386 Hibiscus Avenue – Before Pan’s Garden

H.R. Corwin in front of 386 Hibiscus. One of Corwin’s most significant projects was the five homes built for the Golfview Road development company for Marion Sims Wyeth. Image courtesy Corwin family, 1922

A few years later, the Foundation purchased a property on 386 Hibiscus Avenue, where Pan’s Garden—Florida’s first all native botanical garden—was established in 1994.   

Before it was acquired by the Foundation, the property at 386 Hibiscus was owned by the Corwin family. Originally from Nebraska, Harry R. Corwin (1891- 1967) was a notable contractor who built homes for architects Marion Sims Wyeth, Addison Mizner, and Maurice Fatio. Corwin built a garage apartment on Hibiscus Avenue that would become his family home. Corwin’s wife, Bertha, was an amateur horticulturist who had an extensive garden and made jelly from her orange, sea grape and guava trees on the property. When their sons moved out, the Corwins rented out the rooms to shopkeepers who came down to run Worth Avenue shops for the season. 

There was a driveway that led to Corwin's workshop where he stored his building materials and repaired cars — especially Rolls Royces. On the north side of the building was what Corwin referred to as the stone yard —
where Corwin and his workmen made Spanish rooftiles and concrete lions
for Addison Mizner.