CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FRIENDS

The Smith Horticultural Trust has approved a $19,580 Grant to the Friends of the Port St Lucie Botanical Garden for their “Smart” Plant Identification Interactive Program.

Our appreciation and thanks go to the Stanley Smith Horticulture Trust for awarding us this generous grant and allowing us to continue our Plant ID program.

The Stanley Smith Horticultural Trust was created in 1970 by May Smith, in honor of her late husband and in fulfillment of his vision. The Trust stewards Stanley Smith’s philanthropic legacy and seeks to nurture in others his enthusiasm for ornamental horticulture.

The Trust supports education and research in ornamental horticulture, and the development and maintenance of public gardens and arboreta that offer educational experiences to their visitors. The grant will continue to support our “smart” interactive plant identification program and will be administered by the Plant ID Chairman, Master Gardener Program, and a Horticulture Program intern from the University of Florida.

This grant will allow us to design, purchase and install professional educational panels and plant identification signs to be placed throughout the garden. The display signs will be educational and “smart”. Each will be full color and add exciting visuals that describe items in our collection, with colorful text and graphics specific to the subject garden that will explain larger concepts and special features about our gardens that will enhance the experience of our visitors. The “smart” QR code will bring visitors to our web site to find additional information about the topic.

A special thanks goes to Brenda Gustafson, former Board member for her efforts in generating and submitting the Grant.

Sample Display Signs

The display signs will be educational and “smart”. Each will be full color and add exciting visuals that describe items in our collection, with colorful text and graphics specific to the subject garden that will explain larger concepts and special features about our gardens and will enhance the experience of our visitors. The “smart” QR code will bring visitors to our web site to find additional information about the topic.

Sample Plant ID Sign

Every identification sign will be educational and “smart.” Each will include basic information, such as common and scientific names, climate zones, origin, etc., with a scannable QR code. Scanning the code with a smart device will give visitors additional photographic and written details