Key West Gardens and Their Stories [Paperback]

Janis Frawley-Holler (Author), Darrel Holler (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2000

A rare opportunity to sneak a peek into the lushly green and flowered tropical gardens of old Key West in a beautiful all-color book. Includes beautiful views of the islanders' sanctuaries as well as fascinating stories and histories of the grounds where gardens now grow.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Pineapple Pr (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561642045
• ISBN-13: 978-1561642045
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,124,095 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Take a Peak at Key West Gardens, February 22, 2001

By 

Mary Drake (Trevett ME USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Key West Gardens and Their Stories (Paperback)

Key West Gardens and Their Stories embodies author Janis Frawley-Holler's love of Key West's mystery, romance and tropical ambiance as revealed in its public and private gardens. Gardens on this two- by four-mile frost-free island-city are infinite variations on a theme: how one uses fountains and tropical plants (especially palms, crotons, orchids and flowering trees) to create private oases in cramped spaces. Frawley-Holler's 128-page book, lavishly illustrated with 173 color photographs by her husband Darrel Holler, goes well beyond a listing of plants in each of 57 gardens. Into the essays she weaves personal stories of individual gardeners, how and why they planted what they did and historical tidbits about Key West -- the wealthy 19th-century city at the end of the Florida Keys, whose independence, freewheeling ways and Victorian architecture continues to charm writers, artists and visitors. "Restful Respites Open to All" (public gardens) and "Gardens with a Past" (museum gardens) where anyone can wander at will, open the book. Here are not just tropical areas, but also St. Paul's Episcopal Church's rose garden, the Hyatt Resort's Turtle Garden and the Memorial Sculpture Garden. "Awaken unto the Gardens" (the rear gardens of hotels, B&Bs and other lodgings) are tantalizingly hinted at by the streetside landscaping. Here Frawley-Holler shows us the stress-free ambiance lodging owners create through profuse blooms, fountains, pools and shady restful nooks. In "Tiny Gardens and a Grand Collection", Gardens of Old Town", "Truman Annex" and "Gardens Out of [Old] Town" Frawley-Holler takes us into private inner sanctums, rich with textures, riotous colors and unexpected eclectic accents expressing the owners' personalities. Roses raised by a sea captain, jungle murals mimicking the surrounding foliage, whimsical metal sculptures -- even Ernest Hemingway's infamous urinal now a watering dish for the six-toed descendants of his cats. After four months of research, Frawley-Holler knew much more about tropical plants and Key West history than when she began. Even so, her sensory impressions take precedence over Latin names or historical dates. Holler's photos are a treat, for photographing gardens with their variegated sun and shade is an almost impossible task. (He took many photos at sunrise, he reveals). Each photo illustrates a garden's unique features, further emphasizing the infinite variations among tropical gardens. A special treat are the close-up shots of individual blossoms that winter visitors never see. The book is best dipped into, savored a few gardens at a time. Visitors to Key West may want to peruse the chapters on public gardens before mapping a route or setting out, or even take the book along. (A mention of those gardens that charge admission would be a helpful addition.) The rest of us, wherever we garden, will find Key West's Gardens and Their Stories an inspiring and delightful peek behind garden gates for glimpses into the most private, romantic aspects of America's Southernmost City. ##

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Key West Gardens And Their Stories, February 19, 2002

By 

Sheri Ann Richerson "ExoticGardening.com" (Marion, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Key West Gardens and Their Stories (Paperback)

Key West is a tropical plant lovers paradise and this book is choke full of color photographs of some of the most fascinating gardens there. Not only is this book full of great photographs but there are many fascinating stories concerning the histories of the ground where the gardens now grow.
If you like history and you like tropical plants this is the book for you. I also found many inspiring ideas for future landscaping and greenhouse design and I am sure you will too.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoy full-page color photos of garden settings, March 3, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Key West Gardens and Their Stories (Paperback)

Key West Gardens And Their Stories will appeal to any with a special interest in Key West gardens and their histories. Enjoy full-page color photos of garden settings accompanying descriptions of the gardens and their histories. The result is a fine local history Florida residents will love.