Type Botanical Area 6 ha Opened 1954 | Phone +1 561-233-1757 | |
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Location 531 North Military Trail
West Palm Beach, Florida Owned by Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service Address 531 N Military Trl, West Palm Beach, FL 33415, USA Hours Open today · 10AM–4PMMonday10AM–4PMTuesday10AM–4PMWednesday10AM–4PMThursday10AM–4PMFriday10AM–4PMSaturday10AM–4PMSunday10AM–4PM Similar South Florida Science, Palm Beach Zoo, Okeeheelee Park, Norton Museum of Art, Rapids Water Park Profiles | ||
Mounts Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located in West Palm Beach, Florida. It is Palm Beach County's oldest and largest public garden with over 2,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants from six continents, including plants native to Florida, exotic trees, tropical fruit, herbs, citrus and palms. Mounts is a component of the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Service and is affiliated with the University of Florida / IFAS.
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History
Botanical plantings began shortly after the Mounts Building was built and opened in 1954. Then Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Director, Marvin Mounts, desired to create a tropical fruit tree arboretum on the adjacent three acres. This vision was never realized, but many tropical fruits were planted and a few remain to this day.
In 1975 Clayton Hutcheson, Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Director, had a vision of creating a Horticultural Learning Center on the three acres surrounding the Mounts Building, which housed the Extension Service. This initiative was successfully supported by many local plant-focused organizations and volunteers and was created in 1983. Today’s Garden was formed by a public-private partnership of Palm Beach County and the Friends of Mounts Horticultural Learning Center in 1985. Ten additional acres were added to the property in 1985, bringing the total acreage to fourteen. In 1986, the Friends voted to officially change the name to Mounts Botanical Garden for a more clear understanding of the organization and its mission driven purpose.
In 2004, the Friends funded a research grant to the University of Florida to produce a Master Plan to guide the Garden’s future development. During 2004 and 2005 Hurricanes Frances, Jeanne and Wilma destroyed 70% of the property’s mature tree canopy and virtually shattered the original Garden. Since 2006, The Friends and Palm Beach County have restored both the lost tree canopy and the Garden.