Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County
Coral Bark Tree (Erythrina variegata) Planted in 1978
COMMEMORATIVE RUBY EDITION
40 ANNIVERSARY Telling our Story One Image at a Time TH
Wildflower Vista: A scattering of Gomphrena, Cuphea, Calendula, Tagetes, and Florida natives Tropical Salvia and Wand Goldenrod. Photo by Kari Dabrowski See page 30 for Native Wildflower article by Rufino Osorio.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
5
President’s Message
7
Curator-Director’s Message
9
A Ruby Anniversary Message
10
Mounts Memories
12
The Big Picture – A Special Feature
31
In Defense of Native Wildflowers
33
Garden of Lights
35
Twisted – A Stickwork Exhibit
37
Board Spotlight
38
Windows on the Floating World Wins Design Award
39
Gift Shop Expansion
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRIENDS OF THE MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN
19251954
Marvin U. “Red” Mounts becomes the first Agricultural Extension Agent serving all of Palm Beach County.
1954
Mounts Building is erected. Planting on the Extension Service property begins.
1964
69 fruit producing trees are growing on the property, which is referenced as a “park.”
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1975
1978
Clayton E. Lake Orth is Hutcheson is developed. hired as Palm Beach County’s first Extension Director.
1981
First Annual Meeting is held to celebrate Volunteers.
1983
Friends of the Mounts Learning Center is established. The nonprofit Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden is created, and the first Plant Sale is held.
1986
The first Garden Curator, Douglas Galbraith, is hired.
D
ear Members and Friends,
It has been an outstanding year at Mounts Botanical Garden leading up to our 40th year celebration. Not only did we have record-breaking crowds attending our Washed Ashore exhibit, but the educational programs using our new award winning wetland garden, Windows on the Floating World, also brought in over a thousand students for interactive programs. We are definitively achieving our milestones to become one of Palm Beach County‘s major cultural icons. Friends of the Mounts, the fund-raising arm of the garden, has worked for 35 years to maintain and grow the garden and has exciting long range plans to expand the garden and facilities. In the near future, the Friends hope to improve the entrance with a new Welcome Center.
1988
The 18,000 square foot Clayton E. Hutcheson Building is constructed to house the Extension Service.
1997
David Rogers’ Big Bugs becomes the Garden’s first blockbuster exhibit.
1999
MBG hires Don Stramanak as Educational Programmer and the Garden Safari series is born, significantly expanding Youth Programs.
To keep the momentum for this goal moving forward, the Mounts needs the support of the members, the community, the County and private entities to help us reach our potential. As members, I encourage you to bring your friends and your business associates to the garden as we embark on this new year. Share our successes and encourage them to get involved! Thank you,
Sandy Smith
2004-05 2011 Hurricanes Frances, Jeanne and Wilma decimate the Garden and wipe out over 70% of the tree canopy.
The Chickee Hut Teaching Shelter is built through a generous donation from the Rare Fruit Council.
2014
The Garden’s name is changed to Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County.
2017
Windows on the Floating World: Blume Tropical Wetland Garden opens to the public.
2018
County Proclamation declaring May 6-12 as Mounts Botanical Garden Week.
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THE DELIGHTFUL UNKNOWN A MESSAGE FROM THE CURATOR-DIRECTOR
“Let no one be discouraged by the thought of how much there is to learn. Looking back upon nearly thirty years of gardening, I can remember no part of it that was not full of pleasure and encouragement. For the first steps are steps into a delightful Unknown…” – Gertrude Jekyll, Author of On Gardening
T
he “delightful unknown” is a phrase Gertrude Jekyll uses to describe her experiences in garden design. The expression also perfectly encapsulates the history and evolution of Mounts Botanical Garden. With humble beginnings tracing back to a 3.5 acre horse pasture, the Garden’s maturity into the current 14-acre tropical oasis is nothing short of love and grit. Extension Director Ron Rice expounds upon the symbolism of the ruby gemstone to illuminate the significance and meaning of MBG’s anniversary (pg. 9). Through a series of historically rich anecdotes, Clayton E. Hutcheson reflects on the Garden’s most valuable asset: its people (pg. 10).
image at a time. With its roots tied deeply to the agriculture of Palm Beach County, the Garden brings to the fore the aesthetic and ethical value of maintaining a botanical sanctuary that emphasizes the stewardship of natural resources. Rufino Osorio’s classic treatise on native wildflowers (pg. 31) provides an elegant horticulture spotlight for this issue that is fitting to its subject matter. A recently completed Art in the Garden Master Plan guides us on the selection of special projects and exhibits, which ultimately draw thousands of new visitors to Mounts Botanical. A closer look at artist Patrick Dougherty’s internationally acclaimed Stickwork exhibit (pg. 35) gives an insider’s view into the reasoning behind what kind of art is displayed in the Garden. Moreover, what better way to celebrate an anniversary than through the inaugural Garden of Lights holiday event. Resurrecting a wildly successful event from the past, board member Paton White and horticulturist Joel Crippen (pg. 33) share how Garden of Lights will treat members and guests to a memorable evening lightscape experience.
Botanical gardens appeal to a basic sense of organized natural landscapes and bring visibility to what is often missed. The delightful unknown connotes the wonder one experiences while contemplating plush compositions of botanicals and edibles. Visitors often leave inspired to re-create the effect our display gardens model. Images on the opposite page offer three perspectives to the Garden of Well Being. From the solitary bench that provides an ideal backdrop for a wedding photograph to the strategically designed stone fountain perfectly suited to the curiosity of a young explorer, what visitors find Here’s to an incredible year of growth and most striking is the garden’s use of space to create possibility. I look forward to seeing you in accessibility for all ages. On the macro scale, the the Garden. goal is always to make the Garden increasingly well known to our community of 1.47 million County residents. This special edition of Leaflet celebrates the Garden’s 40th (Ruby) Anniversary with a 18-page special feature that tells the story of MBG one Rochelle Wolberg
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MOUNTS
Years 1978-2018 8 • Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue
THE GARDEN’S RUBY ANNIVERSARY A MESSAGE FROM THE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION DIRECTOR
A
Ruby Anniversary is a celebration of longevity. The ruby jewel is popularly associated with love, energy, a passion for life, and wisdom. These thoughts evoked by the ruby are so nicely appropriate for Mounts Botanical Garden. First of all, we all agree that our Garden is a jewel in the middle of a sometimes hectic urban environment. Love goes without saying, because all of us clearly love our Garden. The Garden itself is a creation of passion. Over the past 40 years, it is passionate people that have evolved the Garden into her current splendor. Our last ruby word is wisdom, and I would like to equate this with knowledge gained through experience and education. Fast forward 40 years, and we find the Mounts Botanical Garden as an epicenter for education and knowledge gain. As part of the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Department, the Garden represents a unique opportunity to harness the University of Florida’s extension mission to deliver timely, relevant, science-based knowledge to our visitors. For many years, the Garden has naturally been the focal point for horticultural learning. Extension agents, Mounts horticulturists, Mounts administration staff, Friends of the MBG, Garden docents, Members of the Garden, and UF Master Gardeners have all played their own roles creating opportunities for visitors to learn about the spectacular diversity of plants, landscaping practices, plant care, soils and plant nutrition, pollinators like bees and butterflies, and all of the other living things that thrive in lush landscapes.
the launching point for water conservation and wetland science education. Mounts staff have secured grants allowing thousands of schoolchildren to visit the Garden to receive interactive hands-on experiences with both horticultural and wetland topics. Children are also being directed to the vegetable garden, to learn how food is grown and to appreciate the process of food production. These recent expansions of the Mounts Botanical Garden educational mission are perfectly consistent with our Extension Department’s outreach mission, which includes all disciplines within horticulture, agriculture, water (fresh and marine), and natural resource conservation, including wetland ecosystems. In Very recently, the scope of educational summary, the Mounts Botanical Garden should opportunities has increased dramatically, be extremely proud of her Ruby Anniversary, and stretching beyond strict horticultural themes. we are all so lucky to have this jewel in our life. The installation of the Windows on the Floating Ron Rice has served as Cooperative Extension World: Blume Tropical Wetland Garden is now Director since 2015.
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THE IMPORTANCE OF PEOPLE TO MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN MEMORIES FROM CLAYTON HUTCHESON
A
s we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Garden, I can’t help but reflect on some of the personalities who moved it along from its earliest beginnings. While there are literally hundreds who have given their time and effort, certain volunteers who served between 1978 and 2004, when I retired, particularly stand out. They each held faith and hope that the Garden would someday be a significant contribution to the community. This article recounts a few of their stories. As an Extension Agent, Gene Joyner was responsible for developing the home horticulture program and providing liaison with plant societies. When Extension’s horticultural program decided to turn what had been a 3.5-acre horse pasture into a garden, Gene engaged commercial nursery groups. As a result of his efforts, commercial nurserymen, plant society members, and plant enthusiasts responded by donating the majority of the material planted during those early days.
Ted Bogaert retired as a Lt. Colonel from the U.S. Army. He owned a construction business while also nurturing a love for hibiscus. When given a task, Ted’s Army training kicked in, and he always followed through. Ted represented the Hibiscus Society and served on its advisory committee. Ted dearly loved Mounts Botanical, investing much of his own time and money. Ted helped construct the Valerie Delacorte Pavilion, the concrete pathways weaving throughout the Garden, the Gazebo, and the Herb Garden. Sadly, he passed away in Georgia at the age of 80 in 2013. During the Garden’s early days, Dennis Eshleman served as a young Assistant County Administrator. He provided much support toward its endeavors.
Charlie McDaniel developed a great interest in plants, especially ferns. He would establish Palm Beach Fern Society, which met in the Mounts Building monthly. At one time, under Charlie’s leadership, the Fern Society boasted close to 500 members. Charlie went on to become a renowned school teacher. He supported and continued to be a Friend of the Garden until he passed away. While a member of the North Palm Beach (NPB) Garden Club, Peggy Enders also served for several years as secretary of the non-profit Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden. Through her service toward the Garden and volunteering at the NPB Library, Peggy met philanthropist George Delacorte, the founder of Dell Publishing Company.
Gene contacted Jeff Blakely about developing the newly planned garden’s layout, to which he agreed. At the time, he and his father owned a well-known landscape company. Jeff laid out a trail through large pine trees and other vegetation deemed worthy of saving on the site. This basic plan arranged plants into more homogenous groupings, and for many years, this was the Garden’s layout. It also made it easier to educate the public on creating their own home landscapes.
Clayton Hutcheson and Gene Joyner as featured in the Palm Beach Post, Sunday, March 28, 1982 10 • Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue
Garden Director, Joe Oppe (left) is joined by master gardener, Al Millet (right) and two unidentified women. Peggy approached Mr. Delacorte about donating toward the building of a structure within the Garden in which meetings could be held. Today, the gift of the Valerie Delacorte Pavilion, in honor of his second wife, a Hungarian actress, remains in the Garden. Paul Fel sb erg wa s involve d in plant societies. He worked for the South Florida Fair for several years, volunteered at the Garden, and served as President of the early Friends of MBG board of directors. Paul was a member of both the Hibiscus Society and the Rare Fruit Council. His efforts worked to have our new office complex named the Clayton E. Hutcheson Agricultural Service Center in 1988. His enthusiasm for the garden showed with all his support put toward the ongoing garden projects.
Volunteer, Al Millet leading a school tour
As both an avid hibiscus and vegetable grower for many years and a member of the Hibiscus Society, Pete Conrad was always willing to help. Pete and his wife Jo were great supporters of the Garden. Most notably, he funded the wells in the garden and helped arrange to have someone dig out what would become the central feature to the Garden’s landscape: Lake Orth. Mike Zimmerman pitched in early on to hold pruning demonstrations in the garden. He has been a strong advocate of Cooperative Extension’s instructional objectives, the arboriculture industry, and our local community. Mike’s consistent service to the Friends and to education in general has greatly benefited Mounts Botanical Garden.
Volunteer, David Fischbein in the Garden
Clayton E. Hutcheson served as Cooperative Extension’s first Director from 1975 to 2004. He established a demonstration garden, pursued the expansion of planting in what was then referred to as “the park” and formed a Garden Advisory Committee.
Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue • 11
SPECIAL FEATURE
THE BIG
Mounts: A Horticultural Learning Center, circa 1977. Urban Horticulturist, Gene Joyner leads an educational tour for visitors. The site depicted now features the Zimmerman Color & Shade Island and Windows on the Floating World: Blume Tropical Wetland Garden. Additionally, Joyner and the group are standing on the structure that would be replaced by artist Mark Fuller’s My Lovely Distraction Bridge. The company of nearly 20 stand over the streambed that connects to Lake Orth.
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PICTURE TELLING THE STORY OF MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN ONE IMAGE AT A TIME
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THE MOUNTS BEHIND THE MOUNTS MARVIN UMPHREY “RED” MOUNTS
B
arbara Marshall wrote it best when she penned this opening sentence to a 2004 Palm Beach Post article: “If there is a mango or avocado in your yard…you likely have Red Mounts to thank.” Marvin Umphrey “Red” Mounts (1898-1969) was born in Tonkawa, Oklahoma, in his family’s sod farm house. In 1925, after graduating from the University of Florida’s Agricultural College, he was hired to serve as the first agriculture extension agent of Palm Beach County. Red, as he was fondly known, educated farmers in modern farming methods using the latest scientific research of the time.
THE MOUNTS BUILDING The Mounts Building erected in 1954, was named in 1955 in honor of Marvin “Red” Mounts for his 25 years (19251950) of dedicated service to Palm Beach County and its agricultural community. This structure housed the Cooperative Extension Service along with satellite offices in North and South PBC, as well as, Belle Glade. The Mounts Botanical Garden office (then Mounts Horticultural Learning Center) was in what is now the Mounts Garden Shop. After the Hutcheson Agricultural Complex was built in 1987, most of Cooperative Extension moved there.
For a brief stint, the Mounts Botanical Office, moved into the Mounts Building before ultimately ending up in its present Hutcheson location. Today, the Mounts Building is home to PBC Cooperative Extension Environmental Horticulture that includes its Extension Agents and staff, Master Gardener Program, Master Gardener Help Desk and the Mounts Library. The building’s auditorium is the meeting place for most of our local plant societies, classes, lectures, and general meetings.
In the early years on the job, it took Red a full day of travel from his office in the county courthouse to the Glades. He would become the County’s chief extension agent in 1929. By the time he retired in 1965, the county’s agricultural industry had grown from $2 million to $120 million annually. Red encouraged farmers to grow fruits and vegetables that would improve their health; introduced a grass for cattle grazing that held up on wet soil; investigated the best fertilizers and pesticides; and taught farmers strategies for effectively marketing crops. He also formed the first chartered 4-H Club in Florida and helped establish the Audubon Society of the Everglades.
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FIRST MASTER GARDENER CLASS, 1984 Since 1982, the Master Gardener volunteer program has called Cooperative Extension’s Mounts Building its home. Training and certifying individuals with the passion to learn, the program provides the necessary know-how and instruction on gardening best practice, water conservation, and horticulture adventure. Cooperative Extension Director from 1975-2004, Clayton Hutcheson stands beside graduates from the first Master Gardener 16-week program. VALERIE DELACORTE PAVILION & HIBISCUS The Valerie Delacorte Pavilion was dedicated in 1982 to honor the wife of Dell Publishing founder, George Delacorte. Valérie Pascal Delacorte was an accomplished Hungarian actress, philanthropist, and writer. With conditions that the screened pavilion be named for her, Mr. Delacorte donated $10,000 toward its construction. The screened pavilion allowed for one to enjoy panoramic views of the landscape and served as an addition to the Garden Shop. Both Mr. and Mrs. Delacorte attended the dedication ceremony. As a surprise, a hibiscus variety was planted in honor of Mrs. Delacorte. Ted Bogaert, representing the Sunrise Chapter of the American Hibiscus Society, bred and named the flower cultivar. Bogaert, along with being a hibiscus enthusiast and hybridizer, also was responsible for constructing the pavilion onsite of what was then the Mounts Horticultural Learning Center. Unfortunately, the hibiscus cultivar was never registered; the plant perished over time and has been lost to cultivation.
FARM YOUR BACKYARD The art of vegetable gardening has long been cherished by not just our garden but our agricultural state as a whole. Simply by visiting, guests are given the rare opportunity to see firsthand what grows best in our environment, actively inspiring Floridians to take advantage of our long tropical growing seasons. Year round our living museum boasts beautiful edible plants, labeled and tended to by our dedicated horticulturists, gardeners and volunteers. Our vegetable garden empowers the community to explore personal sustainable efforts, illuminating the possibilities for us all to become stewards of the land and grow our own nutritious agriculture. 16 • Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue
Walter Oshea and Katrina Granger on their wedding day, November 11, 1988 and celebrating their 30th anniversary this past summer.
THE FIRST (AND ONLY) WEDDING RECEPTION School principal Katrina Granger discovered the Garden in the 80’s while attending training and meetings held here. She found it relaxing, intriguing, and well kept. She also loved all the flowers! After becoming engaged to Walter Oshea, she began looking for a reception location with “class, beauty, easy access, and parking for a large group.” Following a fruitless search, Katrina recalled the Garden.
“I called the office and spoke with a very pleasant lady, who told me ‘we’ve never had a wedding in the Garden.” Katrina stopped by the MBG office, met the staff member, and together they walked the landscape. Ultimately, the two agreed Katrina could hold her wedding reception in the Garden. Granger’s dream became a reality. Following a church wedding, Granger and Oshea hosted the late morning reception at Mounts Botanical for more than 500 guests. Guests were seen walking around, smiling, laughing, and enjoying the beauty of the garden. “The staff was kind and helpful. I think they were as excited as we were on that day,” recounts Granger. Everything was perfect. People still tell the couple, who recently celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary, how much they enjoyed the Garden that day. “We’ll see you in 20 years for our 50th anniversary,” promises Granger.
A LONG-DISTANCE DREAM COMES TRUE IN THE GARDEN The love story of Caysie and Christopher began in 2012 when they first met on a cruise in Italy. It was love at first sight and they knew they were meant to be together. However, with Christopher living in England and Caysie here in the States, they were not able to see each other. They kept their long-distance relationship going for the next four years until the summer of 2016, when Christopher was touring the States and they were finally together again. Caysie and Christopher knew, from that moment on, they never wanted to be apart. In May of 2016 Caysie moved to England to be with Christopher, and on January 13, 2018 they tied the knot on the beautiful grounds of Mounts Botanical Garden. It was the perfect day they will never forget! Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue • 17
1954 WATER TANK AND PLAQUE Although, officially, Mounts became a botanical garden in 1978, its roots are much older. This old water tank dates to the garden’s origins, 1954, when the east end of the garden was developed as a Cooperative Extension trial garden for tropical fruit trees. The tank was manufactured by Modern Welding and Tank Company of Houston, Texas and is dated: January 29, 1954.
CORAL BARK TREE As one of many 40-year-old anniversary trees, this one is particularly apropos. The coral bark tree bears red flowers in keeping with our Ruby Anniversary theme! Erythrina variegata also goes by the moniker Tiger Claw and Sunshine Tree for its bright yellow and green variegated leaf form (E. v. orientalis). Growing 20 to 30 feet tall with heart-shaped foliage, its slightly thorny stems and greyish-tan bark with green vertical fissures resembles sea coral. While the tree is deciduous, a showy display of brilliant red, claw-like flower clusters appear in March through April. Although strictly used as an ornamental at the Garden, in its native SE Asia the plant has many useful benefits. The nutritious leaves are good fodder
for livestock. In Vietnamese cuisine, “nem” is fermented meat wrapped with coral bark leaves. Foliage and bark are also used for alternative medicine, “dapdap,” in the Philippines. The “Erabadu” is the Sri Lankan New Year’s flower. In the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, the “deigo” is the official flower of Okinawa and the tree’s unique wood creates an invaluable characteristic to their famous lacquerware. While a fascinating and beautiful tree, before you decide to plant one in your yard be informed! Unfortunately, the tree is plagued with a stem borer that distorts the new growth and destroys the flower buds before they open. Biannual treatments are necessary for the tree to grow and bloom and to keep the insects at bay.
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LADY OF THE GARDEN Lady DeVine, the exquisitely stunning costumed model, mesmerized attendees during the annual Spring Benefit fundraiser in 2010.
HEART OF MOUNTS In fall of 2004, when Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne barreled into South Florida just weeks apart the result was devastating. The Garden lost 140 trees, 70% of its canopy. The Palm Beach County Woodturners, a group of dedicated craftsmen and friends of the Garden wanted to help. “When we learned of the devastation at Mounts we suggested they let us have access to the wood to create and donate 100 turned pieces as a fundraiser,” explained Bob Brulotte, who was an active member at the time. He rallied the group and spearheaded what would be fondly remembered as the Heart of Mounts Project to benefit the Garden. A group of 37 turners quickly organized to cut, collect and distribute wood from the fallen wild tamarind, mahogany, eucalyptus, jacaranda, sapodilla, Hong Kong orchid and other exotic trees. The pieces were first rough turned and dried for nearly three months before being finished. Woodturning is the fine craft of creating decorative and functional pieces out of logs, stumps and burls. Turners use a wood lathe to spin the wood at various speeds while they cut, shape and hollow with sharp, hand-held tools. The creation is then sanded and finished.
In the spring of 2005, the Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden organization officially launched the Heart of the Mounts campaign, which culminated with a reception and auction. The PBC Woodturners delivered on their promise and produced nearly 300 bowls and vessels, of various shapes, sizes and colors, for the campaign. The Heart of Mounts fundraising event raised $16,000 toward the purchase of new trees for the Garden. Woodturner Brian Rosencrantz crafted this piece for the campaign. His sculpted, one-of-a-kind creation featured a hollow form turned from spalted Tamarind (Tamarindus indicus) with a “heart” turned from Argentinian Quebracho suspended inside. When Brian learned of the chosen name for the event, he felt fate had taken a hand and bestowed the Heart of Mounts moniker to his own sculpted creation.
“WHEN WE LEARNED OF THE D E VA S TAT I O N AT M O U N T S W E SUGGESTED THEY LET U S H AV E A C C E S S T O T H E W O O D T O C R E AT E A N D D O N AT E 100 TURNED PIECES AS A F U N D R A I S E R ,” E X P L A I N E D B O B B R U LOT T E . Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue • 19
GARDEN OF WELL-BEING The Garden of Well-Being herb garden was constructed in 1987 with funds provided by the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties and public donations in connection with the Evening Herb Society of the Palm Beaches and the Herb Society of Palm Beach County. In 2008, the Friends of Mounts commissioned Holly Shimizu, Director of the U.S. Botanic Garden and nationally recognized consultant to redesign the herb garden area. In 2012, with the remodeling of that space, Shimizu’s design was implemented, making it more accessible to avid gardeners and amateurs alike.
EDUCATING SARAH EIGELBERGER TROPICAL FOLIAGE BORDER One cannot separate Educating Sarah from master gardener, board member, and Volunteer of the Year Daphne Shearouse. Daphne chaired the MBG’s first Spring Benefit in 1998 and was actively involved in volunteering her time and energy to Fall Family Festival and membership drives. She was dedicated to developing children’s programming, and inspired the Junior League project which produced the Treasure Trek Map of the Garden. Today, a lovely remembrance of Daphne resides in the Tropical Foliage Border garden, a bronze statue of a woman reading to a child. This special gift of Educating Sarah was presented to the Garden in 1998 in Daphne’s honor by her husband, Joseph Shearouse, and family. 20 • Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue
KOI FOUNTAIN Our popular Koi Fountain was a gift from Robert Eigelberger and the Gentlemen of the Garden. It was hand carved from green marble in 2014. Carnelian gemstones were ingeniously utilized to mark the eyes of the 20 koi swimming in a seemingly endless circle around the fountain. Horticulture staff handpicked it from a selection of items at Yardco Rock & Stone Company in Boynton Beach. Though initially unsure of where to place it, the beautiful Koi Fountain graces the Main Entrance and frames the colorful, multi-textured layers of the Rose & Fragrance Garden, arresting visitors’ eyes as they pass through the Garden gate.
Photo by Margaret C. Harrell
FLOWER OF FLOWERS The Garden’s 40-year-old ylang-ylang tree (Cananga odorata) delights visitors with its beauty and seductive fragrance! Native to the Philippines, ‘ylang-ylang’ translated means “wilderness” or “just a few.” Its flowers produce a sweet scented essential oil used in perfumery and aromatherapy. French colonists brought saplings to the Comoro Islands in Africa for eventual mass production. The ylang-ylang is historically distinguished for its participation in the creation of the world famous fragrance, Chanel No. 5 perfume. The fragrance was created in 1921 by Ernest Bo (Beaux) and consisted of the aromas from roses, jasmine, and ylang-ylang flowers. French fashion designer Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel christened the distinct scent Chanel No. 5 to symbolize the 5th sample scent presented to her by Bo. The opening sale of Chanel’s new fragrance collection took place on the 5th day of the 5th month. Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue • 21
CONCRETE & BARCELONA The Zimmerman Color & Shade Island underwent a major landscape improvement in 2007. Prior to this, the area was overrun with the large and spreading Variegated Spineless Screwpine (Pandanus sanderi variegata). The Island was completely replanted, cap stone was installed on its eastern flanks, and new concrete walks were poured. Past board member and landscape architect, Connie Roy Fishers designed the island’s restoration which included a unique architectural element, an Escofet bench. Of modular conceptual beauty, design, and function, the bench is the brainchild of the Escofet Architectural Concrete Company established in 1886 and based in Barcelona, Spain. The bench arrived from Spain in 2009 and had to be craned into place. Although made of concrete, it appears as a flowing feature of undulating waves – alluring passersby to sit or recline into its recess. Without quite knowing what the piece exactly is, guests seem to intuitively know its function.
LOOK IN A TI PLANT Marge Barham’s photograph Look In a Ti Plant won Best of Show during the Garden’s 2nd Annual Photo Contest in 2006. The contest has procured hundreds of stunning images for our marketing initiative. Nature photographer and wildflower enthusiast, Alan Chin Lee along with botanist and landscape architect, Robert Hopper have graciously served as judges for the contest. Hopper designed the Native Plant Garden that surrounds the Hutcheson complex. According to Polynesian lore, the ti plant is believed to have divine power. Who could resist the bewitching magic of this tropical beauty?
BEAUTY WITHIN, NEOREGALIA BROMELIADS This stunning close-up of a Neoregalia was snapped by photographer Bret Hunter in May 2013. Hunter aptly named the image Beauty Within. Through it, he brings visibility to a tropical wonder often overlooked. Over 100 species comprise the genus Neoregalia, which are flowering bromeliads. They are distinguished by the tiny rosette flowers growing deep in the center of the plant’s cup. Bromeliads take pride of place on the Bromeliad Wall framing Windows on the Floating World: Blume Tropical Wetland Garden. Members of the legendary Bromeliad Society of the Palm Beaches, formed on June 15, 1995, donated a variety of bromeliads and installed them onto the wall niches themselves. • Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue 22
BIRD IN A TREE Donated in 2010 by Jupiter-based artist, Gert Olsen, this eye catching, two-sided sculpture is located in the slash pine area on the northeast side of the lake. One side of the sculpture represents a palm tree and the other side a deciduous tree. In the center opening sits a small, carved bird.
ROYAL POINCIANA, LAKE ORTH A majestic Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia) overlooking beautiful Lake Orth is one of eight recorded trees planted 40 years ago in 1978. Also called flamboyant or “flame tree,” the royal poinciana provides dappled shade in summer, with wide, spreading branches and brilliantly-colored flowers. While it’s considered a classic beauty in South and Central Florida, many people also consider this to be one of the most beautiful trees in the world. The jewel of the Garden, Lake Orth was named in honor of Henry Charles George Orth and his wife Candace in appreciation of the time and labor they gave toward the Garden’s development and expansion. Henry served on the board as President of the West Palm Beach Chapter of the Rare Fruit Council and was a founding member and former President of the Friends of MBG non-profit organization. Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue • 23
MY LOVELY DISTRACTION The Bridge and Lake Overlook were created by artist Mark T. Fuller and dedicated in 2011. This Art in Public Places project was made possible by the Esther B. O’Keeffe Foundation.
OUR KOI ARE NOT COY Koi are unbelievably resilient. They are symbolic of perseverance, abundance, and good luck. They also bring an enchanting element of movement to any pond or lake such that it is challenging to take one’s eyes off these spry creatures. As a matter of landscape, according to landscape architect, Tim Anderson, “A Koi pond could be called the King of Ponds... and the single purpose of a true Koi pond is to admire the colors and movement of the Koi fish.” Explore our Blume Tropical Wetland Garden and you’ll meet these beauties up close, you might even observe staff favorites, “Speedy”, “Sunshine”, and “Buttercup!” Purchase some fish food in the Garden Shop, and you’re in for a close encounter... of the orange kind!
WHITE SAPOTE The Mounts Botanical Garden’s white sapote (Casimiroa edulis) was planted by the Palm Beach Chapter of the Rare Fruit Council in 1978. White sapote is native to Central America and Mexico and its history dates back to the Aztec Empire. It is a member of the Rutaceae family, which includes citrus. This large evergreen tree grows to 50 feet with palmately compound leaves and round to oval yellow-green fruits which have a sweet flavor. The nutrient rich fruit has many uses when not eaten out-of-hand. The fruit is used to make ice cream, pies, smoothies, and jelly to name a few. Go out and give this often overlooked fruit a try; fresh local fruit is available summer to fall!
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WASHED ASHORE Oregon-based artist Angela Pozzi wanted to create a traveling exhibit that spoke to the tragedy of plastic pollution. The Garden hosted Pozzi’s Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea exhibit for six months, making it the longest running display in Mounts Botanical history. Over 35,000 visitors came up close and personal to 10 marine-life sculptures placed throughout the Garden’s tropical landscape. Pozzi and her team have collected over 18 tons of trash from the ocean to create these dynamic pieces which both delight and educate guests on the global mission she has embraced: the reduction of plastic waste. Shown here: Priscilla the Parrot Fish, made of plastic toys, buoys, fishing lures, toothbrushes, beer cans, cigarette lighters and other plastic debris. NATURE CONNECTS New York-based sculptor Sean Kenney’s whimsical exhibit, Nature Connects: Art with LEGO® Bricks made its blockbuster debut at the Garden on November 2015. Featuring 15 giant, nature-inspired sculptures comprised of nearly 230,000 LEGO bricks, the exhibit was a hit with builders of all ages. Special events, 4-H Robotics, and two family-friendly Community Builds were part of the Nature Connects experience.
DOGS’ DAY IN THE GARDEN Dog lovers and owners of all ages barked with delight when Dogs’ Day in the Garden was added to the roster of annual events in February 2017. What a tailwaggin’ good time!
BIG BUGS WILL BE BACK This 18-ft tall Praying Mantis was part of David Rogers’ Big Bugs, MBG’s first blockbuster exhibit. Displayed for two months beginning February 1997, the admission price was $2 and the exhibit drew 14,000 visitors to the Garden. Look out for Big Bugs creeping back into Mounts Botanical in 2020!
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TREASURE TREK MAP MBG became a project of the Junior League of the Palm Beaches in 1998 during explorations for expanding the Garden and making it more accessible to children. A committee of four volunteers began to “map” out a project plan. Junior Leaguer Lisa Rogers chaired the group, which also consisted of Janette Wojciak, Cindy Farr, and Barbara Boerstler. What emerged was the Garden’s Treasure Trek Map, a map of the garden highlighting areas and illustrated with charm by the very talented artist Dean Young and cartoonist Jeff Parker. Strategic Marketing, owned by MBG members Mary and Terry Murphy, donated its services to produce a top-notch product. The original Treasure Trek Map was published in 1999, with 5,000 copies ordered. An updated map was resurrected in late 2015 and reflected new garden areas. Over 15,000 children have received a free copy of this special treasure!
THANK YOU, MR. MILLER Education is a top priority for the Garden. It is an area that has grown in breadth and depth and for which we have proactively garnered community partnerships. These delightful “Thank You” cards were handwritten by a group of students who toured the Mounts Horticultural Learning Center in 1989. Avid gardener and Volunteer Park Guide for MBG, Seymour Miller led this field experience and took great care to point out cacti and fruit trees, such as the Barbados cherry and sapote. Miller was committed to educating the children who visited. The students explored the edible garden area where Miller identified various edible leaves and even let the children sample a few. This class of youngsters would be in their mid-30’s by now!
Preschoolers are always buzzing around. The popular Stories in the Garden education program was created in 2003 with the PBC Library System for families and their young gardeners. 26 • Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue
THE WAY WE WERE These aerial and landscape photographs demonstrate starkly how much Mounts Botanical Garden has evolved over time. Beginning as a 3.5-acre, 4-H horse pasture, Mounts developed into the Horticultural Learning Center that paved the way for the tropical oasis currently comprised of 25 individual display gardens, including the Garden of Well-Being, which was constructed in 1987 and redesigned a decade later. Though not initially intended to be a botanical garden, the landscape has evolved over time through the dynamic public-private partnership between Palm Beach County and the Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden, Inc. The Garden, as we see it today, rests on the notable achievements of several hundred volunteers who labored with love and grit toward the collective vision of MBG and its significance to our Community.
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VIEWING PORTALS
WINDOWS ON THE FLOATING WORLD: BLUME TROPICAL WETLAND GARDEN
The Blume Tropical Wetland Garden is a place for demonstration and education. These elegant viewing portals are made of aluminum stands with glass portals, etched with illustrations of fun and informative stories about this demonstration garden’s ecosystem. They encourage thoughtful observation and direct visitors’ attention to specific areas of the garden. Commissioned by Palm Beach County Art in Public Places for Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County, Windows on the Floating World was designed by artists Mags Harries and Lajos Héder of Harries Héder Collaborative in collaboration with landscape architect, Kirsten Siegel of WGI.
RELIEF WALL, GARDEN OF TRANQUILITY The focal point of Mounts’ newest display garden is the hand-carved relief wall imported from Bali, Indonesia. This serene garden serves to inspire peace, tranquility, and reflection. Created by natural elements of stone, bamboo, and living plant materials, it elicits understated simplicity and perfectly complements the colorful and textured Garden of Extremes across the path. The Garden of Tranquility debuted in April 2018 to an anticipative crowd comprised of MBG’s board, staff, and the highly esteemed Gentlemen of the Garden (GOG). It was generously funded through a grant underwritten by the Gentlemen of the Garden.
Photo by Kevin Zambrano
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Tropical pitcher plants, or Nepenthes, are carnivorous plants that come from a wild variety found primarily throughout Southeast Asia, especially in the Philippines and Indonesia. Master Gardener and plant sale vendor Paula Wagner donates and maintains the pitcher plant collection that graces the Entry Gazebo, which was constructed in Spring 2005 and the area by the Wedding Gazebo, constructed by Volunteers over two decades ago. These ‘little monsters’ are popular with students who love meat-eating anomalies. Pitcher plants diffuse an aromatic scent that draws in smaller insects. The bright red rim also makes the plant more noticeable. Unfortunately for the little buggers, once they step foot on the rim, its slippery surface causes them to tumble into an acidic abyss, from which there is little escape. Though not so good for bugs, smaller tree frogs view the tubular pitcher as prime real estate. We have found several tree frogs, unharmed, in the larger pitcher plants located by the Wedding Gazebo.
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SOCIALLY SPEAKING: @MOUNTSBOTANICALGARDEN JOIN THE IG (INSTAGRAM) GROUP AND TAG YOUR GARDEN PHOTOS WITH THE HASHTAG: #INSTAGARDEN FOLLOW THE MBG FACEBOOK PAGE TOO! The internet and social media have been great assets to the Garden! They provide a treasure trove of captivating imagery taken through the eyes of our visitors. Our Instagram account visually heralds the call,“Come Find Us!”
HAWAIIAN MAGIC Dr. Alan Spitzer captured this image of the tropical ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa) – so vivid and mysterious!
VISITING BEFORE HIS FLIGHT David Prothero likes to visit Mounts whenever he has a few extra minutes. He captured this Ashanti blood or “red flag bush” (Mussaenda erythrophylla) on one of his visits.
OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR Sometimes it pays to look up... as with this fun shot by Victoria Kubos.
SHARING ON FLICKR British photographer Simon Marshall shared this amazing image he captured at Mounts on the photo site Flickr. Matchstick bromeliad (Aechmea gamosepala).
AT ONE WITH NATURE Photographer Jorge Orellana had this one captured of himself... loving the waterfall and our beautiful weather!
THIRTY IS A FUN NUMBER! Alex Saint Photography captured this birthday girl in the Garden and posted a series of photos. We just loved this one! Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue • 29
Rudbeckia mollis Photo: Rufino Osorio
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Photo by Vincent James
IN DEFENSE OF NATIVE WILDFLOWERS RUFINO OSORIO
Native plant enthusiast and author of A Gardener’s Guide to Florida’s Native Plants
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ative plant enthusiast and author of A Gardener’s Guide to Florida’s Native Plants, North American wildflowers are having a renaissance and their virtues are being discovered by many American gardeners. Although sometimes grown principally or only for their aesthetic appeal, native wildflowers have an array of valuable traits. First and foremost, many wildflowers have outstanding wildlife value and their roots, leaves, nectar, pollen, and seeds or fruits may serve as food for a great many herbivores, from the tiniest insects to large hoofed mammals. And many of these animals, in turn, serve as food for other creatures higher up the food chain. Wildflowers sometimes exhibit high degrees of ecological interdependence with herbivores, pollinators, fruit or seed dispersers, seed predators, and gall formers. Often to such an extent that no non-native plant can take their place. Besides feeding many hungry mouths, wildflowers, and the many native grasses that grow with them, have an important role in protecting our soil and water and they help to moderate climate warming. For example, many Florida native wildflowers and grasses have deep roots that can extend several feet into the ground. Such roots push apart soil particles and serve as pathways that assist in the penetration of water deep into the ground. And studies have shown that wildflowers and grasses sequester carbon into the ground, in the form of extensive roots. So much so that some prairies can store quantities of carbon dioxide that equal the amounts stored by a forest. Additionally, the extensive root systems of native wildflowers, in concert with those of native grasses, hold the soil together and prevent erosion and surface water runoff. Thus, it is not surprising that the richest and most productive soil on the entire planet, America’s corn belt, was produced by the wildflower-filled prairies of the Midwest. Fire is an essential component of many of Florida’s natural habitats, such as pine flatwoods, and, without periodic fires, these habitats rapidly decline. Luckily, the dry, dead herbage of
wildflowers and grasses facilitate wildfires. Which is a good thing as it has been found that natural, periodic fires result in a more diverse mosaic of plant communities, which in turn leads to much higher levels of biodiversity than would otherwise be the case. And frequent wildfires help to clear up combustible vegetation whose accumulation over long periods of time would lead to infrequent but extremely dangerous conflagrations. A diverse mixture of many different wildflowers, of different growth form and height, combined with native grasses, results in a complex threedimensional habitat. And it is no surprise that many different organisms can live together in such a habitat. Such complex spaces increase biodiversity because there are many microenvironments that can dramatically differ in temperature and humidity and thus accommodate numerous and diverse organisms. And, of course, habitats that have a complex threedimensional structure also provide innumerable hiding places where these same organisms can escape from their predators. Lastly, I end with the first value that I mentioned: esthetic beauty. No one can doubt the eye-catching splendor of orchids, gingers, begonias, heliconias, bromeliads, and the many other tropical plants grown in south Florida. However, many wildflowers can be just as beautiful, especially if grown en masse, and native wildflowers often makeup what they lack in size or shocking colors by their simplicity, grace, and elegance.
Samolus ebracteatus Photo by Rufino Osorio
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GARDEN OF LIGHTS T
A HOLIDAY EVENT
his year, Mounts will host its first annual holiday Garden of Lights throughout the Garden, although Mounts has presented, in small capacities, other nocturnal events over its many years. In December 2003-2005 Mounts hosted several enchanting moonlight strolls. Small trees were decorated with white twinkle lights, and the pathways were lined with votive candles in white and silver paper bags. In many of the nooks and crannies there were performers: dancers, a keyboard and a dulcimer player, folk singers, scopes to see the stars and planets, and bell ringers. Wine and hot chocolate were served and the events were a huge success. Then in December, 2011 Mounts presented a one-time Holiday Full Moon Stroll. The Garden opened its gates for an evening stroll along winding garden paths. The stroll commenced as the sun was setting and darkness was descending. Magical were the palms silhouetted against the sky, and sunset reflections appeared across the
lake setting a romantic mood as the moon began to rise. Prominent trees were uplit with lights, others strategically decorated with colorful balls, snowflakes and other illuminated shapes. Floating moon spheres donned the lake surface and rope lighting outlined the astronomical observation field. Music, exotic nocturnal fragrances, horse and carriage rides through our lush tropical garden and champagne delighted visitors. This year’s Garden of Lights event is a professionally installed and strategically placed broad collection of holiday themed lights and scenes. Palms and other trees wrapped with lights, dripping icicle luminaries from branches, glowing snowflakes on fences, decorated Christmas trees, field of giant luminescent spheres, butterflies, arches, scenes of Christmas trains, elves and bulging stockings, candle lit Menorahs are just a few of the many featured light displays. Contributed by Joel Crippen, horticulturalist and Paton White, Friends of Mounts board secretary
NOVEMBER 24 - DECEMBER 30 – 5:30-8:30 PM EACH NIGHT ADMISSION: $10 PER PERSON; $5 FOR AGES 5-12 MEMBERS ONLY PREVIEW, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH; FREE ADMISSION
Garden of Lights is graciously sponsored by: Randell and Anonymous Rebecca Doane Donor Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue • 33
Stickwork artist, Patrick Dougherty, 2015. Photo: Brianna Brough/Chapel Hill Magazine 34 • Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue
TWISTED
PATRICK DOUGHERTY ENTWINED A STICKWORK EXHIBITION
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hat do Abracadabra, Call of the Wild, Hat Trick and Jug or Naught have in common with nature? Aside from being Patrick Dougherty Stickwork sculptures, they are each full of surprises. While strolling familiar pathways in the Garden, discoveries still abound. Its sea sons – and their blo oms – might se em predictable, but the irony of the Garden is the constancy of its ephemeral nature. The Summer Poinsettia, Milky Way flower and flitting Atala butterfly all burst in with color, scent and motion. No matter how dramatic or conspicuous, each plant, petal and pollinator’s existence is inevitably short-lived. For this reason, the visitor experience at the Garden becomes valuable for one can’t rely on the same encounter. Many have tried to capture these moments, photographing the garden’s ever-changing beauty and hidden treasures – desiring to draw visibility to the invisible. But everything can’t be seen with simultaneous clarity. The challenge is to filter an exotic garden’s competing stimuli and to narrow the focus to a delightful unknown.
Our living museum on its own is captivating, and planning successive exhibit s is an intentional art. During these strategic sessions the MBG team often considers whether the newest idea is a natural progression. Does it make sense in the story we are trying to convey? Does it align with the Art in the Garden Master Plan? In the wake of our record-breaking success of Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, we considered several exhibits. We didn’t have to look far; two sister gardens in Florida were either already hosting or about to begin a one-of-a-kind monumental creation: Stickwork. Internationally acclaimed sculptor, Patrick Dougherty has created more than 250 Stickwork sculptures, to date, worldwide. With that selection, our next exhibit represents our journey from the sea to the land. Dougherty’s tribute to primitive structures, using all-natural materials, unearthed the effortless response we had sought.
“THE IRONY OF THE GA R D E N I S T H E C O N S TA N C Y OF ITS EPHEMERAL N AT U R E ” Far Flung (2018) Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati, OH Photo by Robert A. Flischel Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue • 35
TWISTED
C O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S PA G E
Built on-site of willow saplings, Dougherty’s natural sculptures are engaging, interactive, full of surprise, and, tragically, only temporary. What separates Dougherty’s work from that of other artists is the way it engages the social dynamic of the community. The Stickwork sculpture artist encourages guests to participate – to give their collective time, effort and endurance – toward the common goal of creating something otherworldly and spectacular. Like Mounts Botanical, the Stickwork creation here will be the only one of its kind, as Dougherty relies on the “place” to influence the sculpture’s form and structure. The Garden’s sculpture will be interactive, with portals through which guests may wander. Since it will be viewable and easily accessed from the main Garden path, visitors will be able to explore the sculpture in depth through various entry points. They can also touch the sculpture and examine how Dougherty and more than 100 volunteers collectively twisted, wove and entwined the willow to create something from practically nothing. “Windows” throughout the structure will give visitors multiple frames of reference and views of the Garden’s natural and built landscape, calling attention to details and new perspectives of our tropical vista. Connecting with nature is forever celebrated here in the Garden. Stickwork embodies our mission, deepening our commitment to education and the environment. Today we recognize the ways technology has transformed our landscape as a culture. The effects of this transition are ever-present, even in early childhood education. Curriculum is entwined with technology and much of today’s focus is on S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math), preparing our youth for careers of the future.
Take Five, 2014, Fernwood Botanical Garden, Niles, MI Photo by Bob Denny
Stickwork brings a precious and rare opportunity to keep our nontraditional classroom outdoors, just the way we like it. Our students will delve into the reciprocal exchange whereby architecture and nature influence each other simultaneously. Mounts Botanical’s Youth Programs will take full advantage of Dougherty’s narrative, even using extra building materials to challenge our students to get outside, get creative and think critically – outside of both the box and the classroom. The construction of Stickwork is a community-build effort that will herald in 2019, as well as continue the celebration of the 40th year of Mounts Botanical. Construction will run from Jan. 8 through Jan. 26, when we will host a naming ceremony for the structure. The Garden is looking for eager volunteers to assist with construction and be part of something that will put a smile on the face of each visitor who sees it. Contributed by Rochelle Wolberg, Curator-Director and Samantha Weiner, Programs Manager 36 • Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue
Little Ballroom-3, 2012, Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia Photo by Megan Cullen
BOARD
SPOTLIGHT THE FRIENDS OF MOUNTS SAY FAREWELL TO FOUR BOARD MEMBERS THIS YEAR: MR. TOM BROCKWAY, MRS. TERI JABOUR, MRS. BEVERLY MYERS AND MR. GEORGE NOTTINGHAM. WE WILL MISS THEIR STRONG GUIDANCE, WARM PERSONALITIES AND
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PROFESSIONAL DEDICATION. THANK YOU!
om Brockway served on the Board from 2014 – 2018 and has been Treasurer since 2016. Under Tom’s dedicated and thoughtful leadership the Garden has maintained an excellent financial position. Tom Brockway is an Audit Partner of Holyfield & Thomas, LLC. Tom joined Holyfield & Thomas, LLC in 1990 after several years of experience in private industry and brings extensive experience to audit and accounting engagements with numerous types of business organizations, both from the public and private sectors. Tom serves on several not-for-profit organization boards and committees. Master Gardener Teri Jabour has served on the Board, most recently, since 2013 and previously as president from 2002 to 2004. Teri has been instrumental in guiding many aspects of the Garden as chairperson of the Education Committee and coordinator of the docent program for the past five years. Ms. Jabour remains active in butterfly conservation and butterfly gardening. She strongly supports education about Florida’s water resources, land conservation, and sustainable communities.
Mrs. Beverly Myers brought her talents as an acclaimed artist and community leader to the Mounts. A graduate of Boston University with a degree in fine arts, her gardens have always been an inspiration to her paintings and she brought that creativity with her to Mounts. Bev has been an avid supporter of the annual Spring Benefit and Garden exhibits. Mr. George Nottingham (holding the shovel) served on the Horticultural Committee from June of 2015 until May of 2018 when the demands of his business required that he step away. His professionalism, experience and in depth understanding of plant material and its issues in the landscape will be missed. George is the founder and president of Groundworks of Palm Beach County Inc. He introduced Phoenix dactylifera var “Medjool,” a uniquely attractive variety of edible date palm, to Florida and the entire Southeast in 1990, building his business & reputation around this specimen. In addition, George has received U.S Patents on several horticultural innovations, including Ecotreat, a method of live root system preservation that engenders the ability to ship fully mature, field grown trees and palms with no soil at all on the roots into countries that will not accept native soils.
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WINDOWS ON THE FLOATING WORLD: BLUME TROPICAL WETLAND GARDEN WINS A FLORIDA ASLA DESIGN AWARD OF HONOR
Jason Mihalovits PLA, LEED AP Director, Landscape Architecture; Kirsten Siegel PLA, ASLA Senior Project Manager and Tiffany May PLA, ASLA, LEED Green Associate Director, Private Landscape Architecture
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he Florida Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (FLASLA) has honored Mounts Botanical Garden with a prestigious “Design Award of Honor” for its beautiful and eco-friendly attraction Windows on the Floating World: Blume Tropical Wetland Garden, which was designed by WGI of West Palm Beach and opened in June 2017. The Award of Honor is bestowed in recognition of projects that “demonstrate the inspired use of landscape architectural practices in an imaginative and well-resolved combination that adds to the body of the Landscape Architecture profession.” Named after Mounts supporter Margaret Blume, the stunning Windows on the Floating World: Blume Tropical Wetland Garden was designed by nationally recognized public artists Mags Harries and Lajos Héder, who have been doing pioneering work for years at the critical intersection of public art and the environment. This extraordinary project was done in collaboration with WGI’s landscape architecture division and landscape architect, Kirsten Siegel, PLA and ASLA Senior Project Manager. A quarter-acre in size making it the largest new garden at Mounts, Windows on the Floating World features open-gridded, 4-foot wide walkways on the surface of the wetlands to give visitors the feeling of walking on water. Within these walks are four “windows” planted with aquatics and changed out with rotating and seasonal botanical exhibits growing from submerged containers. Additional highlights include waterfalls flowing over natural stone, an area for wading birds, and a rock wall covered with bromeliads, offering some of the best foliage colors in the plant kingdom. The creation of Windows on the Floating World was led by Elayna Toby Singer and Palm Beach 38 • Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue
County’s Art in Public Places program. “This is truly a national brag moment. Windows on the Floating World is the only artist conceived and designed garden within a U.S. botanical garden,” says Ms. Singer, who spent extensive time working with botanical gardens before joining Palm Beach County Art in Public Places 15 years ago. Mounts Curator-Director, Rochelle Wolberg commented, “The garden’s serene beauty will inspire visitors to more closely examine the natural world surrounding them and their connection to it.” Windows on the Floating World provides a multisensory, outdoor learning laboratory that is intrinsic to the Garden’s environmental education programs. Local students are engaged in powerful learning activities that enable them to cultivate critical thinking and a disposition toward environmental stewardship. In 2017, the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties awarded MBG with a two-year grant to provide wetlands education to 1200 middle and high school students. The science education program, Ambassadors of the Wetlands, included classroom visits and field experiences at Windows on the Floating World and the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. Last year, nearly 900 students were engaged in the Ambassadors program.
Windows on the Floating World was generously funded in part by Margaret Blume, The Batchelor Foundation, Palm Beach County and the Friends of Mounts Botanical Garden.
SUPPORT WELCOME CENTER & GIFT SHOP EXPANSION “ MOUNTS
B O TA N I C A L G A R D E N
I S A N I M P O R TA N T PA R T O F T H E C U LT U R A L A N D S O C I A L FA B R I C O F PA L M B E A C H C O U N T Y. W E A R E H A P P Y TO S U P P O R T T H E G R O W T H A N D D E V E L O P M E N T O F M O U N T S .” – STEPHANIE PEW
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he Garden’s gift shop often serves as the first formal point of entry for visitors. As such, it serves a critical function providing that “first impression.” The Friends of the Mounts Botanical is embarking on a campaign to expand and create a more inviting and engaging Welcome Center & Gift Shop. The structure, along with our display gardens, ultimately aids in our mission to inspire and educate through nature. As a not-for-profit organization, Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden relies on retail revenue, procured through the Gift Shop, to support outreach and free educational programming to our community. Just last year, over 5,000 local students engaged in a variety of nature programs and field experiences learning about the joys of gardening, environmental stewardship, and conservation. An expanded and renovated Welcome Center & Gift Shop focused on customer service is a top funding priority for the Garden. This will
Stephanie and John Pew accomplish several key objectives for the Garden’s continued growth and development: • Accuracy in recording visitor attendance, crucial to grant applications and Garden maintenance. • A richer visitor experience that includes education on the history of the Garden and information on its current exhibits and projects. • Increased revenue to support educational community outreach. Please consider a gift to the Welcome Center & Gift Shop expansion. Community support for the Garden is accomplished in many ways. Members, donors and volunteers (some of you are all three) are responsible for the exceptional beauty of the Garden and we are grateful. For more information on ways to support Mounts Botanical Garden, please contact Jeff Krebs at 561-233-1719 or email @ jkrebs@pbcgov.org.
Mounts Botanical Garden Special Issue • 39
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
FRIENDS OF THE MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN
PAID
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Sandy Smith President Phil Maddux 1st Vice President
West Palm Beach, FL Permit No. 373
Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden 559 North Military Trail West Palm Beach, FL 33415
William S. Brady Treasurer Paton White Secretary Polly Reed Immediate Past President DIRECTORS AT LARGE Julie Criser Julie Kime Gretta Curry Ilene Passler Rebecca Doane Stephanie Pew Rachel Docekal Jeffrey Phipps, Sr. Martha Gilbert Shawna Price Jackie Kingston Molly Sims Michael Zimmerman CURATOR - DIRECTOR Rochelle Ibanez Wolberg DIRECTOR OF PBC EXTENSION / EX-OFFICIO Ron Rice HONORARY DIRECTORS Leslie Clarke Bob Eigelberger Clayton Hutcheson Gene Joyner PUBLISHED BY Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden CONTRIBUTORS Joel Crippen, Marissa Jacobs, Jeffrey Krebs, Rufino Osorio, Linda Ruark, Joshua Spall, Samantha Weiner, Rochelle Wolberg EDITOR Melissa Carter ART DIRECTOR Deborah Bottorff COPY EDITOR Carol Carnevale
Master Gardener Hotline 561-233-1750 Monday – Friday • 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Administrative Office Phone: 561-233-1757 www.mounts.org
SATURDAY, NOV. 3 ∙ 9–4 & SUNDAY, NOV. 4 ∙ 9–3 1. Plalnt Sale ad
Plant-A-
2018 Renamed to celebrate the world of plants for sale and blooming at Mounts!
This project is sponsored in part by The Board of County Commissioners, the Tourist Development Council and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. Leaflet is a publication produced by the Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden for its members. Copyright 2018 with all rights reserved.
Event Admission: $10; Members Free Shop over 80 vendors from all over Florida with an amazing assortment of rare and exotic plants, trees, shrubs, gardening accessories and more! For more information visit mounts.org or call 561-233-1757