BOTANICAL GARDENS TO FEATURE FLORIDA GARDENING MAGAZINE PUBLISHER, WAE NELSON, PRESENTING "IMPROVING YOUR SOIL" ON MARCH 14. AS ALWAYS, THERE WILL BE A PLANT SALE.

On March 14-15, Tropical Ranch Botanical Gardens will be open to the public. It will feature a seminar by Wae Nelson, who, with his wife Kathy, founded the well-regarded magazine FLORIDA GARDENING. At 10 AM on the 14th, Wae Nelson will share his secrets for improving soil, so that our plants here on the Treasure Coast will have a head start toward reaching their full potential. In almost all cases, homeowners need to amend their sandy soil so that their landscape will look its best year round. Wae Nelson will provide specific information that will make both plants and homeowners happy.

Diane Rexroad and Jim Haines, owners and designers of TRBG, continue to show local gardeners what can be accomplished in Martin County using their ten theme gardens: International, Oriental/Bamboo, Butterfly Garden, Mexican Patio, Wine & Cheese Gazebo, Wedding Gazebo and Moonlight Garden, Herb and Spice Garden, Palm Tree, Champion Tree and the latest addition, the Waterfall and Aquatic Garden. Their website contains many photographs of these ten fabulous gardens. ( www.tropicalranchbotanicalgardens.com).

TRBG was voted Channel 25's "Favorite Botanical Garden" within the four county area, and it has been featured in Florida Gardening magazine, the Palm Beach Post, the Stuart News, and Stuart Magazine, as well as other local publications. Since this unique and diverse garden opened to the public in 2005, Diane Rexroad and Jim Haines have never charged an admission fee - their mission is to encourage everyone who is interested in gardening to see what is possible to grow in the Martin County area.

TRBG will have a large collection of rare and unusual plants for sale, samples of which are planted in the garden so that homeowners can see these in attractive settings. Do you want to plant your own BUTTERFLY GARDEN or perhaps you are looking for COLORFUL, DROUGHT-TOLERANT PLANTS? All of the plants are for sale at reasonable prices, and gardening experts will be available to answer your gardening questions.

As always, the public is invited to stroll through the lushly landscaped, three acre Botanical Gardens. Local gardeners will see what can be accomplished in Martin County within the ten theme gardens. Tropical Ranch Botanical Gardens will be open Saturday and Sunday, March 14-15, 9 AM-3 PM. There will be hundreds of rare and hard-to-find plants for sale ranging from large palms to plants appropriate for container gardening. The Gardens are located at 1905 SW Ranch Trail in the Tropical Farms area of Martin County. Please telephone for directions or further information (772-283-5565) or go to our website: www.tropicalranchbotanicalgardens.com.