Looking for a relaxing setting? This little garden is a unique space. There is a great space for picnics, reflection, or a date! People of all ages can enjoy the benches to rest, bubbling fountains, and a scavenger hunts. There is lots of trees for shade, and a big field for events. They are willing to have events! There are butterflies, but the bonsais had my attention. The largest bonsai garden is here, and the gardener is quite knowledgeable. The staff are considerate and helpful. There are 3 handicapped parking spots in additional to regular spots all in front of the gift shop. The entrance fee is low, with a discount for elders. I am looking forward to returning soon. read more

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Wonderful botanical gardens with an amazing bonsai collection! If you like bonsai, it's definitely worth a visit. These gardens are not very large, but they're charming. There is also a copy of an old cracker house on the grounds and a corner for children. read more

Heathcote Botanical Gardens - Copy of old cracker house - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

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I recently visited Heathcote Botanical Gardens after moving to the Fort Pierce area and was excited to spend a relaxing afternoon there with my kids. The pricing is reasonable--$12 for adults, and kids under 6 get in free, which is great for families. They do accept cash, but for card payments, it's limited to tap or chip only. Unfortunately, I ran into an issue with my debit card and didn't have cash on me, so I wasn't able to pay at the entrance. When I asked if there were any other options, I was told no. What made this frustrating is that after leaving, I checked their website and saw there may have been other possible workarounds--like purchasing a $10 lunch ticket or making a donation online. Even just suggesting those options could have helped me still enjoy the visit with my kids. I understand policies are policies, but a little flexibility or guidance would have gone a long way, especially for a parent just trying to create a nice moment with their children. We ended up leaving and finding something else to do, which was disappointing. I hope they consider offering more payment flexibility or training staff to suggest alternatives in situations like this. read more

Heathcote botanical gardens located in Ft Pierce FL has the largest public collection of tropical bonsai in the United States. If you are interested in bonsai you must visit, there were some from the 1970's and 80's. The garden is small and laid out nicely with cleared paths and includes sections such as a children's garden, herb garden and Japanese garden. Not a lot was in bloom when I was there. I visited on a beautiful weekday afternoon in December and was able to see the entire garden in less than an hour. The garden was set up for their Garden of Lights exhibit ($10 adults, $3 under 12). read more

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We thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this walkthrough and would gladly return for another visit. read more

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Love this botanical garden not as big as others but definitely has its own charm. We were followed by this beautiful cat the entire time we were walking. The park is decorated for Christmas with plenty of lights and beautiful decorations. Plenty of places to get a good picture of Christmas time and of course the awesome plants. History: The Garden of Lights is a major fundraiser that sees the entire garden decorated with tens of thousands of tiny Christmas lights. It draws more than 10,000 people each year during weekend evenings leading up to Christmas. The Adams/Peterson Pioneer house is a replica of an 1870 "Cracker"- style home that shows what it was like to live in Old Florida. Heathcote is most well known for being the home of the James J. Smith Bonsai Collection, the largest public collection of tropical bonsai in the country. The collection has more bonsai on year-round display than any other public exhibit in the United States. Although there are 26 species represented in the collection, almost half the trees are species of ficus. The more than 100 specimen bonsai range from huge buttonwood, estimated to be 200 years old, to a magnificent, twin-trunk Jaboticaba, originally styled by John Naka in 1973. Thousands of visitors flock to the bonsai pavilion during Garden of Lights to have their children's pictures taken with Heathcote the Bear. James J. Smith was an internationally recognized authority on bonsai who operated a wholesale bonsai nursery in Vero Beach, FL. He learned from some of the most famous bonsai masters in the world including John Naka and Toshio Saburomaru. For decades, Smith conducted a free monthly workshop at his Durastone Nursery on Old Dixie Highway. He was a mentor to several generations of Florida bonsai artists. His bonsai are in numerous important collections around the world, and numerous books picture his trees and discuss his work. When he was in his 80s, he agreed to give most of his private collection to Heathcote if it could develop a suitable display area. Heathcote conducted a major fundraising campaign and developed a plan for a 10,000-square-foot garden complete with stone stands and a Japanese-influenced pavilion that is a favorite scene for weddings and garden parties. Smith died in 2016. read more

Gorgeous!!! The garden is a little small but the bonsai collection and historical cracker home make up for it. We spend forever looking at all the bonsais that were older than us!! Volunteer funded and ran- everyone was so sweet and friendly and loved to share info! read more

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I wish it was bigger, they have set up the lights for Christmas time, so I am sure it looks pretty at night. The best were the bonsai collection and the Japanese garden where the koi are. read more

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This botanical garden started as a plant nursery in 1960 when owners Jim and Mollie Crimmins moved their business from Boca Raton to this location surrounding the historic 1922 Heathcote House. The Crimmins lived in the house and operated a nursery. The city designated the house a Historically Significant Site in 2001. When the Crimmins retired they put the property up for sale and a group of community members saw the opportunity to turn the land into a botanical garden. Heathcote Botanical Gardens, Inc., was incorporated in 1985 as a non-profit and the land was purchased in 1986 with grants and donations. Admission is $8. On the day I visited the garden was having a plant sale. Vendors were selling plants and garden items and the botanical garden itself was selling plants and hot dogs and snacks. The garden is broken up into different sections. There is a Japanese garden that contains the signature elements of stone, wood, and water. Heathcote has the largest public collection of bonsai in the country. The reflection garden has a swirling pool of water and benches. There is also a herb garden, butterfly garden, native plants with a replica of a pioneer house, rainforest, and a palm and cycad walk. All of the gardens are designed to make you feel like you are in a room. I loved all of the artistic elements in the garden. For example there was a blue chair in the herb garden and statues throughout. I especially loved the tiny fairy gardens and amazing bonsai, some of which had been worked on for years. My favorite plant in the garden is the Blue Tango bromeliad. If you want to relax and just take in the garden there are beautiful mosaic benches scattered throughout the garden. During the holidays the garden is decorated with lights. You can also hold your wedding here. A full schedule of events can be found on the website. On the way out you can browse their shop. Although not as large as the nearby McKee Botanical Garden Heathcote is special in it's own right and worth a visit if you are in the area, read more

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Absolutely stunning park and of course because it's nature it's a constant work in progress. The bonsai collection is fantastic we enjoyed every bit of it including the gift shop. Great value for the dollar read more

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We went at night and the lights were excellent. The miniature trees were really cool. The trees were labeled with their names and phylum, etc. I enjoyed the way the lighting was used to make spiders, outline bicycles and other objects. At little pricey at $8 but worth the experience. read more

Heathcote Botanical Gardens - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

During the holidays you must see the festive if lights. Great for adults and children. Grounds are beautifully maintained and staff is very friendly. Easy to find, easy to park. Staff also recommended Saltys Water Sports in y visit for boat and jetski rental. Made our vacation. Thank you! read more

We arrived with about 2 hours before closing. We were greeted by the friendly curator, Who suggested we start in the bonsai garden. We did so, and never made it out of that first section, because the on site bonsai expert was tending to several of the exhibited plants at the time. We spent more than three hours getting hands-on instruction on the exhibit, but also personalized bonsai technique from the expert and his wife. We enjoyed this immensely! They were willing to stay well after the garden was closed. Even though we did not take in the rest of the gardens, this experience alone causes us to want to return immediately. Thank you to the curator and to the experts for giving us their personal attention annoying us the time to get behind the scenes insight. read more

A wonderful quiet place to unwind and relax. Amazingly beautiful gardens along easy walking trails. From bonsai to a rainforest garden and even a cute children's garden. A nice place to take a break in. Lots of benches for sitting. Even on a warm day it was cool and breezy. Well worth the $8 admission costs. read more

Heathcote Botanical Gardens - Garden arch. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

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Have been going there for years,with the children during Halloween and with friends and they have wonderful wedding venues.

This botanical gardens was a peaceful experience. I loved the bonsai gardens, the butterfly garden and was very happy to get some amazing shots as I witness patiently two butterflies flying through the garden. It was a memory to remember. I would recommend this place as it is a nice place to take a stroll and sit under a tree for shade. Plus if you are lucky like I was you might even be greeted by kitty cat for company. read more

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Helped with a friend of mine's wedding here. It was very beautiful. The gardens are really neat and beautiful. I would definitely recommend checking it out! read more

Heathcote Botanical Gardens - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Fort Pierce, Florida

Beautiful, quiet, peaceful. Great place for an outdoor wedding or event. Nice gift shop and friendly resident cats.

My wife and I went there this week with my sister and her husband. It is a very nicely kept, relatively small botanical garden and the personnel are obviously committed to maintaining it and friendly in greeting people. Our highlight, and the thing that made it unique to us, we the very extensive collection of over 100 bonsai donated by a world famous trainer. Every one is unique! This added up to a very nice afternoon excursion which one could go through in a shorter or longer time depending on your interest. read more

A MUST SEE IN FORT PIERCE. This is a relaxing place of beauty not far off the main highways. There are displays of Bonsai, as well as numerous plants, shrubs and trees that you'll really enjoy. There is a very nice gift shop, and there are even a few very friendly cats that roam the area for guests to visit with, if they desire. read more

This is a wonderful botanical garden. Not too big, easy to wander around and wheelchair accessible. My husband is handicap and uses a cane it was very easy for him to walk around the whole garden. All the people there are so nice. Definitely recommend it is worth it. read more