World Gardens

Great Gardens Of The USA - The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

A re-creation and re-interpretation of the gardens of inventor Thomas Edison’s winter home in Florida

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The designer's choice of hardy palms and waterlilies mean that many elements of this garden could be successfully re-used in British gardens.

Awards

  • Bronze medal winner

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Did you know...

Designed by:
Sadie May Stowell
Built by:
Sadie May Studios Ltd
Sponsored by:
Brand USA
  • The planting features a subtropical profusion of figs, bougainvilleas and palm trees
  • The garden re-works a ‘Moonlight Garden’ on the Edison estate
  • A phonograph plays period tunes to delight garden visitors

About the Garden

The beauty and character of the Edison Winter Estates, in particular Ellen Biddle Shipman’s Moonlight Garden, provided the inspiration for this garden. Its main focal point is a front elevation of the office that Thomas Edison used on a daily basis. Surrounding the garden are wooden trellises with planting emulating that found in the Moonlight Garden. The central feature is a rectangular pool of still water with waterlilies and a blue-glazed planted container at each corner.