Frank and Mary Watson, Jacksonville, FL

“The variety of gardens in our Jacksonville Open Days inspires us, as does how thrilled visitors are to see each garden. It’s all thanks to nearly 30 volunteers, most of whom work willingly every year. And the Cummer Museum presents a pictorial and film history of its gardens and of the local area.”

FRANK and MARY WATSON

Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, Jacksonville, FL

Frank and Mary Watson, in partnership with the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, have served as regional ambassadors for Jacksonville Open Days for many years. Frank has also served as Cummer board chair; Mary has served on several boards, including that of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, TX. Longtime friends of the Garden Conservancy, the Watsons were also active in the Friends of Rocky Hills, which worked with Henriette Suhr and the Garden Conservancy to establish the Rocky Hills Environmental Lecture Series to honor the legacy of William and Henriette Suhr and of Rocky Hills, their garden in Mt. Kisco, NY. The Watsons garden at both their home in Linville, NC, and in Florida. Both Frank and Mary work with St. Johns County Parks to maintain the Butterfly Garden in Bird Island Park, a native plant park in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, which opened in 2010. The Garden Conservancy is exploring opportunities for further collaboration with the Cummer Museum, thanks largely to the continuing support and efforts of the Watsons.