(West Palm Beach, FL – May 1, 2012)  The Friends of Mounts Botanical Garden today announced that it would be hosting the annual Connoisseurs Garden Tour, a Mother’s Day Tradition, May 12 & 13.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 12, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 13, participants can visit eight extraordinary gardens: three in Palm Beach, three in West Palm Beach and one each in Lake Worth and Manalapan. The owners of each individual garden are giving people a unique opportunity to visit at their own pace and sequence. 

The eight private gardens on this year’s Connoisseur Tour include:

Mr. & Mrs. Raymond C. O’Brien

249 Orange Grove Road in Palm Beach

Over 60 different species of palms grow in this small Palm Beach garden, along with countless varieties of succulents. A mulched pathway meanders through the property, terminating at a large patio where cobalt blue containers are filled with colorful bromeliads. It’s all about playing leaf colors and textures against one another in the garden.

Mr. & Mrs. Peter Reed

231 Chilean Avenue in Palm Beach

This small, walled garden is just a stone’s throw from posh Worth Avenue.  Blue is the signature color here, showing up in everything from doors to latticework.  One wall is completely covered with small pots containing bromeliads and orchids.  Chock full of personality, this garden is a great lesson in how to utilize vertical space in a small garden.

Mrs. Betsy K. Matthews

417 Chilean Avenue in Palm Beach

A simple yet elegant entrance garden leads to a side garden, where an imposing allee of Ylang Ylang trees channels visitors towards the rear.  Orchids are showcased on tree trunks along the way.  The rear garden contains an impressive collection of garden ornaments, and the simplicity of its plantings underscores the importance of “less is more.”

Ed Zielinski & Chris Payne

733 Sunset Road in West Palm Beach

This lush, multi-layered garden pulls out all the stops. From eugenia topiary flanking the front window to matching pots of sansevierias by the pool, it’s all about balance and symmetry. This place was built for entertaining, with a huge cabana that gives an unobstructed view of the pool area and superbly landscaped back yard.

Ryan Wehrle

521 Upland Road in West Palm Beach

A towering banyan tree is the unmistakable focal point of this large garden in the Flamingo Park area of West Palm Beach. Designed for low maintenance, it features pretty natives like necklace pod, paurotis palm, coontie and coco-plum. Paths wind through mass plantings of ferns and other groundcovers, and several interesting architectural pieces dot the grounds.

Meg & Mike Bowen

2417 Aravale Road in West Palm Beach

This garden, located in the historic El Cid neighborhood of West Palm Beach, has a decidedly Mediterranean feel. A spacious lanai overlooks a large pool, accented with trees  in terra cotta pots, as well as plantings of colorful bromeliads and agaves.  Several smaller “rooms” in this garden are functional as well as aesthetic.

Laurie & Plamen Hristov

4168 Cedar Creek Ranch Circle in Lake Worth

This eclectic garden is laid out beautifully, with winding pathways taking you to intimate seating areas. The owner is fond of variegated plants, and rare varieties of variegated plumeria, brugmansia, sansevierias, sea-grape, crown-of-thorns and others can be found here.  Showy varieties of mistletoe cacti, orchids and other epiphytes are also on display.

Mr. & Mrs. Herbert Myers

1820 South Ocean Boulevard in Manalapan

This must-see large garden extends from the Atlantic Ocean to the Intercoastal Waterway. Designed and maintained by its owner, an artist, it has been thought of as a canvas where she uses large drifts of color and texture to immerse one in a living expression of passion for gardening. Throughout are works of sculpture, whimsy and captivating elements of glass and stone. There is also a formal Japanese Garden and Cape Cod-like beachfront.

How to Get Tickets for the Connoisseurs Garden Tour:

The cost to participate in the annual Connoisseurs Garden Tour is only $20 for Mounts members and $25 for nonmembers. 

Tickets may be purchased at the Garden Shop at Mounts Botanical Garden; the Hoffman Chocolate locations in Boca Raton, Greenacres, Palm Beach Gardens and Wellington; Amelia’s Smarty Plants in Lake Worth; Delray Garden Center in Delray Beach; Giverny Gardens in Jupiter; Johnny Mango’s Produce in Boynton Beach; and Uncle Bim’s Garden Center in West Palm Beach.

For more information, please call 561.233.1757 or visit www.mounts.org

About Mounts Botanical Garden:

Mounts Botanical Garden is Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest public garden. A tranquil oasis just minutes from the hubbub of downtown West Palm Beach, 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.