Written by Sharon Speargas

On October 26, fourteen members of the Mariner Sands Garden Club were welcomed to Tropical Ranch Botanical Gardens by Diane Rexroad and Jim Haines, where they took a tour of the ten theme gardens comprising TRBG. They were impressed with this garden paradise and the wide variety of plants found in the gardens -- rare Blue Bamboo, a Variegated Mahoe from Hawaii, and the multitude of butterfly attracting plants found throughout the Gardens.

The Mariner Sands Garden Club encourages Florida-friendly gardening that requires less water and results in a colorful, easy to care for landscape. One of the Club's goals is to increase awareness and interest in personal gardens, and encourage a greater variety of plant material. Their goal is also to set up and maintain areas designed to attract butterflies and birds.

Tropical Ranch Botanical Gardens is open to the public one weekend a month. The December opening will be the 19th - 20th, with a huge plant sale. The Gardens are open at that time from 9AM-3PM.

For more information, call 772-283-5565 or visit www.tropicalranchbotanicalgardens.com or www.trbg.us TRBG is located at 1905 SW Ranch Trail, Stuart (in the Tropical Farms area)