In 1917, botanist Henry Nehrling moved from Gotha to Naples after a freeze devastated his Palm Cottage Gardens. He established his “Tropical Gardens” in 1919 at this spot, and cultivated fancy leaved caladiums.
Resources
Overview
Location: Naples
Lat-Lon: 26.168249,-81.790896
Fees: $20 adults, $19 seniors, $13 ages 3-12
Open: 9-5 daily
Location
About the Gardens
Neglected after his death in 1929 until 1946, the revitalized gardens reopened under the direction of hotelier Julius Fleischmann as “Caribbean Gardens” in 1954, the name I remember from my childhood.
A lush paradise of tropical plants, it lured tourists to Naples.
In 1969, wild animals became a part of the scenery as the park became “Jungle Larry’s Safari.”
Now a nonprofit accredited zoo, it retains some of Nehrling’s original plantings and an atmosphere that still makes it a destination for tropical plant enthusiasts.