Visit Five Private Gardens and One Botanical Garden Landscaped with Florida Native Plants in Lake Worth, Palm Beach, Wellington, and West Palm Beach
(West Palm Beach, FL – October 15, 2024)The Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society (PBCC FNPS), today announced that it would be hosting its Annual Native Plant Garden Tour on November 17, 2024, from 9 am to 3 pm.
Garden Tour participants can visit five unique private gardens and one botanical garden in central Palm Beach County—each one landscaped with Florida native plants. Docents will be at each property to answer questions, plants throughout the gardens will be labeled with their names, and native plant literature will be available at the welcome tables at each location.
The cost for the day is $10 for non-members and free for FNPS members and children under 13. Tickets will be available for advanced purchase at the October 15 chapter meeting of the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society and online at https://checkout.square.site/merchant/ML0X58QJMNJKR/checkout/AIC5YXDN6JU7LODL4LVZ2O4W.
Tickets can be purchased day of the tour at all garden locations with cash or check. For more information, please call 561.285.7213 or visit http://www.palmbeach.fnpschapters.org.
The six gardens on this year’s Native Plant Garden Tour include:
+ Pan’s Garden,386 Hibiscus Ave in Palm Beach
Florida’s first, all-native botanical garden, Pan’s Garden was created by the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach in 1994. The half-acre garden includes wetland and upland areas and is currently planted with over 270 species of native plants, almost sixty percent of which are indigenous to the barrier island.
+ Eden’s Place Healing Arts, 1423 N. Federal Hwy. in Lake Worth
The Eden’s Place Garden was created to enhance the healing benefits of their work while supporting native birds and pollinators. Since 2015, this garden has grown from a residential property to a sustainable and low-maintenance native healing garden. Nature heals the soul!
+ Julia’s Pollinator Haven, 1629 North N St, in Lake Worth Beach
Over the last two decades, this property evolved from a vacant lot filled with weeds to a pollinator’s buffet. It started with a small butterfly garden and grew into a yard full of native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees. Thanks to inspiration from the North American Butterfly Association, this property is now a certified butterfly habitat that helps support local pollinators.
+ Denise’s Native Wildlife Backyard Sanctuary, 13519 Jonquil Place in Wellington
This property was reinvented from typically HOA landscaping to a real sanctuary for birds, bees, insects, reptiles, and small animals—beautifully ensconced amidst the ever-increasing strip malls, golf courses, and grass lawns of South Florida. The property owners learned from local experts and the Florida Native Plant Society and acquired plants from local native nurseries to create their own natural area. It is a great example of how much wildlife habitat one can create within a quarter acre lot, while still meeting HOA landscaping expectations.
+ Fatima’s Native Butterfly & Pollinator Oasis, 11291 Cowen Court in Lake Worth
This five-acre property features a stunning cypress swamp and is surrounded by water on three sides, with resident alligators adding to the wild charm. What started as a goal of growing fruits and veggies, soon grew into passion for growing nectar and host plants for butterflies. Fatima’s mission now is to contribute to the preservation of native habitats and provide food for the local wildlife, including birds, butterflies, bees, deer, rabbits, armadillos, and even bobcats.
+ Helen’s Cypress Wonderland & Garden, 11668 Piping Plover Road in Lake Worth
The owner chose this land because of its remnant pond cypress hammock and different ecosystems and created gardens that correspond to the variety of habitats. In addition to the original cypress hammock and pine flatwoods, it now has pollinator gardens, seasonal wetlands, pond gardens, and wildflower meadows. Keeping the invasive species out is an ongoing effort, but it is worth it to share the environment with the many native critters that also call the property home.
Note:
The Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society—in partnership with Audubon Everglades and Atala Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association—will be giving away two native plants at one of the gardens while supplies last.
About The Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society:
The Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the preservation, conservation, and restoration of native plants and native plant communities of Florida.
Educational meetings are on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 pm at Mounts Botanical Garden. Each meeting has an educational program related to Florida native plants, a native plant raffle and refreshments For more information, call 561-285-7213 or visit http://www.palmbeach.fnpschapters.org.