September, 2015 – Florida Native Plant Society’s Annual Garden Tour

(September 11, 2015)  The Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, today announced that it would be hosting its Annual Native Plant Garden Tour on Sunday, October 4, from 10 am to 3 pm.

Participants can visit six unique gardens landscaped with Florida native plants: one in North Palm Beach, two in Palm Beach Gardens and three in Jupiter.

The six gardens on this year’s Native Plant Garden Tour include:

Whenbuilding their home three years ago, native Floridian Michele Lundeen naturally felt compelled to landscape their half-acre with Florida native plants. This informal yet structured landscape uses playful Sunshine Mimosa as a sod alternative throughout, and Silver Buttonwood, Necklace Pod, Dwarf Yaupon Holly and Simpson Stopper to frame the circular driveway with handsome authority. With it’s exquisite Wild Tamarinds, Thatch Palms, Jamaican Capers and Coonties, this is a garden that will charm you from the entrance to the Red Mangroves living the rear waterway.

Utilizing mostly native plants with an intention to create a vibrant wildlife habitat, a lifeless and ordinary suburban yard has been transformed into a rich and layered landscape that fits in well in the neighborhood. This is a mature and soothing garden, full of color, shade, and ground cover with nesting and feeding sites for birds, butterflies and other wildlife. A favorite year-round-blooming Firebush attracts many butterflies and birds, including hummingbirds, cardinals, orioles and, in winter, painted buntings.

The  Arboretum is designed to feature a variety of native species from four different ecosystems: Tropical Hardwood Hammock, Cabbage Palm/Oak Hammock, Pine Flatwoods, and Mixed Hardwood Swamp. Pathways wind their way through the landscape, inviting you to explore each ecosystem in this peaceful haven. Once you have visited this special retreat you will be sure to return again.

What began as a home-building journey in a lush Cabbage Palm and Oak forest 25 years ago is today a beautifully landscaped garden with a manicured lawn and meandering woodland paths. Although some favorite non-native plants had been planted alongside the naturally growing Beautyberry, Coffee, Firebush and Myrsine, this garden is now, truly, old Florida renewed and thriving! Since joining the native plant society in 2007, Stephanie Duncan has been adding native grasses, groundcovers and butterfly host plants, with a long-term plan to ultimately convert the entire yard to native species. As you enjoy the manicured gardens near the house and wander the shaded trails, you will be sure to discover some new ideas for your special garden.

The mature pine flatwoods forest is so thick at the Thayer property that the house is not visible from the road. With virtually no grass to mow, this dense landscape is centered on a pond filled with Florida’s favorite native swamp plants and a trail system that winds through a collection of native south Florida plants 30 years in the making. Along one of those trails you will see a majestic 40-foot Jamaica-Dogwood with an understory of Dahoon Holly, Swamp Maple and Green Ash. This interesting garden is home to a wide variety of native wildlife, including turtles, wood ducks and nesting red-shouldered hawks.

This remarkable property invites you to stroll through some of Florida’s unique natural plant communities. These micro-ecosystems, nestled into 1.25-acres, have been created with the utilization of natural and man-made elevation changes, and an emphasis on species diversity unique to those communities. There are well over 200 distinct Florida natives to be discovered here, including Milkbark, Florida Toadwood and Wild Dilly.

The cost to participate in the annual Native Plant Garden Tour is $10 for non-members and free for FNPS members.

Tickets can be purchased with cash or check at any of the gardens on the day of the tour.

For more information, please call 561.247-3677 or visit http://www.palmbeach.fnpschapters.org

Established in 1981, the Palm Beach 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.

Florida native plants attract pollinators & birds, conserve water, eliminate the need for harmful sprays and create an ecologically friendly & sustainable landscape. Native plants are increasingly in demand as people realize they can positively impact the environment and also have a beautiful, vibrant landscape.

Meetings are held the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. at Mounts Botanical Garden, 531 N. Military Trail. Each meeting has an educational program related to Florida native plants, a native plant giveaway and refreshments. For more information, please call 561.247-3677 or visit http://www.palmbeach.fnpschapters.org.