FRIENDS OF MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN INC

WITH A MISSION TO INSPIRE AND EDUCATE THROUGH NATURE, MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN (MBG) IS THE OLDEST AND LARGEST PUBLIC GARDEN IN THE PALM BEACHES. THE NOW 20-ACRE TROPICAL OASIS IS HOME TO 25 DISPLAY GARDENS FEATURING A COLLECTION OF OVER 7,000 SPECIES OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL BOTANICALS. MBG WELCOMED OVER 62,000 GUESTS AND MORE THAN 3,300 MEMBER HOUSEHOLDS OVER THE MOST RECENT FISCAL YEAR.UNIQUELY SETTING MBG APART FROM OTHER GARDENS, APPROXIMATELY 90% OF THE PLANTS AT MBG CAN BE EFFECTIVELY GROWN IN FLORIDA HOME GARDENS. THIS ALLOWS MBG TO PROVIDE VISITORS THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY GROW THEIR OWN TROPICAL OASIS AT HOME. IN ADDITION, MBG'S NURSERY AND VINTAGE GARDEN THRIFT SHOP OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VISITORS TO PURCHASE SUITABLE PLANTS, FLOWERS, AND ACCESSORIES FOR THEIR PERSONAL GARDENS.CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN BEAUTIFYING THE GARDEN'S LANDSCAPE IS ANOTHER TOP PRIORITY. THIS INCLUDED HUNDREDS OF NEW PERMANENT PLANTINGS OVER THE PAST YEAR. MBG HAS ALSO PLANTED HUNDREDS OF ADDITIONAL ORCHIDS THROUGHOUT THE GARDEN. UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE GARDEN'S PROFESSIONAL HORTICULTURE STAFF, MORE THAN 200 DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS GAVE OVER 5,500 PERSONAL HOURS TO THE GARDEN'S BEAUTIFICATION, INCLUDING PLANTING, PRUNING, PROPAGATING, AND EDUCATING.

EDUCATION:AS A CORNERSTONE TO ITS MISSION, MBG IS KNOWN AS A TEACHING AND LEARNING GARDEN, PROVIDING A WIDE ARRAY OF EDUCATIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL AGES DESIGNED TO CULTIVATE WONDER AND APPRECIATION FOR THE NATURAL WORLD. OVER 230 PUBLIC PROGRAMS, CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, AND GUIDED TOURS TOOK PLACE THIS PAST YEAR, ATTRACTING NEARLY 3,000 ADULT PARTICIPANTS IN CLASSES AND MORE THAN 1,000 TOUR PARTICIPANTS. THE GARDEN'S WIDE ARRAY OF PROGRAMMING INCLUDES HORTICULTURE, GARDENING, ART AND CULTURE, AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS. IN ADDITION TO ADULT PROGRAMMING, MBG OFFERS A ROBUST SPECTRUM OF YOUTH PROGRAMMING WHICH SERVED 5,700 STUDENTS AND CHILDREN AT THE GARDEN AND REACHED A TOTAL OF 17,000 STUDENTS, INCLUDING OUTREACH IN SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY. CHILDREN'S EXPERIENCES WITH NATURE FROM WILDERNESS BACKPACKING, TO PLANTS IN A PRESCHOOL, TO A WETLAND LESSON ARE PROVEN TO PROMOTE LEARNING. FOR THE 2024/2025 SCHOOL YEAR, MBG WAS SELECTED TO BE THE OFFICIAL FIELD TRIP PROVIDER FOR ALL PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT 3RD GRADERS. AS PART OF THE NEW PROGRAM, WHICH LAUNCHED IN AUGUST 2024, MORE THAN 15,000 CHILDREN, 200 TEACHERS AND 1,500 CHAPERONES STARTED VISITING THE GARDEN IN AUGUST OF 2024 AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE, LEARN, AND CONNECT WITH NATURE AT MOUNTS BOTANICAL GARDEN.