ATTRACTIONS
many come to the gardens for educational classes and lectures.
A schedule for these events can be found on its website.
PLANTS TO GO
“It’s so crisp and clear here,” said Antoinette Miller, who
was visiting from her home, which is next to McKee Botanical
Gardens in Vero Beach. “The variety of the plants along
the winding trails is incredibly serene and beautiful, I am
so impressed. There is also a newness here that is so pleasant.
McKee is beautiful but it is different, maybe a bit more
complicated, but the flower beds here are so orderly and easy
to see individually.”
Some visitors come specifically to visit the propagation
plant center, which offers reasonably priced plants to those
who are looking to take home a piece of the garden’s beauty.
“I love gardening and I saw some plants here that I have
not seen before and I wondered if they had some of them in
the plant sale and they do,” said Laurie Perriello who came
for Mother’s Day with her husband and children. “I found a
certain type of variegated version of a copperleaf that I have
never seen before in any of the stores and the prices are really
good for everything.”
The family also had a chance to see the resident ospreys
and the popular gopher tortoises, Tina and Turner Tortoise.
“Tortoises are one of the most important parts of the
ecological makeup of wildlife in nature,” said vice president
Illona Christie, who is a Florida Master Naturalist. “They
make the tunnels where all the other animals go to protect
themselves to hide, lay their eggs and bring their babies.
There are literally 300 species which will go into that burrow’s
network.” >>
CHRISTINA TASCON
A variety of wildlife are easily found along the garden paths including two
gopher tortoises and multiple osprey.
PORT ST. LUCIE BOTANICAL GARDENS
Port St. Lucie Magazine 43
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