My wife and I disagree with your assessment of Selby Gardens. We are always looking for nice places to take visitors when they make their way down to Sarasota. We took in Selby Gardens last year. I was disappointed, and we both agreed it is not a place we found worthy of bringing future guests.

Our impression is that the admission fees are used to feed the pet projects of Board members and that very little is put back into maintaining (never mind enhancing)the gardens.

We were also very shocked to see that hardly anything has been done to educate visitors about the Selby's, without whose generosity, none of this would have been possible. Their home is empty...of furniture as well as words...except for the presence of an inconsequential gift shop.

With such a beautiful view, there is great potential. But it will never be realized so long as the Gardens is managed for the benefit of a few instead of the masses.