The Gardens Gate – January 2022

The January 2022 Gardens Gate Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens

TCVCC Car Show at The Gardens

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Out and About with The Gardens

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Holiday Lights & Events in Pictures

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Upcoming Events

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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, Gift Shop & Garden Center Hours:

Wednesday - Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm Sunday 12:00pm - 4:00pm PETS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE GARDENS 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: Vice President: Secretary: Treasurer: Directors:

Jeff Chambers Heather Furnari Mary Petrone Brenda Gustafson Mark A. Barnes Valerie Davis-Bailey John Erickson Laura Mehr Judy Nash-Wade Arthur Pearlstein Tim Sutton

Standing Committee Chairs...

Election Committee:

Stephanie Alessandrini-Giarraffa Brenda Gustafson Laura Mehr Brenda Gustafson

Finance Committee: Gift Shop Committee: Horticulture Committee: Membership & Volunteer Committee: Mark A. Barnes Resource Development Committee: Heather Furnari Strategic Planning Committee: Arthur Pearlstein

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.

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Dear Friends, Happy Holidays to all.

It seems only yesterday that we were planning 2021 and then that was quickly sidelined by the pandemic. However, we made it through and in spite of all the obstacles, The Gardens has thrived. This has been due to the incredible Volunteers and partnerships we have built with the City of Port St. Lucie, our Garden Clubs, and other organizations along the way.

As always, the Volunteers have gone above and beyond with their time, dedication and passion. I may grumble at times, but I am truly proud of all of you. It is rare to see such a diverse group of people come together and achieve so much.

We are pleased to report that the Holiday Lights at The Gardens has generated around 14,000 visitors per weekend. In addition, we have the 3rd Annual Art Show and Botanica Garden Festival & Plant Sale to look forward to. I believe this year will be outstanding. We anticipate between 8 and 10 thousand people to attend each event over a two-day period.

The City has started sending out bids for the construction of the Port Project. We may see activity starting in late March in that area. Please be patient while the work is going on. The Secret Garden bids will be looked at in January and when the City picks a developer for that project the work could start in February. We also have the Serenity Garden going in soon as well.

I look forward for another year here and more importantly I look forward to working for you, and with you.

Thank you all for everything you do!

Jeff Chambers, President

Friends of the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens

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VISIT THE GARDEN CENTER FOR OUR SPECIALS & NEW PLANTS Pentas, Blue My Mind, Geraniums, Vinca, Firespike, Milkweed, Thunbergia Sky Vine-White, Night Blooming Jasmine and much more.

50% OFF ALL AMARLYLLIS 50% OFF ALL BROMELIADS

Available NOW!!!

Available Wednesdays & Saturday’s

GREAT PRICES! The Garden Center will be open during the Art Show, January 8th and 9th, and February 13th & 14th for the Botanica Garden Festival Plant Sale and Orchid Village Show.

BE SURE TO STOP BY. We are open Wednesday - Saturday • 9AM-4PM and Sunday • Noon -4PM

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 each Wednesday & Saturday between the hours of 10:30am & 2:30pm, 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.

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Enjoy some Videos of the Car

r Show by Gary McNutt HERE

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ADOPT-A-GARDEN - The Band of Garden Sisters ‘BOGS’ have adopted the Native Plant & Florida Friendly Garden. From l. to r. Nancy Bacquet, Shari Miller, Cheri Johnson, Lead, Cathy Russo and Veronica Montoya. They will be maintaining the garden as well as researching and planting new plants.

If you would like to Adopt-A-Garden or your favorite place in the garden, let us know. We currently have availability in the Hibiscus Garden and the Daylily Garden.

Hours: Wednesday thru Saturday 10am - 4pm & Sunday 12pm - 4pm. Closed Mondays & Tuesdays 8

10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY MEMBERSHIP THANK YOU A very heartfelt Thank You for joining our ‘Special Ten-Year Membership’ to celebrate our Ten-Year Anniversary. As did our Founding Members, you will forever be a part of a very special group of members. Your donation not only shows your generosity but your support and love of our gardens. This plaque will be placed in the Pavilion for all to see. ‘Giving is the Greatest Act of Grace’ 9

you will hear about it. If I don't know something I will ask you.

Why did you choose to volunteer at the PSL Botanical Gardens?

After retirement in 2018 from St. Lucie County school system I was advised about different "to do's" from other retirees. Some were boring, some not. I chose to travel, clean every drawer, box, room and garage in my house. I also worked in the yard, walked, visited the grandchildren and did not get bored at all. As I was walking along the Riverwalk behind the gardens I came in through the back one day and in the bromeliad section, and since I love bromeliads, I saw that it needed weeding and I love to weed! I found my nitch and signed up to volunteer that day. I helped in the reworking of the bromeliad section but found myself more in the garden center which is my hearts delight.

Do you have any goals for your time here as a volunteer?

Everyday in the garden center I am learning something new about plants. I am not a master gardener but have learned so much from my peers, co-workers and customers that come in. And I will have to say Google has helped too! It is so fun to talk to our visitors about the plants we have and share information with them. My goal is to have people coming back to buy from us, tell their friends, volunteer with us. To enjoy and appreciate the beautiful gardens and fun events that go on here .

What do you find most rewarding about volunteering at pslbg?

The gardens has given me a new sense of purpose. I feel again that I am making a difference, and I hope in a positive way, because I am really enjoying being here. My love and interest of nature has blossomed and each day when I leave here my heart is full, but I am sometimes tired too LOL! What do you like to do when you’re at the Gardens?

Talk to people. If you don't know me I am a talker and the question meister (my kids call me that 1 0 LOL) If I found out something new about a plant,

Who was the most instrumental person who influenced your love of gardening?

I always wanted to have a vegetable garden and during the summers growing up I lived in Ocean City, Maryland. The vegetable truck farmer would come through the alleys weekly and sell his fresh vegetables. I snapped plenty of beans and shucked lots of corn as a kid. We lived in Deerfield Beach in the winters and unfortunately my mom was not a gardener, inside or out. My first house was here in Port St. Lucie 39 years ago and I tried vegetable gardening and failed. I have always enjoyed house plants knowing the benefits and have done well with gardening and landscaping in my yard through trial and error.

What’s your favorite tree or plant, and why?

I have a couple of favorites....my longtime favorite is the purple passion vine. Growing up they were everywhere on people's fences, and trees, the flower is so pretty and intricate. I now know they fruit! I love the Royal Poinciana tree, so massive and flowing and in when in bloom-Wow! And bromeliads for all the varieties and the fact they multiply and are easy maintenance.

Tell us a little bit about your family.

I have two boys, they are both married to lovely women and I have 3 grandchildren! My youngest son lives in Sarasota and they have my granddaughter Nora, who is 4. The oldest son lives in Plantation, FL and they have my grandsons, Wyatt who is 4 and Cooper who will be 2 in February. I wish they were closer but I don't mind either drive and see them on an average of once or twice a month.

Tell us something about you that’s interesting, or that not many people know about you.

This question is interesting because as I said before I am a talker and an open book, lol! To this day I am very very nervous about speaking in front of a group of people especially if I don't know anyone. When I moved to Florida when I was 9, I had a report to do on Peru. When I said Peru it came out Perwu. The class laughed and the teacher did too! Needless to say I went to speech class, I couldn't pronounce my R's. I never took public speaking and should have because I buckle when I don't know the room. I can still work on that though!

What’s your favorite quote or saying?

Sometimes things don't work out the way you want it to, if so, then it wasn't meant to be.

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Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens

New Golf Cart One Gallon Pots and Smaller. Drop them off on one of the back tables.

We currently have plenty of 2 and 3 gallons.

New Sweet Almond Bush New Tropical Sage Plant

All Donations Tax Deductible

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Yoga at The Gardens Sunset Yoga at the Gardens with Dale Johnson, originator of the PSLBG “Yoga in the Gardens”. What better way to spend a Monday evening bathed in the last rays of the sunset while learning the practice of yoga. As participation rates in mind-body fitness programs increase it is important to that we see the nature of yoga and the evidence of its many therapeutic effects. Look for additional health and fitness programs in the new year at the Gardens. $10 per person - FPSLBG Members attend for FREE.

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Santa David Pickett visits with guests

A BIG THANK YOU to Laurie Hart for the generous donation of orchid pots that were delivered by her daughter and son-in-law. Laurie was instrumental in starting the propagation area when the Gardens opened Santa (Vinny Furnari), Mrs. Claus (Judy Nash-Wade) and our bubbly Elf (Heather Furnari) take time to pose for the camera.

Cyrano de Beargerac finds a home with Joleen King

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Jeff Chambers warming his hand by the fire

Poinsettias by the Rose Garden after the rain.

Mrs. Claus (Judy Nash-Wade) takes time to admire Laura Mehr’s beautiful Pavilion Holiday Centerpiece.

Louie the Elf poses with Santa David Pickett

George getting a tan Continued on Pg18

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Jeff Chamber helps officiate the awards at the Treasure Coast Vintage Car Club Car Show.

Santa Vinny gets ready for the festivities with the help of his Elfs Heather & Sandy.

December 4th class on Birds with a 4H homeschooling group. Contact education@pslbg.com for more information.

Education Committee refilling the Discovery Backpacks after weekly use.

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New Curbing around Flagpole and Veterans Memorial Garden

Nan Billings Decorating with Nature November Class

Nan Billings Gift Wrapping with Nature class in December

Nan Billings Decorating with Nature November

New Cycads for the Ancient Garden

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Holiday Lights & Events at The Gardens

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