A Lost Paradise, Found

When I first received the call to help Grimal Grove, I asked, “What is a Grimal Grove?” Little did I know where this would lead. In January 2018 I was flown to Key West, Florida, to meet with the savior of Grimal Grove—Patrick Garvey.

A once-magical rare-tropical-fruit jungle, Grimal Grove had been lost to time and overgrowth. Legendary for both the man who created it, Adolf Grimal, and some of the rarest tropical fruits on the planet, the Grove was nearly forgotten. After over a decade of neglect and misuse, the Grove seemed to have vanished into the landscape. However, while visiting southern Florida, Patrick stumbled upon it and saw a glimmer of the Grove’s former magnificence. Patrick was bitten by the “fruit hunter” bug, bought the land, and began the obsessive quest to grow rare fruit, as had been the case with Adolf Grimal.

My intent is for this book to lead more “fruit hunters” to this paradise once lost, now found. Rather than create simplistic drawings of the fruit, I have taken artistic liberty to create the feeling of mystery, magic, and magnificence that Grimal Grove exudes. For the fans of my “How to Draw” books, I have included a bonus at the end of the book.

I hope you enjoy coloring your way through the world of Grimal Grove!

— Ralph Masiello

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Ralph Masiello—affectionately known as 'The Icky Bug Man'—has illustrated several children's books including The Icky Bug Alphabet BookThe Yucky Reptile Alphabet Book, and The Flag We Love. His oil paintings are remarkably rich and realistic and bring to life the subjects of his books—be they bugs, flags, dinosaurs, or well-hidden messages and secret drawings.

Visit Ralph online.