.........So, with her success in selling a lot of metal furnitue (TERMITE PROOF) to both the islanders, and the navy.....she used her money to buy about 14 different conch homes, (including a dry goods store, as well as a barbershop on the Simonton st side of her garden) ..... so she ended up with alost an acre and a half of gardens, brick trails and paths, fish ponds and an array of rare tropical trees... she had propagation houses, growing areas, and orchid houses....(which were not safe come mothers day...because kids would jump the fences and steal their mothers day presents lol) It is said the city convinced her to open it to the public to help the city develope tourism..... Her second husband was a never do well real estate person who's only success was a cuban tourist lodge in isle of pines in the south west coastal region of cuba. It was said she was friends with Batista.