Fort Myers in Lee County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
The Moonlight Garden
The Moonlight Garden was designed in 1928 by Ellen Biddle Shipman, one of the first female landscape architects in America. She specialized in enclosed gardens, full of drift beds where flowers of beauty bloomed in cycles throughout the year. Shipman’s ideas matched what the Edison’s envisioned for their garden. Mina Edison was significantly influential in modifying the plan to suit her own vision for a formal garden that created a casual, private area for family and guests to gather.
Upon completion in January 1929, the Fort Myers Tropical News described the garden as "…surrounded by a tall trellis, over which hang scarlet bougainvillea, now in full bloom. The garden itself consists of about 25 separate beds laid out in neat geometric pattern."
The initial planting in the Moonlight Garden included the old stock bougainvillea that had been supported by the south wall of the original laboratory as well as new cedar trees, azaleas, roses, and lilies. Throughout the following years, plantings were added or changed to fit the season and climate of south Florida. The garden underwent a restoration in 2003 and now displays tall podocarpus trees and flowering plants, such as azaleas, roses, water lilies, begonias, and pentas.
The Moonlight Garden at Seminole Lodge is one of a handful of remaining Ellen Biddle Shipman gardens. It is a treasure to share with visitors today, as the Edisons did in an earlier time.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Horticulture & Forestry • Women. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1929.
Location. 26° 38.067′ N, 81° 52.804′ W. Marker is in Fort Myers, Florida, in Lee County. Marker can be reached from McGregor Boulevard south of Larchmont Avenue, on the right when traveling south. The marker is inside the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2350 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers FL 33901, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Edison Family Home Seminole Lodge (here, next to this marker); Edison Estate Restoration and Rebirth (here, next to this marker); Orchid Lane and Friendship Walk (here, next to this marker); Clara Ford’s Michigan Rose Garden (here, next to this marker); Edison’s “Florida Paradise” (here, next to this marker); Inside the Ford Home (here, next to this marker); Henry Ford (here, next to this marker); Henry Ford's Florida Estate (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Myers.
Also see . . . Edison & Ford Winter Estates. (Submitted on November 6, 2015.)
Additional keywords. landscape architecture
Credits. This page was last revised on August 18, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 4, 2015, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 449 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on November 4, 2015, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.