The Gardens Gate – December 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

Wednesday Saturday 10:00am 4:00pm Sunday 12:00pm - 4:00pm

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.

Happy Holidays to ALL!

This is a time of year to be thankful of what we have, a time of giving, and of healing. My wish is that each and every one of you have a wonderful Holiday Season.

The Christmas light installation has already begun and we are looking forward to opening the doors for the public to enjoy. Last year it was well received and hopefully our guests will be delighted again this year. There will be some new displays added and although not a lot, it will still be a wonderland of lights!

Our new security system is almost fully installed, and the fence is being powder coated prior to be installation. If you see one of our City officials, please be sure to “Thank” them for all they do for The Gardens.

The Serenity Garden is completed and once the privacy fence is installed, the Secret Garden will be finished. The Rare Fruit Club has begun putting in their garden room. It is located on the South end of the Bromeliad Garden as you come into The Gardens. They are doing a great job, and are definitely an asset to The Gardens.

If you are looking for some gift ideas, how about buying someone a membership to The Gardens or make a donation to our Endowment fund in their name. The Endowment fund will help insure the future viability of The Gardens.

I want to personally thank all of the amazing people who make The Gardens shine, including our Volunteers and members, as well as the public.

Have a great Holiday and please take care of each other.

Jeff (aka the Captain)

Jeff Chambers, President

Friends of the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens

DATE EVENT

START END

12/01/22

Visconti HOA Meeting

5:30 AM 8:00 AM 12/02/2212/04/22 Holiday Lights at The Gardens 5:00 PM 9:00 PM 12/05/22 Sunset Yoga at The Gardens 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 12/07/22 Tai Chi @ The Gardens 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 12/07/22 Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Jazz Jams 6:30 PM 9:30 PM 12/08/22 PSL Anglers Club Meeting 5:30 PM 9:30 PM

12/09/22 Holiday Lights at The Gardens

5:00 PM 9:00 PM 12/11/22 Friends Holiday Party at Santa Lucie River Club 5:00 PM 9:00 PM 12/12/22 FPSLBG Board of Directors Meeting 4:30 PM 6:00 PM 12/12/22 Sunset Yoga at The Gardens 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 12/13/22 PSL Orchid Society Meeting 12:00 PM 3:00 PM 12/14/22 Tai Chi @ The Gardens 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 12/15/22 Treasure Coast Rare Fruit Club Meeting 7:00 PM 9:00 PM 12/16/2212/18/22 Holiday Lights at The Gardens 5:00 PM 9:00 PM 12/19/22 Sunset Yoga at The Gardens

5:00 PM 6:00 PM 12/19/22 Sandpiper Bay Community Meeting 6:30 PM 9:00 PM 12/20/22 KWVTCC 166 Meeting

10:00 AM 2:00 PM 12/20/22 Fort Pierce Jazz & Blues Jazz Jams

5:00 PM 9:00 PM

6:30 PM 9:30 PM 12/23/22 Holiday Lights at The Gardens

12/25/22

MERRY CHRISTMAS - CLOSED

12:00 AM 11:59 PM 12/26/22 Sunset Yoga at The Gardens 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 12/27/22 PSL Historical Society Meeting 11:30 AM 1:30 PM 12/28/22

Commemorative Meeting 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 12/30/22 Holiday Lights at The Gardens 5:00 PM 9:00 PM

EED LIBRARIES HELP COMMUNITIES GROW

Seed libraries were a revolutionary concept when they first began to appear almost a generation ago. The earliest example I can find is BASIL, the Bay Area Seed Interchange Library founded at the Berkeley (California) Ecology Center back in 2000. The impetus for its founding came when University of California Berkeley closed its campus farm to make room for research into genetically modified corn. This left the farm’s collection of seeds homeless. Activists persuaded the Berkeley Ecology Center to sponsor a lending library that would make the seeds available to local gardeners, who in turn would harvest and return seeds from the crops they grew to make possible the next year’s distribution.

From there, the seed library concept took off, spreading throughout all 50 states so that a count in 2018 identified some 660 examples. The explosive success of this movement owes to a multi-faceted appeal. Not only do seed libraries offer patrons a free start in gardening, they can also make available seeds adapted to local growing conditions. Garden retailers tend to stock nationally distributed lines of best-selling seeds that are chosen for their ability to grow over a broad area. A seed library, which isn’t driven by the need for profit, can focus on what performs best in the local soils and climate.

Keri Ostby of the Rochester (Minnesota) Public Library manages that institution’s seed library. When I interviewed her, she explained how her charge also helps bring together disparate elements of the community. (Listen to our conversation on my podcast, Growing Greener.) The Rochester Seed Library stocks seeds of fruits and vegetables popular with various cultural groups, such as the Ethiopian kale that is a favorite of the city’s Somali population. Such seeds would not be available locally without the seed library. By including them in its offerings, the library not only reinforces the foodways of this subset of the local population, but it also helps introduce other residents to their neighbors’ cuisines.

Besides distributing seeds, seed libraries also encourage seed saving among their patrons, so that the loans can be repaid at the end of the growing season. This is why the vegetable, fruit and flower varieties that seed libraries distribute are typically open pollinated. That is, when pollinated naturally by insects, birds, or wind, the plants bear seeds that produce a new generation closely resembling the parents. Hybrids, the mainstay of conventional seed producers, do not “come true” in this fashion, and so they’re avoided by most seed libraries.

This has a couple of significant impacts. First, seed libraries tend to emphasize old -fashioned, heirloom plant varieties that originated before the modern emphasis on hybrid fruits and vegetables. In this way, seed libraries play a significant part in helping to keep such heirlooms available to gardeners. There may also be subtle

variations within the populations of open pollinated plant types. Different individuals within a strain of tomatoes, for example, may differ slightly genetically, with some a bit better adapted to local conditions than others. Because gardeners typically save seed from the more robust and fruitful specimens in their plots, they tend to preserve and propagate the best adapted individuals. Pursued over a number of plant generations, this practice encourages the gradual evolution of an ever-more locally adapted strain. In our era of climate change, seed saving also allows plant populations to evolve to suit changes in things such as rainfall patterns or summer heat. In this way, seed libraries are becoming ever more relevant to the needs of gardeners.

With the increasing need for seed libraries, sources of information about seed saving and the mechanics of a successful lending service have sprung up online. A particularly valuable resource is the Community Seed Network’s website. Founded in 2016, this organization makes available for free all sorts of information about seed saving and establishing community seed programs. Another useful resource is the “Start a Library” page of the Seed Libraries webpage.

by Thomas Christopher

An example of a seed library hosted by the public Herrick District Library in Holland, Mich.

Our December 2022 ACE Volunteer of the Month is ANDREA HEITFELD, who was nominated by board member John Erickson. John can not say enough good things about Andrea. Andrea volunteers in the Orchid Room with John and Dana DeMarco every Monday morning.

Along with being Vice President of the Orchid Society, Andrea was also the creator of our very successful HATS IN THE GARDEN event last September. Along with the Garden Center, Andrea created a memorable and fun event for the more than 100 people who attended. She conceived of the luncheon, arranged for councilwoman Carraballo as speaker, set up the HATS parade, and coordinated the raffle baskets. This HATS event was so successful, that she will repeat the event next May at The Gardens during the Kentucky Derby.

Andrea has also been the ‘idea person’ behind the improvements in the orchid room, including the palette display, the lattice fence displays, the tower display, and the driftwood displays. Andrea was also the driving force behind this years Orchid Village at Botanica, but since The Gardens will not be able to have Botanica next year, Andrea is planning the Orchid Societies spring show at the Polish American Club for next April 1st and 2nd. Andrea spent her working life as an engineer with FPL, and as if she weren’t busy enough, she spends many hours every week volunteering with the Salvation Army.

The Gardens is lucky to have Andrea and her indefatigable spirit working for the betterment of The Gardens. THANK YOU ANDREA and CONGRATULATIONS!

By Laura Mehr

Our December 2022 Volunteer of the Month is also HOLLY HAAS, who was nominated by Jeff Chambers. Jeff said he wanted to honor her with this award because of the many positive qualities that she brings to the Garden Center. Among those qualities that Jeff has observed, is her ability to get along with all other volunteers, her ability to see things that need to be done, and to go about getting them done. Jeff also said that Holly has come up with many good ideas to improve the Garden Center, and has implemented them.

Jeff has also brought many new volunteers and CORE people to Holly for training, and she is glad to take them under her wing, and get them started on projects and maintenance. He also said that it is obvious that she enjoys the gardens and wants to be at The Gardens and contributing to all that The Gardens is becoming.

THANK YOU for your contributions HOLLY, and CONGRATULATIONS!

By Laura Mehr

Volunteers leaving in style :

Lyn Marino assisting the Rare Fruit Club with their new garden

Mike breaking ground for our Memorial (Jackfruit) tree in honor of Larry Zimmerman

Sunset Yoga in the Secret Garden. Pic by Dale Johnson.

Visit our renovated Secret Garden. Pic by Dale Johnson.

Welcome to your Nature & Wildlife Pass! Visit St. Lucie's stunning scenic spots and best nature centers to win prizes!

Visit St. Lucie Nature & Wildlife Pass

Welcome to the newest, nature pass on the Treasure Coast! Download your free Nature & Wildlife digital pass where you can experience nine unique nature-based attractions in Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie & Hutchinson Island.

From our best hikes, eco centers, and preserves to local botanical treasures, the Nature & Wildlife Pass will introduce you to our wild and diverse collection of our best outdoor amenities where you can soak in the scenery, spot wildlife, and enjoy nature.

Check in to 5 stops on the pass and receive a free Passholder’s decal. Check-in to all 9 stops and win an eco-friendly water bottle. Be sure to complete the trail by March 27, 2023, to be entered to win the Ultimate Eco Giveaway an Eno hammock, vouchers for 2 to a local wildlife boat tour, a guided kayak tour for 2 through the mangroves, and a 1-night stay at local accommodations. Street address will be used as a shipping address for any prize redemptions.

Download your free pass here: https://visitstlucie.com/nature-wildlife-pass

Happy exploring!

Thank You to all Visit St. Lucie Partners:

Oxbow Eco Center

Manatee Observation & Education Center

St. Lucie County Aquarium

Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens

Heathcote Botanical Gardens

FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

City of Port St. Lucie City Hall

City of Fort Pierce

St. Lucie County

The Newest Addition to the Gardens Rare Fruit Garden

Located on the South end of the Bromeliad Garden as you come into The Gardens

The Walking Trees of Ecuador

They Reportedly Move Up to 20 Meters Per Year.

A species of palm tree is perhaps the only mobile tree on this planet.

Socratea Exorrhiza, a tree that grows in a remote part of Ecuador can, reportedly, walk –yupp, like Ents do in The Lord of the Rings. OK, these leafy giants might not be able to wage war on the forces of Isengard, but they definitely have a thing or two in common with their fictitious counterparts, apart from their size. Their complicated system of roots is thought to serve as legs, helping the tree constantly move towards sunlight as the seasons change.

ELLNESS CLASSES AT THE PORT ST. LUCIE BOTANICAL GARDENS

SUNSET YOGA

•

SELECT MONDAYS

Join us for Sunset Yoga at the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens, a fun mix for basic and intermediate participants on select Monday’s of each month. The cost is $10 per class for Non-Friends' Members and Free to FPSLBG Members. Become a Member and get More Free Perks! Sign up at www.pslbg.org/yoga.

TAI CHI • WEDNESDAYS • 9:00am - 10:00am

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.

December 7th, 14th, 21at

Now that we are closer to having the Gardens fence in, it is imperative that any professional photographers who want to bring clients and photoshoot at The Gardens to make an appointment with our Events Department and hold a business membership with us. Any Photographer using props or tripods must be licensed and insured and a copy of such provided to Friends Events Department. Contact the Events Department at 772.337.1959 or email us events@pslbg.org