The Gardens Gate – October 2022

2410 SE Westmoreland Blvd.

Port St. Lucie, FL 34952

Phone: 772.337.1959

Fax: 772.237.5952 Email: info@pslbg.org

Web: www.pslbg.org

Pavilion, Garden Center and Gift Shop Hours:

Wednesday Saturday 10:00am 4:00pm

Sunday 12:00pm - 4:00pm

FURRY FRIENDS ARE WELCOMED ACCOMPANIED BY RESPONSIBLE OWNERS. PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW YOUR PET TO RELIEVE THEMSELVES IN OUR GARDEN ROOMS. PET STATIONS ARE LOCATED AROUND THE GARDENS FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE. SKATES, BOARDS & BICYCLES ARE NOT PERMITTED ON THE WALKWAYS IN THE GARDENS

Suggested Donations:

Adults $5 • Students $2

Free for FPSLBG Members and Active Military with family (IDs required)

Mission Statement...

Friends’ mission is to create and maintain a beautiful, serene sanctuary in the center of Port St. Lucie that is environmentally sound and naturally diverse and to provide educational, cultural and recreational opportunities for all who visit.

Officers & Directors...

President: Jeff Chambers

Vice President: Heather Furnari

Secretary: Mary Petrone

Treasurer: Cathy Russo

Directors: Mark A. Barnes

John Erickson

Jeanette Kostival Judy Nash Wade

Standing Committee Chairs...

Election Committee: Stephanie Alessandrini Giarraffa

Finance Committee: Cathy Russo

Gift Shop Committee: Jeanette Kostival

Horticulture Committee: Jeff Chambers

Membership & Volunteer Committee:

Jeanette Kostival

Resource Development Committee: Heather Furnari

Strategic Planning Committee: TBD

Newsletter...

Editor & Design: Mark A. Barnes

The Gardens is managed and operated by Friends of the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens, Inc., a non profit 501(c)(3) public charity organization, that was founded to help support the daily operations of The Gardens. Friends volunteers provide hands on daily oversight of the facility, including staffing to handle the many visitors year round. Please consider becoming a member of Friends. Friends' is a 100% volunteer organization. In all cases, donations are deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Hello Everyone!

Thank you all for taking the time to look at our newsmagazine!

It doesn’t seem like the summer has ended with the heat we have been experiencing.

The Garden Center is now back to regular operating hours and I truly thank them for working out in this heat and rain. A really great group of volunteers.

Things have taken off at “The Port” with the construction going full steam and the Peacock House being renovated. On the Garden side, the artificial turf was installed on the Amphitheatre stadium seating and the north entrance to the Event Lawn has been opened up to allow larger truck to access the Event lawn. The Secret Garden is getting a makeover with a concrete pad with designs cut into it and a concrete platform for visiting artist to display their art will be installed. A BIG thanks to the City of Port St. Lucie for making this happen. The fence project has also been started with the removal of some of the metal rail/fence being removed around the Pavilion. We were also gifted 3 more sets of outdoor furniture!

Election time is coming up in late January and we need Members interested in being a Board member to apply. There is a lot of things you can do as a Board member. Stop by the Gardens and talk with one of the current Board Members and see what it’s all about!

We are entering a new year with a lot changes happening and while it is a time of uncertainly, we are very excited to see “The Port” develop and how we will grow with that development. While we have

Date Event

10/03/22

10/05/22

Sunset Yoga at The Gardens

Start Time End Time

6:00 PM 7:00 PM

Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society Jazz Jams 6:30 PM 9:30 PM

10/08/22 Treasure Coast Vintage Car Club Car Show

10/10/22

9:00 AM 3:00 PM

FPSLBG Board of Directors Meeting 4:30 PM 6:00 PM

10/10/22 Sunset Yoga at The Gardens 6:00 PM 7:00 PM

10/11/22 PSL Orchid Society Meeting

12:00 PM 3:00 PM

10/13/22 PSL Anglers Club Meeting 5:30 PM 9:30 PM

10/17/22 Sandpiper Bay Community Meeting 6:30 PM 9:00 PM

10/17/22

Restorative Yoga at The Gardens

7:00 PM 8:00 PM

10/18/22 KWVTCC 166 Meeting 10:00 AM 2:00 PM

10/19/22 Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Society Jazz Jams

10/20/22 Treasure Coast Rare Fruit Club Meeting

10/22/22 Treasure Coast Bonsai Meeting

10/24/22 Rio Lindo Garden Club Meeting

10/24/22

10/25/22

Sunset Yoga at The Gardens

PSL Historical Society Meeting

10/29/22 Care Net "Pregnancy Loss Memorial Event"

10/31/22 Sunset Yoga at The Gardens

6:30 PM 9:30 PM

7:00 PM 9:00 PM

10:00 AM 12:00 PM

1:00 PM 4:00 PM

6:00 PM 7:00 PM

11:30 AM 1:30 PM

8:00 AM 11:00 AM

6:00 PM 7:00 PM

Are You Looking for Fun and Educational Children’s Activities?

The Gardens is the Perfect learning environment!!!

Our NEW Discovery Back Packs are available to the public inside the Pavilion, free of charge, for parents and kids to take an exciting adventure and learning experience through the Gardens.

Adults may sign-out backpacks Wednesday thru Saturday 10am 4pm and Sunday 12noon 4pm, with a Valid State ID, for use within our Gardens.

Scheduled Lessons are available to public and Private schools. Inquire at our front desk or email education@pslbg.org.

Thank You.

THE ROSE GARDEN AT THE PORT ST. LUCIE BOTANICAL GARDENS

The Rose Garden at Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens (PSLBG) has been tended by the Rio Lindo Garden Club of Port St. Lucie, Florida, since the Gardens’ opening in 2010. The approximate twenty-acre property was purchased by the City of Port St. Lucie in 2005. Several years of planning culminated with a dedication and ground-breaking ceremony in 2009, with the eventual grand opening of the Gardens a year later. PSLBG, operated by Friends of Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens (Friends), an IRS 501C3 corporation, in which Rio Lindo is a founding member, has a mission statement:

“

To create and maintain a beautiful, serene sanctuary in the center of Port St. Lucie that is environmentally sound and naturally diverse and to provide educational, cultural and recreational opportunities for all who visit.”

The formal Rose Garden is a specific Garden Room and a favorite among visitors, and is a site for weddings and proposals.

Rio Lindo was organized on June 20, 1960, and became part of the state Florida Federation of Garden Clubs (FFGC) on October 3, 1961. Rio Lindo’s involvement in PSLBG began during the planning phase of the Gardens. Joleen King, then District X Director of FFGC and former president of Rio Lindo, successfully lobbied the Friends and the City for Rio Lindo to adopt the Rose Garden. A committee was chosen, and the eight original cracker rose varieties were ordered and planted. Over the years Rio Lindo’s entire membership has worked twice a month to weed, prune, water, mulch, fertilize and spray the roses, each person contributing at least two hours per year to the project.

In 2017, Joleen King, then president of Friends, spearheaded the approval, purchase and installation of four Moongates to further enhance the visual ambiance of the Garden Room. Rio Lindo GC purchased the Moongates through Club fundraising efforts. A committee of Rio Lindo Master Gardeners, led by Angie Reese, researched and chose vines to be planted on the Moongates for further color and interest. The Moongates have

become another public favorite for photo opts.

In 2019, Mike Becker, Master Rosarian and life member of the American Rose Society, agreed to redesign the Rose Garden and update it with seventeen more modern varieties of heat and drought tolerant and fragrant roses. Implementation of this rejuvenation began September, 2019, and was completed in July, 2020, with Mike’s advice and help, and under the leadership of Anne Nourse, current Rose Garden Chair. A new sign was added in 2021.

Rio Lindo members thank Ames and National Garden Clubs the Tools Grant Award in April, 2022. We really appreciate the recognition.

We would also like to thank our Rose Garden Chairs who have guided us over the past twelve years in making the Rose Garden a favorite spot at PSLBG. They are: Josephine Telenko, Gail Bird, Connie Lydon, Linda Trottier, Bonnie Boaz and Anne Nourse.

Pictured from left to right: Joyce Rosselli, Kathleen Colando, Karen York, Mike Becker,Anne Nourse, Joanne Dualsky, Marilyn Zeller and Virginia Waters.

Choosing, Hanging and Caring for Window Boxes

Choosing window boxes

First, make sure you choose rot-resistant material for your boxes. Be certain that the boxes are sturdy enough to hold the weight of soil and plants. Remember that watering the soil will make it heavier. Make sure that the boxes you make or buy have drainage holes.

The best wooden window boxes are those made of treated redwood or cedar. Fiberglass window boxes are expensive, but they are beautiful, and their long lifespan may make up for the initial cost outlay. However, don't rule out

inexpensive plastic boxes only because you don't like their look. They can easily be hidden by trailing plants.

Hanging window boxes

Use brackets slightly longer than the window box itself in order to leave space between it and the house. This prevents water from getting trapped at the back of the box, potentially damaging the house's siding.

Follow the manufacturer's instructions for installing the brackets. Make sure that the top of the window box sits a few inches below the window (especially if your windows open outward). This placement leaves more space for plants to mound without totally obscuring your view.

Note how the brackets on these window boxes keep the boxes away from the building.

Caring for window boxes

To cut down on the weight that the window box must bear, fill it halfway with packing peanuts or foam pieces before you add soil and plants. Most annuals need only six inches of soil. Window boxes—like any container—dry out quickly. You may need to water them daily.

Don't count on rainfall to adequately water your plants, particularly if there are eaves or gutters above the window box.

To cut down on maintenance and keep things looking beautiful, choose drought tolerant annuals that bloom over a long period and do not require deadheading. Include plants whose best feature is their foliage, such as coleus and sweet potato vine.

For more tips plus planting recipes, check out How to Window Box. It is a fun and modern guide to creating window boxes for indoors or out.

Eleanor Epler is our September ACE Award Volunteer of the Month. Eleanor has been working loyally at the Welcome Desk for almost two years, and her determination to fulfill her volunteer shift always amazes us. Rain or shine, Eleanor is there, every Thursday morning, smiling and ready to great our guests. But the most amazing thing is that whenever she is done with her shift, that donation box is filled to overflowing. THANK YOU ELEANOR !!

Eleanor has volunteered at many places in her life. Most recently, and for the last 5 years, she has been a docent at the Mansion of Tuckahoe, a historic home located in Jensen Beach. They have been closed longer than most other places, due to Covid, but are due to reopen soon, and Eleanor will be volunteering there as well.

Eleanor also spent many years volunteering at the Yale Art Gallery in New Haven, CT., and she said the satisfaction she received from being able to talk about art with the patrons is something she will never forget.

As a founding member, her love of our Gardens is apparent whenever you listen to her talking to the guests about the many areas of The Gardens she loves. As she loves talking to the public, the Welcome Desk is a perfect fit for Eleanor.

While interviewing her, she expressed how impressed she always is by all that our volunteers have done, and continue to do. She said she learns something new about The Gardens every time she volunteers, and particularly loves the design and flow of The Gardens, and the serenity and peacefulness within.

She is an enthusiastic supporter of all our events, and was so disappointed that the Art Show and Botanica were canceled. She feels that the Welcome Desk is the most important spot, as that is the guests first impression of us, and that they are always thrilled to know we don’t charge admission, and invariably end up donating more than whatever we might charge. She is also a very enthusiastic supporter of our Gardens Gate Gift Shop, looking for all the new and exciting things that come in from week to week.

It is with grateful THANKS that we honor ELEANOR as our September Volunteer of the month.

By: Laura Mehr

NOTE: August ACE Volunteer of the month was MARLOU JENNINGS, nominated by Mary Petrone of the Education Dept.

Garden.

Tai Chi in the Secret Garden each Wednesday from 8am to 9am.

Sparky Dill donated 3 carts of plants to the Gardens including crepe myrtles, junipers, orchids, bromeliads, lantana, jade plants and tomato.

One of our Gopher Tortoises out strolling The Gardens

Thank you again, Merv for the new Bamboo Fence in the Serenity Garden

Butterflies in the Garden

By Vida Bauer

It’s always a treat to visit the lovely Port St Lucie Botanical Gardens. On Saturday September 3rd, there was an additional perk; I was there to attend a talk by our own MGV Julie Norsworthy entitled “The Magical World of Butterflies.”

Julie shared her experiences as well as close up photos and videos of the procedures and responsibilities that go along with raising and releasing Butterflies. She had some insights beyond the standard butterfly life cycle that we learned about as kids.

Using a microscope, she shared photos of the tiny eggs, the many stages of the caterpillars and some amazing videos of them shedding their skin. Her enthusiasm for and knowledge about these delicate creatures was apparent. On a lighter note, she shared some personal photos of chrysalises attached to her headboard and how these lovely creatures have taken over her house!

Julie shared her linguistic pet peeves. She informed us that Butterflies create “Chrysalises”, not “Cocoons” like moths and that they “emerge” and are not “born”.

On a serious note, she talked about some of the dangers that Butterflies face. There are pesticides, loss of habitat and now climate change. Another major threat is the parasite (OE) Ophryocystis elektroscirrha. There was even a microscope set up for us to look at some spores that she meticulously collected. She warned about well meaning people who raise butterflies and instead of helping Mother Nature, inadvertently make things worse by their intervention. Unless you are willing to bleach the leaves, test the butterflies and keep a clean environment, this might not be for you.

She suggested that we grow both host and nectar plants and provided a plant list for us, a lovely pamphlet and some recommended Facebook butterfly groups.

The crowd had many questions and seemed to enjoy her talk as much as I did. If you see that she is giving this talk again, I recommend that you attend!

A BIG THANK YOU TO THE GARDENS

A WONDERFUL SIDE STORY AT “HATS IN THE GARDEN

I hope you didn’t miss the premiere of “Hats In The Garden” on Saturday, Sept 17th at the PSLBG. So much fun! I was one of the people at the check in desk. Check off your name, which entrée for your lunch selection and to answer any questions about the event. As we are about to start, a participant walks in with a tiny kitten in her arms. When she pulled into the parking lot and was getting out of her car she heard loud meowing coming from under her car hood. Perplexed she opened her hood and there was the panicky kitty. One of my co-workers (and animal lover) Barbara Lynn takes the distraught kitten and tries to calm her down. Talking to her softly, walking around and gently petting her. Now what? What to do? Call animal control? Is there a cat rescue near by? Asking people there do you want a Kitten?

There is a happy ending. Barbara Lynn makes a phone call. The cat is picked up and taken to her home. She told herself temporary solution but you guessed it. She’s keeping the 4 week old kitten. Her name is Hatty and she has a forever home.

Dana DeMarco

MORNINGSIDE ELEMENTARY’S GRADE 5 STUDENTS VISIT THE GARDENS

Morningside Elementary’s Grade 5 Students recent visit to the gardens. Students completed 4 plant activities: Lima bean germination, flower dissection, pollinator jeopardy, making seed balls to reverberate areas hurt by weather or fire.

Enjoy some of the pictures taken which include activity volunteers: Mary Pat Harper, Marlou Jennings, Diane Bergman, Paula Blanchard, Heather Furnari, Stephanie Alessandrini, Moses Hill, Beverly Cadien, Marilyn Kane, Deirdre Emling, Robyn Young, Julie Baker, and Mary Petrone.

Thank you for your time and dedication to The Gardens and our wonderful students.

WELLNESS CLASSES AT THE PORT ST. LUCIE BOTANICAL GARDENS

SUNSET YOGA • SELECT MONDAYS

Join us for Restorative Yoga at the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens with Gina L. Buse (RYT 200). Restorative yoga encourages physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. Appropriate for all levels, it is practiced at a slow pace, long holds, stillness and deep breathing. The cost is $5 per class for Friends' Members and $10 for Non Members. Limited to 10 participants. Sign up at www.pslbg.org/yoga.

3

pm

7

RESTORATIVE YOGA • SELECT MONDAYS • 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Join us for Restorative Yoga at the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens with Gina L. Buse (RYT 200). Restorative yoga encourages physical, mental, and emotional relaxation. Appropriate for all levels, it is practiced at a slow pace, long holds, stillness and deep breathing. The cost is $5 per class for Friends' Members and $10 for Non Members. Limited to 10 participants. Sign up at www.pslbg.org/yoga.

October 17th November 21st

-

pm - 6pm

TAI CHI • WEDNESDAYS • 8:00am - 9:00am

Join us for Tai Chi at the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens. Beginners Tai Chi is designed to inspire better balance and improve confidence, concentration & peace of mind within the beautiful grounds of the Botanical Gardens. The cost is $10 per class for Non-Friends' Members and $5 to FPSLBG Members Sign up at www.pslbg.org/taichi.