I returned from a week on terrific weather in Miami and I had an afternoon to visit Vizcaya. The gardens that were designed by Colombian landscape architect Diego Suarez and Paul Chaflin are amazing and the siting of the villa and various garden features is thoughtufl and beautiful. The construction started in 1910 and was the winter home of industrialist James Deering, American harvester company. Who new---tractors could pay off so well...maybe I need to rethink my financial plan.
If you go, take in all the complex arrangement of walks, terraces, and garden areas. Alot of inspiration from classic Italian gardens (but of course with Zone 10 tropicalplanting) gives the place a soul and beauty that I think we all are looking for in our own garden and life.
The layout and connectivity of the spaces and its relationshiop to the water was the most magical thing for me. There are several areas under restoration, but you can view them and get a whif of what the creator was thinking. The planting itself is not a highlight but the strong concepts behind placement and selection.
For more information visit the website: www.miamidade.gov/vizcaya
