Florida: The Natural World

Elaine Mills is founder of Dade Heritage Trust, charter member of the Villagers.  Ms. Mills has a Master of Liberal Studies Degree from Dartmouth College and has been active in preservation in Miami-Dade since 1966. Gardens of Miami (The Villagers, Inc.) brings readers into magical private gardens tucked behind walls, through distinctive gates and hidden along the waterfront.   Miami’s unique microclimate allows for an exceptional diversity of plant life and unique opportunity for year-round outdoor beauty.  Gardens featured range in philosophy and type from the fun and funky, serene, environmentally conscious, manicured and formal, to the spectacular. With almost 400 color photos on 264 pages, the book showcases 27 extraordinary private South Florida gardens. Area botanic centers, garden clubs and plant societies are also featured. All profits from the sale of this book will benefit The Villagers, Inc., Miami-Dade County’s oldest historic preservation organization, founded in 1966, the same year as the National Historic Preservation Act. The hands-on, grass-roots, all volunteer not-for-profit was originally formed to save historic Douglas Entrance in Coral Gables.