Thomas Edison Gets Top Garden Award
May 28, 2013
At the annual Florida Federation of Garden Clubs Conference Thomas Edison was honored with their top award recognizing his leadership in the development of horticulture and agriculture in Florida.
Edison created the headquarters for the Edison Botanic Research Corporation at his Florida estate in Fort Myers, conducting botanical research on more than 17,000 plants to find a successful source for natural rubber. Edison also contributed to ground-breaking research with Luther Burbank as it pertained to the hybridization of plants, leading to the Plant Patent Act of 1930. During this time, Edison hybridized strands of Goldenrod, more than doubling the size and latex production of the plant.
The Edison Botanic Research Corporation Laboratory is the most recently restored structure at Edison Ford, having been completed in 2012. Through extensive research, the lab was restored back to its original appearance and is furnished as it would have been in 1929 and is a proud landmark of his successful research!
