The Gardens' Gate - April 2023

Monthly Calendar pg. 4

What’s Blooming Now? pg. 8

Volunteer Spotlights pg. 22

The Butterfly Garden pg. 26

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:

Tuesday - Saturday | 9 AM - 5 PM

Sunday | Noon - 5 PM

Skates, boards & bicycles are not permitted on the walkways in the gardens.

Suggested Donations:

Adults $5 • Students $2 Free for PSLBG 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.

Office & Directors

President: Heather Furnari

Vice President: Jeanette Kostival

Secretary: Judy Nash-Wade

Treasurer: -

Directors: John Erickson, Dale Johnson, Mary Petrone, Pam Scholey, Tim Sutton, Moses Hill, Joleen King

Standing Committee Chairs

Election Committee: Stephanie Alessandrini Giarraffa

Finance Committee: -

Gift Shop Committee: Pam Scholey

Horticulture Committee: Tim Sutton, Dale Johnson

Membership & Volunteer Committee: Jeanette Kostival

Resource Development Committee: Heather Furnari

Strategic Planning Committee: Tim Dutton

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.

CONTENTS

Monthly Calendar pg. 4

What’s Blooming Now? pg. 8

Thank You, Volunteers pg. 12

Mindfulness with Moses pg. 20

Volunteer Spotlights pg. 22

Wellness at the Gardens pg. 24

Butterfly Garden pg. 26

*Reminder

Friends Monthly Board Meeting

Monday, April 10, 2023 | 4:30PM

Members are welcome to attend meetings.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

As we finish up March and April, we see the signs all around us that spring is starting. Trees blooming, butterflies flitting around, and the weather getting hotter. Here at the gardens, we are preparing for the upcoming season with excitement and vigor. The new gate surrounding the property is completed, and new hours for The Gardens are here. We will expand with an extra day and an hour earlier each day we are open. Hours are Tuesday thru Saturday, 9 to 5 pm, and Sundays, noon to 5 pm.

The Hibiscus Garden is dressing up for the season by getting a new permanent art piece from Anita Prentice, the same artist who created our tiled butterfly mural. We will also be adding a rotating art piece by the rose garden. And our garden center has been busy creating beautiful displays and preparing plants for sale.

On March 20th, we had our annual BBQ for our volunteers, commemorating the hours each person has given to The Gardens with a certificate ceremony and a pin. We celebrated our volunteers with good food, camaraderie, and laughter. Thank you for all that you do. After all, without our volunteers, we wouldn’t be the fantastic organization that we are!

April 8th is the Junk in the Trunk event, so dig out your unwanted treasures and sign up for this event. Lady Bug Launch, new yoga classes, and so much more are also in April! I look forward to seeing you all come and visit, thank a volunteer, shop, and enjoy yourselves at The Gardens.

Heather Furnari

If you’re interested in discussing opportunities to join any committees at The Gardens, please email: volunteer@pslbg.org

President Friends of the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens

HAPPENING AT THE PORT ST. LUCIE BOTANICAL GARDENS

APRIL 2023

* (Registration Required)

A Look Ahead:

Meeting BONSAI

Saturday, April 22 10 AM - Noon

What’s Blooming Now?

The Prickly Pear Cactus, also known as Cow Tongue Prickly Pear or Cactus Apple, has a short trunk, spreading, stem segments are yellow green to blue-green, flattened pads, and are glabrous, circular - obovate - rhombic in shape. The spines are evenly distributed on pad/leaf or they are absent, white to yellow, with age turning gray to blackish, spines are straight to curbed.

EARTH DAY

Saturday, April 22, 2023

Earth Day is coming up and we are very excited here at the Gardens! If you happen to stroll through the Gardens to celebrate, be sure to tag us in your photos, we would love to see them! #pslbotanicalgardens

Prickly Pear Cactus

The fruit of the Prickly Pear Cactus are called tunas and are dark red/purple, ovate-elongate and kind of barrel-shaped, juicy, can bleed and stain, are edible, glabrous, spine-less, and the seeds are tan to grayish in color. It usually flowers in spring – early summer.

The Mammalaria Cactus, also known as the Pincushion Cactus, has over 200 known species and varieties, native to regions of Central America, particularly Mexico. Mammillaria spinosissima bears bright pink flowers and spines. The bloom time for Mammillaria plants is relatively short. In most instances, these cacti will hold their flowers for about one week.

Mammalaria Cactus

Anita Prentice MOSAIC ART WITH

Local artist Anita Prentice is moving right along with her new piece for The Gardens’ Hibiscus Room. The 15” diameter cement pole installed in the center of The Hibiscus Room is now coming to life with tiny mosaic pieces! Anita is covering the pole with her signature styling of hibiscus flowers, insects, vines, and other flowers and garden-themed art. We have enjoyed watching her create this fabulous masterpiece!

Stroll by to admire it on your next visit to the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens!

Volunteers! Thank You,

Our ACE volunteer appreciation luncheon was a great success, with over 100 attendees, and awards given out to almost 100 volunteers. For 20-100 volunteer hours, certificates of appreciation were presented, and to those volunteers with 100-250 hours, which was our largest category, certificates of appreciation along with a Silver designation pin were awarded. Our Gold category was for 250-500 hours, which consisted of 9 recipients, and our Platinum category, which was over 500 volunteer hours during 2022, consisted of 12 recipients. Our ACE Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Tony Jonek, our much appreciated cactus and succulent garden creator and expert extraordinaire, in all things cactus and succulent related.

The Gardens is so very grateful to Darl and Deirdre Emling, who sponsor this luncheon, in honor of their late son, Adam Clayton Emling (ACE). Thank you again and again, from the bottom of our hearts.

Tony Jonek

ACE Volunteer of the Year

3RD THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 7PM - 9PM

Our mission is to promote tropical and subtropical fruits; to introduce and distribute new and improved varieties; to inform the public of the merits of tropical fruit; to collect and disseminate information on cultural requirements and propagating techniques; and much more!

Come join us and bring a friend or neighbor. First meeting is always free!

MONTHLY PROGRAM, DELICIOUS TASTING TABLE, SEED EXCHANGE, PLANT AUCTION, PLANT RAFFLE

Visit our website to learn more: www.tcrarefruitclub.org

2410 SE Westmoreland Blvd. Port St. Lucie, FL 34952

Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens

Grand Opening

OF THE SECRET GARDEN & SERENITY GARDEN

The Grand Opening of Serenity Garden & Secret Garden will take place on Sunday, May 7, 2023, from 10:30 AM to 12 PM. This event is free for everyone to join. There will be refreshments, wedding vendors, and an opportunity to purchase commemorative bricks to honor loved ones.

The Serenity Garden is a peaceful garden for contemplation. This beautiful site affords an opportunity to commemorate an occasion or loved one through an inscribed celebratory brick.

Every Brick Has a Story to Tell.

To see all of the brick options and costs, click on the link here: www.pslbg.org/celebratory-bricks.html

ATTENTION PHOTOGRAPHERS

Due to the new fence being installed, photographers that are members will be able to enter the grounds for 1-2 evenings a month for a fee. Please stay tuned for details.

Photo by: Kristy & Vic Photography | kristyandvic.com

A new team is being developed! Help plan and carryout outreach activities throughout our local community. Options include, but are not limited to: public speaking, outreach event planning, writing articles, etc.

in the Gardens with Moses Mindfulness

A huge thank you to everyone who joined and made this year’s first Mindfulness in the Gardens so magical! Moses will be leading this event in the beautiful and serene Secret Garden on the third Friday of the each month. It’s a night full of meditation, mindful conversations, sound healing, yoga movement, and more! The cost is $25 for non-members, $12.50 for members, and $6 for volunteers.

Visit https://www.pslbg.org/calendar.html for more information and to register for the night of your choice.

Elyse Mermelstein

Our ACE Volunteer of the Month for April 2023 is Elyse Mermelstein, nominated by our President of the board of directors, Heather Furnari.

Elyse has been volunteering at The Gardens for so long that she doesn’t even remember how long ago she started! She remembers that Heather recruited her when she was volunteering at the Ft. Pierce Orchid Society and Heathcote Botanical Gardens. Elyse had visited The Gardens for a plant show and began talking to Heather, and before you knew it, she was a fixture at the Welcome Desk, in the Gift Shop, and at our special events.

Elyse tells me that she loves interacting with the guests and letting them know how much she loves The Gardens. She also enjoys the other volunteers and getting to know them. She is always willing to volunteer at any event where we need her and has always been there for every Art Show, Botanica, and Bootanica. Recently, she was on duty in the building, and the person who was supposed to come and lock up did not show up. Elyse stayed for several hours until someone could go and lock the building. All of us at The Gardens appreciate that kind of dedication.

Elyse has told me that she constantly mentions that PSLBG has been her favorite place since her first visit years ago. Elyse says PSLBG “has the most gorgeous plants and flowers to view and buy, and personable volunteers and visitors. The Gardens give the relaxing feeling that one is far from home.”

When Elyse is not volunteering with us, she works full-time with behaviorally challenged students at Dale Cassens school in Ft Pierce. The Board of Directors is grateful for her service and so glad to honor Elyse as our April 2023 ACE Volunteer of the Month.

Spotlights

by LAURA MEHR

Charles Taylor

Our April 2023 ACE Volunteer of the Month has been awarded to Welcome Desk Volunteer Charles Taylor. Board member Moses Hill nominated him.

Almost two years ago, Charles was recruited by another volunteer, Lillith Walker, who lived near him, to come and join us here at The Gardens. It was undoubtedly a match made in heaven, as Charles’ smiling face has become a fixture at the welcome desk every Wednesday morning since then. His welcoming attitude and always positive demeanor have made him a joy to all who know him.

Charles was also one of our Santas this past holiday season during the Holiday Lights event. He was so pleased when some guests recognized him when they visited the other day from when their children had seen him as Santa.

Before the pandemic, Charles volunteered for several years at the hospital in Tradition. After the pandemic, the hospital suspended the program that Charles was involved in, and The Gardens became the lucky recipient of his time and efforts.

Charles told me that he loves greeting our guests and telling them about The Gardens, especially the children, who are always most eager to find out everything they can about The Gardens. His love of gardening certainly comes in handy when speaking to the aspiring gardeners that come to The Gardens.

Charles is recently married to Hilma, and they enjoy their time at their church and gardening. Charles is also an enthusiastic softball player.

We are so lucky to have Charles passing on his enthusiasm to all who visit.

E G A R D E N S Select Wednesday Mornings 9 AM - 10 AM $10 for Non-Members | $5 for Members

S S M I N D F U L N E S S 3rd Friday of Each Month 7 PM - 9 PM $25 for Non-Members | $12 50 for Members

Select Monday Nights 7 PM - 8 PM $10 for Non-Members | $5 for Members

2nd Monday of Each Month 7 PM - 8 PM $10 for Non-Members | $5 for Members Select Tuesday Nights Starting in May $10 for Non-Members | $5 for Members

Select Tuesday Nights Starting in May $10 for Non-Members | $5 for Members

*Registration is required for all events Outdoor event weather permitting Restorative Yoga will be moved indoors in the event of inclement weather Refunds are unable to be provided for no-shows. To save your spot, visit: www pslbg org/events html

www.pslbg.org/become-a-volunteer.html

Butterfly Garden The Nestled

inside the Port Saint Lucie Botanical Garden is the Butterfly Garden. It’s a magical place for butterflies, bumble bees, and hummingbirds. Phyllis Brown has been at the helm of the Butterfly Garden since the inception of the Port Saint Lucie Botanical Garden.

Phyllis’s team is always hard at work pruning and maintaining the Butterfly Garden. At first glance, it appears wild and natural. But it takes a lot of work to maintain. The team, Ellen, Courtney, Darlene, Laura, Barry, David, and Mary Lou are an integral part of the Butterfly Garden, dedicating many hours each week to ensuring the beauty and health of the plants. She received her Master Garden certification in 2010 and came here soon after at the invitation of her friend, the horticulturist David Laub.

In the 13 years Phyllis has volunteered at the garden, she has slowly converted a giant patch of sand and grass into today’s beautiful Butterfly Garden. With her team, she has created mini garden beds showcasing different sets of plants. This year’s challenge is to reclaim an area near the new fence. Phyllis explained that she plants native and non-native plants to attract pollinators.

There are currently four different host plants to attract butterflies:

• Milkweed attracts and sustains Monarch Butterflies. The adults lay eggs on the underside of the leaves, and the caterpillars eat the leaves when they hatch.

• Popcorn Cassia is the favorite plant of the Sulphur Butterfly.

• Gulf Fritillary loves the Passion Vine.

• Pipe Vine Caterpillars are named for their favorite plant, the Pipe Vine.

Phyllis said that she loves seeing the Butterfly Garden through the eyes of others. Visitors are often amazed at the combination of textures, colors, shapes, scents, and how they all meld together in a beautiful mosaic. She admitted that the heat and humidity in July and August can be a challenge when gardening, but her fantastic team takes a lot of hydration breaks and keeps on maintaining this little piece of magic.

All proceeds benefit: PSL Botanical Gardens