Forever Green!

Sarasota Jungle Gardens has always been green. This property, that was once described as an “impenetrable swamp”, consisting of muddy, swamp soil may be considered infertile. However, it is exactly the opposite. The soil, at one time was covered by fresh water and hundreds of years of decaying plants. It is actually very rich and full of nutrients and minerals. This soil is also perpetually damp, even in the driest of seasons.

As noted in Sarasota Jungle Garden’s history, David Breed Lindsay had a close friend who was a nurseryman by the name of Pierson Conrad. Mr. Conrad was an avid collector of exotic and rare plants and owned a nearby commercial nursery. Some of the rare and exotic species that you see in the Gardens at present, were planted by Mr. Lindsay and Mr. Conrad.

Conrad’s plants thrived without the help of fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides. Mr. Conrad was mystified by such rapid and healthy growth! He would bring Lindsay some of his sickly plants to place in the Gardens, knowing that they would survive. Over the years, many species of plants were placed in the Gardens to enhance the winding jungle trails. To the present day, over three-thousand species of exotic and native plants thrive at Sarasota Jungle Gardens.

The soil has retained its fertility and continues to provide the perfect balance of nutrients for the Gardens’ plants. Because of the Garden’s many free roaming birds and animals, pesticides & most herbicides are prohibited.

The Garden is an “informal garden” and has been allowed to grow at it’s own pace with minimal maintenance. Numerous freshwater springs that are located on the property assure that the soil is perpetually damp which promotes plant growth.

Over the years, many of the exotic plants have perished due to age or frost. Instead of replanting the same species, they have been replaced with native Florida plants and grasses. Several areas in the Gardens are examples of natural habitats for these native species.