Mounts Botanical Garden to Host Two Workshops, Two Summer Lectures & Annual Everything Orchids / A Shady Affair Plant Sale in August & September
Summer Lecture / Behind the Hedges – August 16
Workshop / Orchids: Advanced Repotting and Pest & Disease Prevention – August 18
Workshop / Farm-Your-Backyard Vegetable Growing – September 8
Everything Orchids / A Shady Affair Plant Sale – September 15-26
Summer Lecture / Succulents: The Crown Jewel of he Garden – September 20
The Friends of Mounts Botanical Garden will be hosting five fun and informative public events during August & September 2012:
Summer Lecture / Behind the Hedges
Thursday, August 16 – 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Mounts Exhibit Hall A, Clayton Hutcheson Complex
$10 lecture fee
Seasoned Palm Beach professionals Jorge Sanchez and Phil Maddux, L.A. will enlighten participants on this trending garden topic by exploring common alternative hedges and examining the ever changing habits of this versatile landscape feature. Among the items to be discussed are the different purposes of hedges and how they can be used as living walls.
Workshop / Orchids: Advanced Repotting and Pest & Disease Prevention
Saturday, August 18 – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Mounts Auditorium
$20 for members, $30 for non-members
Got an orchid climbing out of its pot and don’t know where to begin? Instructors Tom Wells and Sandi Jones of Broward Orchid Supply will show how to tackle that monster. Learn how often an orchid should be repotted, how to divide an orchid, about different potting medias and the proper type of pot or basket to use. Learn how to identify pests and diseases that harm orchids, from bacterial and fungal rots to insects, such as mealy bugs, thrips and scale. Find out what products to use to get rid of them and what to do to avoid them in the future. Orchids may be brought in for diagnosis, but must be placed in plastic bags to prevent contaminating other plants. Orchid supplies will be available for purchase.
Workshop / Farm-Your-Backyard: Vegetable Growing
Saturday, September 8 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Mounts Exhibit Hall A – Clayton Hutcheson Complex
$30 for members, $40 for non-members
Learn the secrets of vegetable gardening in South Florida from Arthur Kirstein, Coordinator of Agricultural Economic Development. The focus of this workshop is to implement successful agriculture techniques to manage small vegetable projects. Tips and techniques on site preparation, seedling establishment, planting, maintenance and harvesting will be covered. A tour of the Mounts vegetable garden will finish the program.
Everything Orchids / A Shady Affair Plant Sale
Saturday & Sunday, September 15-16 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Throughout the Garden
FREE for members, $30 for non-members
This annual plant sale offers attendees a great opportunity to acquire the best orchid and shade loving plants. Many of the area’s premier plant vendors will be selling a blooming variety of begonias, bromeliads, orchids, ferns, hoyas and aroids. Magnificent tabletop arrangements will be auctioned off in a silent auction to benefit the Garden. Fun and informative lectures will be offered on such topics as Basic Orchid Care, Shade Loving Plants and Fragrant Plants.
Summer Lecture / Succulents: The Crown Jewel of the Garden
Thursday, September 20 – 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Mounts Exhibit Hall A, Clayton Hutcheson Complex
$10 lecture fee
Guest lecturer Alan Stopek of Efflorescence will explain how succulents provide excitement and elegance with their dazzling architecture strengthening any and all landscape design concepts. Attendees will learn more about these versatile plants and the various ways to use them in landscapes. Efflorescence, Inc. is a professional horticultural firm based in Palm Beach County, which is widely recognized as one of the leaders in South Florida’s horticultural community. The firm’s landscape designs have regularly won high praise for its thoughtful solutions and artistic applications.
How to RSVP:
For advance registration for any of these summer events at Mounts Botanical Garden, please call 561.233.1757.
About Mounts Botanical Garden:
Mounts Botanical Garden is Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest public garden. Mounts displays tropical and subtropical plants from around the world, including plants native to Florida, exotic trees, tropical fruit, herbs, citrus, palms and more. As a component of the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service, and through its affiliation with the University of Florida IFAS, Mounts is the place to connect with Extension Horticulturists, Master Gardeners, the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods Program, and professional horticultural advisors. Mounts also offers a variety of horticultural classes, and garden-related events and workshops.
Located at 531 North Military Trail in West Palm Beach, Mounts Botanical Garden is open Monday-Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. The suggested donation for entry to the Garden is $5 per person. For more information, please call 561.233.1757 or visit www.mounts.org.
Available for Interview:
Allen Sistrunk, Garden Director
561.233.1757
Media Contact:
Gary Schweikhart
PR-BS, Inc.
561.756.4298