GORGEOUS GARDENS ON DISPLAY

Key West Garden Club Presents

2 Days Of Exclusive Tours

Five flourishing private Key West gardens will be on display for nature enthusiasts to explore from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24 and 25, during once-a-year tours presented by the Key West Garden Club.

Attendees will get a rare chance to discover examples of distinctive landscaping and plant-filled outdoor living areas central to the island’s easygoing, nature-oriented lifestyle.

Architectural highlights on the continental United States’ southernmost island range from small 19th-century cottages to ornate period mansions decorated with intricate wooden “gingerbread” trim. Visitors can explore homes embodying this stylistic heritage as well as contemporary gems during weekend home tours Feb. 1718 and March 17-18.

The nonprofit Old Island Restoration Foundation (OIRF) presents the annual tours.

Established in 1960 to promote the restoration and preservation of Key West’s historically significant buildings, the OIRF is dedicated to safeguarding the island city’s architectural and cultural traditions.

Each tour weekend features about five homes chosen for their contribution to the Key West community as significant historic buildings, creative renovations or examples of the Florida Keys lifestyle.

“OIRF selects homes that showcase all sizes, ages, architectural features, family history, rehabilitation projects and island prominence,” said Nance Frank, the organization’s board chair.

Key West’s Old Town contains what is believed to be the largest predominantly wooden historic district in the United States with almost 3,000 structures. Many were constructed by shipbuilder-carpenters and cigar manufacturing barons in the 1800s, the largest predominantly wooden historic district in the United States. CAROL TEDESCO/Contributed so the island’s architecture reflects the building styles and cultures of its early inhabitants.

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2. Docents will guide all tours, offering insights into each property’s history, architecture and other attributes.

3. Visitors can view interiors filled with antiques and art as well as imaginatively planned outdoor living spaces.

In part because of the OIRF’s work in raising awareness about the historic value of Key West structures, today scores of lovingly restored properties flourish as single-family homes, bed-and-breakfast guesthouses and museum attractions. The historic district and its restorations have drawn attention and honors from organizations including the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

All tours are set for 1 to 4 p.m. and participants provide their own transportation. OIRF volunteers serve as docents at each featured home, informing visitors about its history, architecture, décor and other elements.

Tickets for each tour cost $55 per person ($45 for OIRF members) when purchased in advance through oirf.org/ home-tours or $60 at the door on tour days.

More information is at oirf.org/ home-tours or 305-294-9501

— Contributed

Featured gardens, all within a 10-minute walking distance from each other in the Midtown area, were chosen to spotlight their unusual designs, plants and unique landscaping. Locations are 1316 Laird St., 1402 Laird St., 1407 Rose St., 1610 Patricia St. and 1525 Atlantic Blvd.

There are many examples of container gardening as a way to deal with Key West shallow soil and use of vertical spaces and structures to make the most out of limited space.

One garden has maximized and expanded its patio area to take advantage of more indoor/outdoor living. Still another has beautiful jasmine vines growing over its entry, creating a canopy of fragrant white flowers in the spring and summer. The gardens feature great ideas to apply to your own gardening areas.

Educational talks on both days will take place as follows:

11 a.m. — Hurricane recovery at 1316 Laird St.

1 p.m. — Ponds and Plants at 1525 Atlantic Blvd.

2 p.m. — Orchids at 1610

Patricia St.

Garden Club docents will be on hand at each stop, sharing detailed information with tour participants about the plants on display.

Tickets for the tours are $30 per person in advance at keywestgardenclub.com or $35 on tour

The Key West Garden Club presents tours of five private gardens Feb. 24 and 25. LYNNE BENTLEY-KEMP/Contributed days at designated garden locations. Tickets are good for both days.

The nonprofit club is headquartered at Key West’s Civil War-era West Martello fort, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean at 1100 Atlantic Blvd. Since the 1950s, the organization has maintained and planted a lush large-scale garden in the ruins of the fort, with all plants donated and cared for by club members and volunteers.

The fort’s brick arches are the backdrop for elements including spectacular orchids and bromeliads, mature fruit trees, indigenous plants, a colorful butterfly garden, a white perfume garden, a prehistoric garden and a dramatic pool and fountain.

The site is open free of charge from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except major holidays.

For more tour information, visit keywestgardenclub.com, call 305294-3210 or email Conner Boyd at cboyd@groupstar.com.

Mandy Miles

drops stuff, breaks things and falls down more than any adult should. She’s married to a saintly — and handy — fisherman, and has been stringing words together in Key West since 1998.