Photo Flash: Friends of Mounts Botanical Garden Welcomes 250 Supporters to Annual Spring Benefit in Palm Beach

Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden today announced 250 supporters attended the annual Spring Benefit that was held on Sunday, April 2, at the Palm Beach home of Keith & Linda Beaty.

The sunny, sold-out, poolside event adjacent to the Intracoastal was co-chaired by Palm Beacher Polly Reed and Sandy Smith of Singer Island. It raised approximately $121,000 that will be used for both educational programs and the Windows on the Floating World: Blume Tropical Garden. When it opens in June, the largest new garden in the 40-year history of Mounts will include a series of see-through walkways and permanent and moveable aquatic plants that will allow visitors to feel and connect to the tropical wetlands around them.

"This was a wonderful event at a beautiful home," said Rochelle Wolberg, Mounts Interim Operations Manager/Director of Programs. "The weather was perfect and it was a great opportunity to share information about all the exciting things happening at Mounts Botanical Garden, Palm Beach County's oldest and largest public garden."

Two highlights of the enchanting annual fundraising event were musical performances by the Kretzer Kids, and a spectacular silent auction featuring a diverse array of rare and exceptional plants.

Event sponsors included Jean Matthews, Diana Barrett and Robert Villa, John & Elena Brim, Randell & Rebecca Doane, Mary Hulitar, George & Elizabeth Nottingham, John & Stephanie Pew, Ruth Arneson and Rodney Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Henry, Sam & Vicky Hunt, Sally Marks and Thomas Schoch, John & Hawley McAuliffe, W. Stephen & Muffie Murray, Alice Pannill, Lesley Smith, Caroline Sory, William J. & Sally Soter, John & Melie Spofford, Louise Stephaich, Susan O. Taylor, Rev. Dr. Cecily Titcomb & Rodney Titcomb, William & Kathy Vaughan, Thomas & Deborah Whitesell, and Michael & Elaine Zimmerman.

With a mission to inspire the public, Mounts Botanical Garden offers 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. Mounts Botanical Garden is a facility of the Palm Beach County Extension Service, which is in partnership with the University of Florida and the Friends of Mounts Botanical Garden. The Garden is located at 531 North Military Trail in West Palm Beach.

Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County is open every day (except for Palm Beach County recognized holidays) from 10 am to 4 pm. The suggested donation for entry to the Garden, including the new Windows on the Floating World: Blume Tropical Wetland Garden, is $5 per person. For more information, please call 561.233.1757 or visit www.mounts.org.

Photos by Jacek Gancarz

Sandy Smith, Polly Reed
Margaret & Robert Blume
John & Stephanie Pew
Rochelle Wolberg, Leslie Mann
Martha & Bill Gilbert
Martha & Bill Gilbert
Shawna Price, Michael Zimmerman
John Cooney, Anne & John Surovek
Julie Criser, Raymond Tollman, Sandy Smith
Lois Hendricks, Beverly Myers
Olivia Henley, Kathi Kretzer, Skye Alyssa Friedman, Giancarlo Llerena, Karen Copeland
Isabella Isbiroglu, ElizaBeth Brim, Elena Brim, Ben Jordan