The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-01-17
KEY WEST WOMEN
Their Homes and Gardens
BY MYRTLE CoSGRoVE
MRS. ALBERT MILLS
GARDEN

ing growth of the bean stalks to
the castle of the giant. And all
in the space of a single night. &.
A runner-up of this streamlined
bean is the tropical vegetation
that flourishes so luxuriantly in
south Florida. Maintaining a
II months schedule, no snow or
ice retardIng their development,
small wonder that trees and
plants in this section grow with
such astonishing rapidity. An
excellent illustration of this pro-
life growth may be seen in the
garden of Mrs. Albert Mills, 526
Angela street. For many long
day she wished to enlarge her
garden, to obtain an entrance on
Simonton street, but two build
ings stood between her and her
goal. Being a woman who Of
times takes a hand in making
dreams come true, she set about
removing these hindrances to her
plans. In a few months the houS
es were torn down. When the
last bit CT debris was removed,
foundations for bigger and bet
ter garden were begun. To-day,
exactly a year later, large gar
den, well-planned and beauti-
fully executed, filled with full
grown trees, plants and flowers,
occupies the space once used by
the buildings. Quite a record
even for Key Vest. Mrs. Mills
method Of procedure in obtaining
results is most instructive. Here
it is, step by step: first, three
feet of top soil was removed, eX-
posing bare rocks which were
left undisturbed for drainage.
Next, filler of old leaves and
coconut limbs was added; then
the top soil replaced. Bermuda
grass seeds were then planted. In
Is days the ground was covered
by velvety green lawn. Mrs.
Mills advocates planting Bermuda
grass in sunny sites and the St,
Augustine variety in shade. E.
Trees, full-grown, were next add
ed. It is interesting to learn that
not one was lost in transplanting.
Later, vines, ANIMALS, and plants
in mass formation were put in. .
Mrs. Mills stresses two facts: that
we'll water has been used exclu
sively in her garden and that few
trees and plants were purchased;
the majority of them being the
gift of friends. In demolishing
old houses, the disposition of els
terms is always problem. This
has been solved by turning them
into deep, mirror-like pools,
fringed by aquatic plants. De-
spite the rank growth of vegeta-
ton which provides perfect re-
treat for mosquitoes, few are to
be found in the garden. This is
due to the fact that the pools are
stocked with mosquito runners, a
tiny specie of fish that feed on
the larvae of these vicious in
sects. The dangerous beauty of
the tropics hovers about Mrs.
Mills garden. Lofty trees cast
long cool shadows across the
green sward; pink pond lilies
float serenely on placid pools;
palm trees sway gently in gulf
breezes; bees hum .drowsily in
lime blossoms; tiny yellow but
terflies fit to and fro in the
warm, mellow sunshine. Surely
the spirit of St. Dorothea, patron
saint of gardens and flowers.
hovers over this haven of rest
and beauty. Numerous exotic
trees are to be found here. Out
standing is a particularly fine
specimen of the breadfruit auto
carpus Incisa). The luXuriant
foliage consists of huge, leathery
leaves cut deeply into several
blunt lobes. This tree was pro-
pagated from a root cutting by
Miss Mollie Parker. Mrs. Mills
attributes its unusual growth to
the plentiful use of fertilizer and
the severe pruning of the leaves
which is said to cause the
strength to return to trunk and
roots. Probably the greatest
curiosity is the limberger tree
(Morinda Citrifolia), bearing a
whitish-yellow fruit marked off
in hexagonal figures and which
bears a marked resemblance to
cheese. both in taste and odor 4.
One of the few travellers palms
Ravenala MadagaScariensis) in
Key West can be found here.
From its trunk spreads a fan
shape crown of thick stems much
like banana leaves. The base of
these stems store water which
can be tapped by thirsty travel
ers-hence the name. Contrary
to the old adage about saving for
a rainy day, this tree stores up
for the dry ones. The Gliricidia
is now in bloom, festooned with
dainty, light pink flowers, much