmented with ornamental plants from around the world and the work grew into an acclaimed collection of water lilies and orchids.

By the 1940s more than 100,000 tourists were visiting the gardens each year but, by the 1970s attendance dwindled due to competition from new attractions and the garden closed its doors in 1976.

The land was sold and all but today’s 18 acres were developed.  The remaining acreage sat vacant for 20 years then, in 1995, a local land-trust purchased the remaining acreage for 1.7 million dollars.  Close to $9.1 million was raised to purchase, stabilize and restore the garden which held its formal dedication in 2001.

This season’s inaugural “Nights of Lights” event featured 400 walkway luminaries with 100 additional, floating luminaries leading visitors through a visual treat of spotlighted ponds, plants and sculptures.

A rustic building known as the Hall of Giants contained a mahogany table; at 35 feet in length, the longest piece of solid mahogany in the word.  It was tastefully adorned by 190 conical shaped “trees” fashioned by the staff from scraps of wrapping paper (pictured above).

More than 1,000 folks were expected to enjoy the three evening walk in the park such as shown in the small photo top right.

We, along with friends Dick and Dee Weeks, were happy to be among them.

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http://www.mckeegarden.org/index.php