BOTANICAL GARDEN FILLS WITH ART STARTING APRIL 28

The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden on College Road will host its annual Art in the Garden exhibit April 28 through July 31. CONTRIBUTED

Art and nature will combine at the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden starting Sunday, April 28, when two dozen creations by local and regional artists bloom alongside the 15-acre habitat’s rare and indigenous plants and trees.

Continuing through July 31, the Art in the Garden exhibit features large outdoor pieces crafted from natural, repurposed and recycled materials. With pieces installed among the property’s boardwalks, trails and hidden glades, the exhibit will provide garden visitors an organic illustration of harmony with nature. 

Now in its 88th year, the open-air “living museum” is acclaimed as the only frost-free tropical forest, natural conservation habitat and native plant botanical garden in the continental United States.

Florida Keys artists’ sculptures and other works were selected for their ability to intrigue visitors to the garden, enhance the environment and withstand outdoor weather conditions.

Located at 5210 College Road, the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden shelters plant life native to South Florida, Cuba and the Caribbean, including many threatened and endangered species. Rich in biodiversity, it features two wetland habitats, national and state champion trees, two butterfly gardens and native butterflies, resident and migratory birds, seasonal flowers and other attractions for nature enthusiasts.

The garden is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. All-day admission passes are $10 per adult, $7 per senior, $7 per active or retired military member, and free for children ages 12 and under when accompanied by an adult.More information is at keywest.garden.