Mounts Botanical Garden Celebrates 40th Anniversary
RUBY JUBILEE
With Another Amazing Exhibition for the Entire Family
TWISTED:
Patrick Dougherty Entwined at Mounts Botanical Garden
(January – June 2019)
More New Attractions Coming to Mounts This Fall
REACHING NEW HEIGHTS: Moai in the Tropical Forest
Opening Mid-October 2018, and
GARDEN OF LIGHTS: A Winter Holiday Event
November 24 – December 30, 2018
(West Palm Beach, FL – July 18, 2018) Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden today announced that it would be celebrating the garden’s 40th Anniversary RUBY JUBILEE with three major new, family-friendly attractions during the coming season (October 2018 through September 2019).
TWISTED:
Patrick Dougherty Entwined at Mounts Botanical Garden
‘A Community Build Project’
(January – June 2019)
North Carolina-based artist Patrick Dougherty is known for his Stickwork projects that combine both his carpentry skills and love of nature. Over the years, his work evolved from single pieces on conventional pedestals to monumental scale environmental works that require saplings by the truckload. Over the last 30 years, he has built over 250 of these works, and become internationally acclaimed. His sculpture has been seen from Scotland to Japan to Brussels, and all over the United States, including two Florida gardens (McKee Botanical in Melbourne and Pinecrest Gardens in Miami) and his recent massive project at Cincinnati’s Taft Museum of Art.
“Each one of Dougherty’s structures are completely original, as will be his Stickwork at Mounts,” says Rochelle Wolberg, Curator-Director at Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest public garden, located just minutes from downtown West Palm Beach. “These giant, all natural structures take three weeks to hand-assemble and will be an interactive and environmental experience, perfect for adults and children to wander through, admire, and become part of a living art experience.”
“During the construction of this Community Build Project, which will start on January 8, Dougherty will be supported by as many as 130 local volunteers who will help build the Stickwork exhibition,” she adds. “The artist will solicit naming suggestions from both volunteers and onlookers, and will announce the final name when it is completed on January 26.”
Mounts Botanical Garden will be closed to the public January 21-26, and re-open on Sunday, January 27, when visitors can experience the completed TWISTED Stickwork exhibition.
Hours & Admission for TWISTED:
Daily – 10 am to 4 pm
Throughout the Garden
FREE for Mounts members; $10 for nonmembers; $5 for children ages 5-12
Tickets are available for purchase at the Garden’s main gate. To schedule a group tour, call 561-233-1757.
REACHING NEW HEIGHTS:
Moai in the Mounts Tropical Forest
Opening Mid-October 2018
Mounts will definitely be “Reaching New Heights” this fall with the permanent installation of three imposing Moai sculptures, replicas of the iconic figurative statues located on Easter Island, Chile. Up to 22-feet high, the Moai heads, torsos and colorful top knots will be placed in the Mounts Tropical Forest where visitors can walk around them and enjoy a spiritual and sensory experience reminiscent of Rapa Nui (the Polynesian term for Easter Island).
“That the people of Easter Island were so motivated to conceive, create and transport such monolithic sculptures with only rudimentary tools, no written language, and without the invention of the wheel is truly inspiring,” says project sponsor Margaret Blume. “This artistic tribute is meant to evoke questions, rather than answer them, and to serve as a link to the past – our history, art and culture. If a visitor to Mounts feels a sense of mystery and awe while being in the presence of the Moai, then we have achieved our mission.”
Hours & Admission for MOAI AT MOUNTS:
Daily – 10 am to 4 pm
Mounts Tropical Forest
FREE for Mounts members and children 5 and under; suggested donation of $5 per person for nonmembers except during GARDEN OF LIGHTS and TWISTED exhibitions, when special admission prices will be in effect.
GARDEN OF LIGHTS:
A Winter Holiday Event at Mounts
November 24 – December 30, 2018
Mounts will be all a-twinkle in the evenings during the holiday season with thousands of holiday lights hanging from the trees, illuminating the walkways and landmark structures, with colorful LED trees and glowing light-balls, all along an easy-to-follow route throughout 15 different garden areas – the perfect way to light-up the holidays for joyous visitors of every age, romantic disposition, and spiritual leanings. In addition, Mounts will present live dance performances and musical presentations from local schools and academies during GARDEN OF LIGHTS: A Winter Holiday Event.
Hours & Admission for GARDEN OF LIGHTS:
Daily – 5:30 to 8:30 pm
Throughout the Garden
$10 for Mounts members; $15 for nonmembers; $5 for children 5 to 12
Tickets are available for purchase at the Garden’s main gate. To schedule a group tour, call 561-233-1757.
About Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County:
With a mission to inspire the public, Mounts Botanical Garden is Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest botanical garden, offering gorgeous displays of tropical and sub-tropical plants, plus informative classes, workshops, and other fun-filled events. The Garden contains more than 2,000 species of plants, including Florida native plants, exotic and tropical fruit trees, herbs, palms, bromeliads and more. Two recent additions to Mounts include Windows on the Floating World: Blume Tropical Wetland Garden and the Zen-like Garden of Tranquility. Mounts Botanical Garden is a facility of the Palm Beach County Extension Service, which is in partnership with the University of Florida and Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden. Mounts is located at 531 North Military Trail in West Palm Beach.
Mounts Botanical Garden is open daily (except Palm Beach County recognized holidays) from 10 am to 4 pm. For more information, please call 561.233.1757 or visit www.mounts.org.
Attached Jpegs:
- TWISTED – Stickwork by Patrick Dougherty (Photo Credit: Juan Villa, at the Asheville, NC Zoo in 2013)
- MOAI Sculptures Coming to Mounts in October (Photo Credit: Margaret Blume)
- GARDEN OF LIGHTS Illuminated Palm Tree