Gardens of Key West

The Audubon House in Key West, Florida, commemorates John Audubon's 1832 visit to the area, but the great naturalist never lived in the house that's now a museum. Captain John H. Geiger built the house and gardens as a family home in the 1800s. The seafarer planted items whose main role was to provide a feast for the table rather than the eye. Nevertheless hibiscus and liculala palm beautifully highlight brick pathways that meander through the acre garden.

West Martello Towers

Pre-Civil War ruins provide the backdrop for a stunning garden near Higgs Beach. Built as a fort, West Martello Towers was never completed and never saw battle. Today a wall of chalice vines clamors for attention. Volunteers from the Key West Garden Club tend the garden that offers a peaceful view of some unfinished history.

Hemingway House

Ernest Hemingway, one of America's greatest writers, made his home in Key West for nine years. Novels such as The Old Man and the Sea and Islands in the Stream reflect Hemingway's romance with the area. The one-acre garden that surrounds his home provides its own romance. A canopy of palm trees delivers shade and an 88,000-gallon pool highlighted by one small coin is a key to Hemingway's ironic sense of humor. After discovering how much his wife Pauline spent on the pool, Hemingway responded by saying she might as well take his last penny.

Nancy Forrester's Garden

It's hard to find but those who discover it say it's worth the effort. Artist Nancy Forrester started her garden in 1969 and her creative touch is apparent. Cane begonia and orchids contribute to Forrester's garden palette, and 150 different kinds of palm provide texture and depth.