Fort Pierce, Florida
Heathcote Botanical Gardens
Established in 1985 on the former site of Heathcote Nursery, this 5 acre botanical garden features plants of the warm-temperate, subtropic and tropic regions. Along with its collections of palms, cycads, bromeliads, bonsai, flowering trees, shrubs and vines, the Garden contains numerous themed gardens: a Japanese Garden, Reflection Garden, Herb Garden, Rainforest Display, Native Plants Garden and a Palm & Cycad Walk. as part of a master plan, Heathcote acquired an additional 64 acres to expand the gardens and develop a regional park along with St. Lucie County and the City of Fort Pierce.Open Tuesday-Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. year-round; Sundays, 1:00 – 5:00 p.m., November-AprilFort Pierce is approximately 125 miles (2.5 hours by car) north of Miami, 120 miles (2 hours by car) southeast of Orlando and 150 miles (3 hours by car) east of Tampa/St Petersburg [ info ]