{"id":16907,"date":"2018-08-11T09:50:18","date_gmt":"2018-08-11T16:50:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/?p=16907"},"modified":"2018-08-11T10:38:45","modified_gmt":"2018-08-11T17:38:45","slug":"an-oasis-of-discovery-the-montgomery-botanical-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/somimag.com\/an-oasis-of-discovery-the-montgomery-botanical-center\/","title":{"rendered":"AN OASIS OF DISCOVERY -THE MONTGOMERY BOTANICAL CENTER"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/a>

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On a steamy sidewalk in Miami\u2019s financial district, experiencing a kind of awestruck claustrophobia from towering condos and offices, it is easy to become disconnected from the garden. Yet in South Florida we are surrounded by lush gardens, both natural and manmade. From the 1.5 million acres that comprise the Everglades to the hundreds of acres defining a cache of old estates, we can be reacquainted with the garden in no time. Among those gardens fashioned by the human hand — Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Vizcaya, Deering Estate and the Barnacle — is the 120-acre site of Robert and Eleanor Montgomery\u2019s winter home.<\/b><\/p>\n

Located in Coral Gables, the Montgomery estate is laid out on 120-acres with stands of palms, the Montgomery home, guest houses, and greenhouses. Colonel Robert H. Montgomery (1872-1953) and Eleanor, \u201cNell\u201d (Foster) Montgomery (1905-1990) were devoted collectors of palms and cycads and had one of the largest private collections in the world. In 1959,\u00a0Nell established the Montgomery Foundation, Inc. in memory of her late husband. Later renamed the Montgomery Botanical Center (MBC), this nonprofit institution is dedicated to the field of plant science. The mission of MBC is to \u201cadvance science, education, conservation, and horticultural knowledge of tropical plants, emphasizing palms and cycads, and to exemplify excellent botanical garden design.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The residence is seen through a stand of Wine Palms (Pseudophoenix vinifera), which are from Hispaniola.\u00a0 The shape of the trunk is spectacular!<\/p><\/div>\n

M. Patrick Griffith is the Executive Director of MBC, a position he has held since 2005. His background includes living collections management, herbarium curation, laboratory research and land management for botanic gardens, universities, government, and private interests. Patrick\u2019s academic activity has been in plant systematics and plant conservation, and is focused on living botanical collections. He holds a number of degrees: Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (Claremont Graduate University and Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden), MBA (FIU), Master of Science in Biology (Sul Ross State University), and Bachelor of Arts, with a concentration in Botany (University of Texas at Austin).<\/p>\n

The Colonel, Nell, Gardens Private and Public<\/b>
\nMontgomery was largely self-taught, a man who, as they\u00a0say, made good. In fact, he made much better than good.\u00a0He began working at 14 and never completed high school, yet as an adult he was a successful attorney and accountant.\u00a0He authored 40 books on the subjects of accounting, finance and taxes. He was one of the founding partners of an accounting firm, Lybrand, Ross Brothers, & Montgomery, which is today\u2019s PricewaterhouseCoopers. He also developed the accounting curriculum for Columbia University and was the school\u2019s first accounting professor. Montgomery was commissioned as a Lieutenant Colonel during World War I and worked on the War Industries Board. In 1930 he served on the War Preparations Committee which earned him the rank\u00a0of colonel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Montgomery lived in Connecticut and commuted to work in New York City; by 1930, he was wintering in the Miami area. In 1932, he began building his home and planning his tropical garden in Coral Gables. Constructed on what was an original section of Old Cutler Road, the Colonel used his influence to have the original road re-routed, using \u201chis\u201d section of the road as the private approach to his home.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Among the Colonel\u2019s many interests was plant collecting. Through his friendship with George Brett of Macmillan Publishing Company (both as neighbors in Connecticut and Florida), Montgomery was inspired to purchase the acreage for his winter home. Tom Fennell, who was assistant director of the Plant Introduction Station at Chapman Field, found the land for the Montgomery estate. He also supervised the clearing of the land and the purchase of plants for the Coconut Grove Palmetum on Montgomery\u2019s property.\u00a0 <\/span>Through his association with Brett and Fennell, Montgomery met and conferred with Dr. David Fairchild (1869-1954), America\u2019s leading plant explorer.\u00a0 <\/span>A deep and abiding friendship grew between Montgomery and Fairchild.<\/p>\n\n\t\t