Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden will offer a bountiful bouquet of healthy and horticultural classes and events throughout April, including the PLANT-A-PALOOZA Spring Plant Sale, instructive workshops with expert instructors, popular recurring programs, and the delightfully “frogtastic” RIBBIT THE EXHIBIT II, featuring 18 whimsical, larger-than-life frog sculptures at work and play that will tickle and enthrall the entire family.
“We are inviting everyone to celebrate Spring with an eco-friendly flourish at Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest public garden—Mounts Botanical Garden, a beautiful, tranquil, 20-acre oasis located just minutes from the hustle-and-bustle of downtown West Palm,” says Mounts Executive Director James E. May, touting the Garden’s numerous and informative horticultural classes and events during April 2025.
Located at 531 North Military Trail in West Palm Beach, Mounts Botanical Garden is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 9 am to 4 pm (with last entry at 3 pm). Admission is $20 for adults; $18 for seniors, college students and military with IDs; $13 for ages 6 to 17; and free for children under age 6, Mounts members, and RAP (reciprocal program) members.
To register in advance for any of the following events and activities at Mounts, please visit https://www.mounts.org/events/month/2025-04/.
Special Events
April 5
Get GardenFit
With Madeline deVries Hooper, Host of Hit National PBS TV Series
Sunday, 9:30 am to 10:30 am
Take care of your body while taking care of your garden. For her third and final session at Mounts, Madeline deVries Hooper will demonstrate simple, body awareness adjustments that will prevent aches and pains from bending, lifting, and even getting up and down from the ground as you weed, dig, plant, and prune.
April 12
Life in the Trees: Frogs of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula
Presentation & Brunch
With Photographer & Ecologist Dr. Brandon A. Güell
Saturday, 10:00 am to 11:30 am
Dr. Brandon A. Güell, the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of 2022, will showcase the diversity, complexity, and beauty of the remarkable frogs of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. This engaging talk promises to blend scientific discovery with stunning visual storytelling, making it a must-see for wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, and citizen conservationists alike. Dr. Güell’s award-winning photos will be on display and available for purchase.
April 26-27
PLANT-A-PALOOZA Spring Plant Sale
& Frogtastic Family Fun Weekend
Saturday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Sunday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Rain or shine, Mounts will host its biggest plant sale of the year, featuring the finest plant growers, artisans, and experts from across the State of Florida. Visitors can fully engage in the world of plants and learn new gardening techniques, discover what’s trending in floral design, and enjoy Mounts Botanical’s tranquil tropical oasis all at the same time.
- 70+ highly sought-after top growers and artisan vendors.
- Shop a wide variety of rare, exotic, and hard-to-find orchids, plants, trees, herbs, ornamentals, succulents, cactus, bonsai, butterfly/native plants, shrubs, and fruit trees, as well as garden accessories, baskets, fine crafts, and more.
- Learn about South Florida’s plant culture by speaking directly with growers.
- Fun and informative presentations by speakers and authors who are experts in their respective fields.
- Plus, additional horticultural ‘must-haves’ and unique treasures for your home and garden are also available in the Garden’s Gift Shop, Nursery, and Vintage Garden Thrift Shop.
- Food and dessert trucks will also be at the Garden throughout both days.
Plus: It’s a frogtastic activity-filled weekend of family fun. Admission is FREE for kids and includes:
- Games
- Arts & Crafts
- Bubbles
- Entertainment
- Food Trucks
- Explore RIBBIT THE EXHIBIT II featuring whimsical, human-sized frog sculptures throughout the Garden.
April 27
PLANT-A-PALOOZA Special Presentation & Book Signing
With Author & Photographer Kirsten Hines
Sunday, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Award-winning author, wildlife photographer, and conservationist Kirsten Hines will present a captivating presentation that will inspire local naturalists, conservationists, and eco-minded photographers to discover Florida’s hidden wildlife wonders. She will also sign copies of her books, which will be available for purchase, including Birds of Florida (2024), Wild Florida: An Animal Odyssey (2023), and Attracting Birds to South Florida Gardens (2014).
Note: FREE with PLANT-A-PALOOZA admission, but space is limited to first-come basis.
Recurring Events & Programs
For more information about any of these popular offerings please visit the Mounts website at https://www.mounts.org/events/month/2025-04/.
- Palm Beach County Residents Day – April 2
- Beginner & Intermediate Watercolor Painting – April 2, 9, 16, 23, 29
- Tai Chi – April 5, 12, 19, 26
- Dogs’ Day in the Garden – April 13
- Orchids are for Everyone: Potting Workshop – April 5
- Casa Rituals Cacao & Sound Healing – April 6, 13, 27
- Forest Bathing Nature Therapy & Team Ceremony – April 6, 19, 27
- Palm Beach Plein Air Paint-Out in the Garden – April 19
- Breaking Barriers to Orchid Growing – April 19
RIBBIT THE EXHIBIT II
Back by popular demand is this collection of 18 larger-than-life, whimsical frog sculptures on exhibit throughout the Garden, offering a playful and imaginative exploration of amphibians. These fun and quirky sculptures also create opportunities for engaging programming about real frogs and their essential role in our environment. Each piece is handcrafted and colored with natural patina by artist Andy Cobb, and almost all the super-sized sculptures are new to Mounts.
Mounts Botanical Garden & Bloomberg Connects
Explore Anytime, Anywhere with New Mobile Garden Guide
Visitors can now explore Mounts Botanical Garden anytime from anywhere across the globe with the new Mobile Garden Guide. Launched in partnership with Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and cultural app created by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the guide is designed to elevate and enrich the visitor experience by making it easy to discover more of what people love before, during, and after their visit to the Garden. Multi-media content includes maps and information on Mounts Botanical’s 25 display gardens, art in the garden, and current and upcoming exhibitions, as well as an ever-growing spectrum of new photo, audio, and video content available exclusively via the app. To learn more and download the app, visit www.mounts.org/mobile-garden-guide/ [mounts.org].
Content Courtesy of Gary Schweikhart, PR-BS
