The Gardens Gate - January 2023

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 AM - 4 PM Sunday | Noon - 4 PM

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 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.

President: Jeff Chambers

Vice President: Heather Furnari

Secretary: Mary Petrone

Treasurer: Moses Hill

Directors: Mark A. Barnes, John Erickson, Jeanette Kostival, Judy Nash-Wade

Election Committee: Stephanie Alessandrini Giarraffa

Finance Committee: Moses Hill Gift Shop Committee: Jeanette Kostival Horticulture Committee: Jeff Chambers

Membership & Volunteer Committee: Jeanette Kostival Resource Development Committee: Heather Furnari Strategic Planning Committee: TBD

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.

As one year ends and another begins...

It is time for all of us to look forward to next year and the goals we hope to accomplish. 2022 has been a transition year getting past, for the most part, the COVID pandemic and the changes that have been happening at the Gardens. Together we have achieved so much and that is because of our membership and volunteers staying strong and supporting the Gardens.

While 2023 is just around the Gardens, the Board of Directors has stepped up to the task of finding ways to keep the Gardens financially healthy and continue growing our programs.

While we still face some challenges along the way, I am confident we are prepared to handle them.

Next year, with the fence underway, we will expand our opening and closing hours to accommodate the desire of the public to still have access to our grounds. However, as a strictly volunteer program, we can only do what we have the bodies to cover. The need for volunteers has always been one of our focus points, but now it is more important to get people in to cover the added hours of operations and hopefully to be part of a fantastic group of people.

I am proud of the work that everyone has put into the Gardens. It is especially great to get feedback and suggestions from our volunteers and others. Your ideas and thoughts are always welcome.

Thank you again for allowing me to serve as your President.

Jeff Chambers

President

Friends of the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens

Restorative Yoga & Sound Bath* 7PM-8PM

Tai Chi* 9AM-10AM

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

Sunset Yoga* 5PM-6PM

Friends Monthly Board Meeting 4:30 PM

PSL Orchid Society Meeting 1PM

Tai Chi* 9AM-10AM

Sunset Yoga* 5PM-6PM

Sandpiper Bay Community Meeting 6:30PM-9PM

Sunset Yoga* 5PM-6PM

KWVTCC 166 Meeting 10AM-2PM

Tai Chi* 9AM-10AM Treasure Coast Rare Fruit Club Meeting 7PM-9PM

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

Tai Chi* 9AM-10AM

Arbor Day Celebration & Tree Memorial Ceremony 11AM-12:30PM

Ask an Expert FREE EVENT 10AM - 1PM

Bonsai Meeting 9 AM - Noon

Sunset Yoga* 5PM-6PM

Annual Meeting & Board Installation

PSL Historical Society Meeting 11:30AM-1:30PM

at the Gardens Arbor Day

Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens Friday, January 20, 2023 | 10 -11 a.m.

The Friends of the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens will be celebrating Arbor Day by planting a tree and honoring loved ones.

Create a remembrance for those you love, lost, or just want to create a special memory of their honor. Donations start at $25.

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!

THE HEART of the Tree

by HENRY CUYLER BUNNER

WHAT does he plant who plants a tree? He plants a friend of sun and sky; He plants the flag of breezes free; The shaft of beauty, towering high. He plants a home to heaven anigh For song and mother-croon of bird

In hushed and happy twilight heard — The treble of heaven’s harmony — These things he plants who plants a tree.

What does he plant who plants a tree? He plants cool shade and tender rain, And seed and bud of days to be, And years that fade and flush again; He plants the glory of the plain; He plants the forest’s heritage; The harvest of a coming age; They joy that unborn eyes shall see — These things he plants who plants a tree.

What does he plant who plants a tree? He plants, in sap and leaf and wood, In love of home and loyalty And far-cast thought of civic good — His blessing on the neighborhood Who in the hollow of His hand Holds all the growth of all our land — A nation’s growth from sea to sea Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.

A Holiday To Remember

A huge thank you to all of our amazing volunteers and community members who made this year’s Holiday Lights at the Gardens another spectacular one for the books. We are so proud of everyone’s hard work and are happy to be able to provide this wonderful experience free to our community for all to enjoy!

My Journey in Finding a on the HIDDEN TREASURE TREASURE COAST

by GAIL L’ESPERANCE-NORRIS

When my husband and I moved to Port St. Lucie earlier this year, we made it our mission to seek out all the great activities the Treasure Coast has to offer. We explored Food Trucks in Tradition on Fridays, the Fort Pierce Farmers Market on Saturdays, and the Market on Main in Stuart on Sundays. We found wonderful restaurants, pubs, and music venues. We camped at Jonathan Dickenson State Park, climbed Hobe Mountain, and went to beaches, nature preserves, and wildlife centers. We golfed and hiked and swam.

But for me, the real Treasure on the Treasure Coast was finding the Port St. Lucie Botanical Garden. When I first entered the main building, I was greeted warmly and made to feel welcome. I was given a map of the Garden and proceeded to explore. What a surprise to find the main path is bordered by rosemary! As I walked along, I was soothed and calmed under the beautiful tree canopy. I followed the map and found the Secret Garden, the Faerie Forrest, the Rose Garden, and the Butterfly Garden. The Bamboo Room awed me with the towering stands of Bamboo. I wandered most of the 20 acres, enjoying every minute.

By the time left, I was so enamored of the Garden that I became a member and a volunteer. Come by for one of our wellness programs or jazz events, or drop in to see our trees and gardens and stop by the wonderful gift shop. If you spot me around, please say hi.

Volunteer Spotlights

by LAURA MEHR

Moses Hill

has been selected as one of The Gardens January 2023 ACE Volunteers of the Month Award. Moses is a member of our very active and successful Education Committee. Mary Petrone, the chair of the Education Committee, selected Moses for this award.

Mary let us know that Moses has been instrumental in developing many different programs for children and adults within the Education Department. Moses was instrumental in creating a new adult meditation booklet –complete with QR-coded voice recordings to guide walkers through our gardens. Moses is currently working on a children’s guided meditation and offering mindfulness meditation activities during the children’s workshops. The children have let us know that they enjoy the sound bowl and Moses’ soothing mellow voice.

Moses is a certified hypnotherapist and yoga practitioner and leads sound bowl healings. His practice, Gods Hands Hypnosis, is located in Port St Lucie.

Mary is effusive in her praise of Moses, saying he is always willing to help in any activity or workshop; that his warm, caring, and generous spirit made him the perfect recipient for the January 2023 ACE Volunteer of the Month award.

Tori Oakley

has been selected as one of The Gardens January 2023 ACE Volunteer of the Month award winners. Board Member Judy Nash-Wade selected Tori because, time and again, she has shown up, been there, and done it! In particular, Judy mentioned how friendly and outgoing Tori is and how effectively she communicates with all the volunteers. Judy says she smiles whenever she sees Tori at The Gardens and is so very glad she is part of the Friends family.

Tori lives in Port St. Lucie with her husband, Jon, who is retired from the Marines and now works for The United Way. They have two grown children and often visit family in Kentucky. Tori was born and raised in a teeny, tiny town in Kentucky, and we all love her accent.

I am sure that all the volunteers know that Tori is our scheduling genius. She knows Volunteer Local like no one else and is on top of everyone’s schedule and all of our comings and goings so that every week, every shift is covered. If there is a blank spot anywhere, Tori will email, call, text, beg and cajole until that spot is filled. And if that’s not possible, she will come in herself! I’ve heard many volunteers say, “What would we do without her?”

Tori does all of this with such kindness and understanding that it is just amazing. I don’t have the space to describe all that must be done to put together a schedule every week, but having done it myself for several months, it is daunting. Tori makes it looks easy. And she does it with grace and compassion, and most of all, a very good sense of humor. On top of all that, she puts together extra schedules for our special events. But wait, there’s more – when asked, she will pull together anything that is requested of her – whether it’s creating name tags or finding inventory, helping with the Gift Shop’s constant paperwork, or developing policies and procedures. There has never been anything that has been asked of her that she could not provide.

For all these reasons (and more), Tori is one of our January 2023 Volunteer of the Month award winners.

Restorative Yoga & Sound Bath

GARDENS

Lauren Mezera, Certified Sound Practitioner, 200HR Yoga Teacher, Reiki Practitioner , & Integrative Nutrition Health Coach SPECIAL EVENT

Reset, renew, and recharge

for the new year! Props will be used during the session to support the body to aid in conscious relaxation, as well as a soothing sound bath to accompany the meditation with crystal quartz bowls tuned to 432Hz frequency each bowl working to open one of the seven chakras in the body. Allow the mind, body, and soul to be cleansed and rejuvenated on a cellular level! The cost is $35 per person. Led by Gina L. Buse and Lauren Mezera.

To save your spot, visit: www.pslbg.org/events.html

Gina L. Buse, RYT 200 Yoga Alliance

WELLNESS AT THE GARDENS

Sunset Yoga at the Gardens

Select Mondays

January 9, 16, 23, 30

5PM - 6PM

Take advantage of the beautiful weather we have this time of year and find your zen in the gardens! The cost is $5 for non-members and free for members.

Tai Chi at the Gardens

Select Wednesdays

January 4, 11, 18, 25

9AM - 10AM

Join us for Tai Chi in the Gardens! Tai Chi is an ancient martial art practiced for health benefits and meditation. All levels are welcome! Dress comfortably in flat tennis shoes and bring your water bottle and a towel.

*Registration is required for all events. Outdoor event weather permitting. Refunds are unable to be provided for no-shows. To save your spot, visit: www.pslbg.org/events.html

be our GUEST

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM OUR GUESTS AT THE GARDENS

Wallkill Rocks

Mary Helen

Mike Maier

@picsbymcfly

Michelle Caccomo

Wallkill Rocks

Raquel Lyn

Mary Helen

Charlotte C. Paluch

@Liligotmoves

Meeting

Wild Eyed Photography