Tropical rain forest grows in Sarasota

The Selby Gardens is perhaps best known for its living collection of more than 6,000 orchids. The gardens, located on 8 1/2 acres of bayfront property that was once the Selby Estate, is an open-air and under-glass museum of more than 20,000 colorful plants –- many of them collected in the wild during more than 150 scientific expeditions to tropical rain forests.

Selby has seven greenhouses that are the heart of the institution’s botanical research. Selby is internationally recognized for its propagation and plant identification programs.

Throughout the grounds are 20 distinct garden areas including a butterfly garden, bamboo pavilion, koi pond, banyan grove, cycad collection, bromeliad display, palm grove and a baywalk.

Inside the Tropical Display House is an exhibit featuring thousands of exotic plants from around the world. There is a rotating exhibit of 18th, 19th and 20th century botanical illustrations.

Selby Gardens are located at 811 S. Palm Ave., off U.S. 41 in Sarasota. The phone number is (941) 366-5731 and the web site is www.selby.org.

Ticket prices are $8 for adults and $4 for children 6-11. Children under 6 are free. The gardens are open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every day of the year except Christmas.

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