ODESSA, Florida – A son’s mission is to preserve his mother’s heritage.
The Hillsborough County woman has spent decades cultivating a lush tropical garden. However, she passed away this summer and the future of the two-acre property is now uncertain. The family hopes that their life’s work can be saved with the help of the community.
Eileen Hart was well known in the Tampa Bay garden community. She has spent thousands of hours as a volunteer master gardener teaching people about plants and how to grow them.
“She could take a brown twig and turn it into a plant,” said Eileen’s son, Stephan Hart.
Eileen used this talent to develop the family property in Odessa into a tropical layered garden, rich in over 1,000 different species and varieties.
She started planting in 1975 and has never stopped.
“Went from sort of open sandy soil, grass, and a few trees to a two-acre botanical garden,†Stephan said.
It is an intentional jungle, which blooms all year round.
Stephan says his mother was full of energy until her sudden death in June. Eileen died of a heart attack at age 78.
“She is now in every garden with me spiritually,†Stephan said. “She’s always been there mentally, but now she’s definitely here hanging out, probably telling me you should either plant this a little differently or cut this.”
The family wants to keep Eileen’s legacy alive, turning her passion project into a dedicated botanical garden. The mission would be to educate and benefit the public.
“I would love to see it turn into a version of public-private research gardens,†Stephan said.
They are still working on the details, but tell us there is interest from local organizations and that the Eileen C Hart Botanical Garden will be a reality in a few years.
“That was her biggest worry, was that no one would take care of her garden when she wasn’t around,†Stephan said.
And he doesn’t let that happen.
The family is raising funds online to support the upkeep of the gardens during the transition.
CONNECTIONS: