Too often, famous and fabulous gardens disappear. But this book is the story of a garden rescued and restored by citizens who simply wouldn’t let it go. In The Jungle Garden (Rizzoli International Publications, Inc., 2026) author Heather O’Shea offers a comprehensive look at the history of McKee Botanical Garden in Vero Beach, Florida, it’s demise and its re-creation.
Back in 1922, two land developers, Arthur McKee and Waldo Sexton, purchased an 80-acre Florida hammock. They hired Landscape Architect William Lyman Phillips of the celebrated Olmsted Brothers firm to design a tropical garden on the site with plants from around the world. McKee Jungle Gardens opened in 1922 and it was soon one of Florida’s most popular attractions, drawing more than 100,000 visitors annually. But Florida gradually changed in the following decades, and by the 1970’s, competition from other sites caused a steep decline in visitors. In 1976, the garden was sold to developers, who built on all but 18 acres of the original site.
After two decades, community members, with help from the The Trust for Public Land, raised funds to purchase the 18-acre property and restore the botanical garden. The garden re-opened in 2001, and now is home to more than 10,000 tropical and native plants, including a famous collection of water lilies. In 1998, it was listed on the National. Register of Historic Places.
In this book, author author Heather O’Shea takes readers through the garden’s long history, explaining how many of the rare plants were acquired, and brings us up to date on the garden’s special attractions, including its pirate ship, its Hall of Giants, and its other popular exhibits, such as the Return of the Dinosaurs. Photos by renowned photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo complete the picture, taking you through exquisite floral specimens, grand trees and shrubs, features such as sculptures, bridges, and other artifacts.
In a foreword to the book, British writer, producer and film director Julian Fellowes calls McKee “a special and magical place.” He says “There is something for everyone, young and old, and one is quite literally transported into a different world… It really is a Jurassic Park without the dinosaurs.”
If you’re not planning a trip to Florida soon, the pages of this book will transport you to a truly special landscape.
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