Photo by Phoenix Spirit-Diva
Bonnet House Museum & Gardens kicks off its Cool Saturdays Summer Special on July 1st this season. Cool Saturdays take place the first Saturday of the month July through October. Visitors can explore the whimsical house where fish sculptures rise in the air, shells have their own museum and shady nature trails invite you to search for playful monkeys in the trees and majestic swans in the fresh water lakes. Admission is $10 for adults and free for children 12 and under from 9am to 4pm on these days.
Specific dates are: July 1, August 5, September 2 and October 7. Tour admission is always free for Bonnet House members.
Expert Orchid Care Tips 3
Evelyn Bartlett, the original owner of beautiful, historic Bonnet House, was a passionate orchid collector. The varieties she left to Bonnet House comprise one of the largest collections of orchids in the Southeast United States, attracting orchid lovers – both enthusiasts and novices – from all over the world. Orchid aficionados are really interested in taking care of their plants, so here are even more tips from Bonnet House’s expert orchid curator:
• Household rubbing alcohol kills many pests on orchids.
• Mild dishwashing detergent will act as a pesticide. Add 2 oz. (never anti-bacterial) to 1 gallon of water and spray the plants thoroughly. Repeat in 1 week. (In very dry weather, water the orchid thoroughly the day before.)
• Be on alert for problems with snails during rainy weather. The damage will appear as holes in the leaves and usually happens at night.
• Systemic treatments mean that the product is absorbed into the plants system and it works from within. Topical treatments mean it stays on the surface of the plant. Topical treatments wash off with rain or regular watering.
• Preparing for hurricane season, make sure your plans include what you would do with your orchids. Don’t get caught off-guard.
• Become educated on the cold tolerance of your plants to be prepared for winter. For example, vandas and cane type dendrobiums are very cold sensitive (below 55 degrees) and cattleyas are very cold tolerant.
Our beautiful orchid collection is one of the many reasons why a visit to South Florida is truly not complete without time spent at beautiful, historic Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. The story told here spans and parallels a wide swath of American history and makes a visit both to these pages and to the estate a uniquely educational and entertaining experience. Bonnet House is located at 900 North Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. For more information and details, please call (954) 563-5393 or visit BonnetHouse.org.
Expert Orchid Care Tips: 2
Evelyn Bartlett, the original owner of beautiful, historic Bonnet House, was a passionate orchid collector. The varieties she left to Bonnet House comprise one of the largest collections of orchids in the Southeast United States, attracting orchid lovers – both enthusiasts and novices – from all over the world. Following our initial and well received set of orchid care tips, here are some additional suggestions from Bonnet House’s expert orchid curator:
• Reddening on orchid leaves during cold weather is a sign of a magnesium deficiency.
• Apply time release fertilizer during Spring/early summer so orchids will get the benefit of fertilizer during our rainy months when we do not want to add more water by applying water soluble fertilizers.
• Make sure to water orchids as early in the day as possible so they can dry thoroughly before night.
• Good air circulation around your orchids is essential. Orchids placed to closely together transfer pest and disease very easily.
• Be on alert for problems with fungus during rainy weather. Preventive maintenance spraying of fungicides is a good culture practice.
• Household cinnamon is a natural fungicide and can be dabbed on cuts in the plant when pruning or dividing.
• Make sure to always sterilize your pruners between plants so as not to transfer disease.
Our beautiful orchid collection is one of the many reasons why a visit to South Florida is truly not complete without time spent at beautiful, historic Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. The story told here spans and parallels a wide swath of American history and makes a visit both to these pages and to the estate a uniquely educational and entertaining experience. Bonnet House is located at 900 North Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. For more information and details, please call (954) 563-5393 or visit BonnetHouse.org.
Money-saving tips for planning your Bonnet House wedding:
Limit your guest count. The owners of the historic estate were known for intimate gatherings with only very close friends and family. Consider a small affair of 50 or less guests to save on the rental fee. You’ll save in other areas too, such as catering and rentals.
Hire a wedding planner. A lot of couple shy away from spending money on planners, but keep in mind that many planners receive discounts from the companies they contract with, and that savings can make a big impact on the bottom line. Preferred planners like Event Bliss and Blonde Events can also help make important decisions on décor and layout and find ways to eliminate unnecessary spending.
Choose your accessories wisely. Many couples chose to purchase gifts for their guests. From presents at each place setting, to farewell gifts during departure, these gestures can get expensive and some guests forget and leave them behind altogether. Concentrate on hosting a fun event and scratch the extras.
Choosing Bonnet House Museum & Gardens for your wedding means that you get built-in décor. Our staff spends countless hours making sure the property looks beautiful for your wedding day and choosing over-the-top décor can overpower the garden setting. Choose a florist, such as Victoria Park Flowers, who can steer you in the direction of a less-is-more design approach and save big!
Consider a cocktail style wedding. The estate is well suited for a cocktail party and having your guests mingle at cocktail tables instead of sitting at assigned tables adds a level of energy to an otherwise sedate event. Caution: Most guests still expect to eat dinner at weddings, so be sure to mention in your invitation that it’s a cocktail party and have enough food (passed or stationed) to go around!
Purchase your own liquor. Most caterers will provide a bar and bartender to serve the liquor that you have purchased. The savings can be significant and you can take the leftovers home!
Shorten your cocktail hour, or eliminate it altogether! Consider taking your family photos before your ceremony, so that you can enjoy your party and avoid keeping your guests waiting. Many photographers, like Clay Wieland, can make that first look between the bride and groom as special (and more intimate) than the ceremony first look.
Remember that Bonnet House is a not-for-profit organization, so tipping is not allowed for staff and volunteers. Save money on gratuity and at the same time, help to preserve one of Ft. Lauderdale’s treasures!
Evelyn Bartlett, the original owner of beautiful, historic Bonnet House, was a passionate orchid collector. The varieties she left to Bonnet House comprise one of the largest collections of orchids in the Southeast United States, attracting orchid lovers – both enthusiasts and novices – from all over the world.
Expert Orchid Care Tips
For all those die-hard orchid aficionados, here are some tips from Bonnet House’s expert orchid curator:
• Orchid pots (clay/plastic) can be reused if sterilized. Scrub/soak in bleach
water, then rinse very thoroughly.
• In the process of attaching an orchid to a mount, the new growth must be placed
toward the mount and it must be tied/secured on very tightly so as not to wobble.
• Phaelanopsis and vandas are monopodial orchids and have no water storage.
Phaelanopsis potting media should always stay moist. Vandas should be watered daily.
• Cattleyas, dendrobiums, oncidiums are sympodial orchids and have psuedobulbs as
water storage. These need to dry thoroughly between watering.
• Phaelanopsis need to be repotted yearly, and they need a drop in temperature to know
it is the right time of year to bloom. If growing inside, you may need to move it
outside into a shady spot for about a week of 55 degrees.
• Fertilizing on a regular basis makes healthier plants that give you bigger, better flowers.
• Reduce fertilizing during winter months as the orchids are in a resting cycle.
Our beautiful orchid collection is one of the many reasons why a visit to South Florida is truly not complete without time spent at beautiful, historic Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. The story told here spans and parallels a wide swath of American history and makes a visit both to these pages and to the estate a uniquely educational and entertaining experience.
Bonnet House is located at 900 North Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. For more information and details, please call (954) 563-5393.
Bonnet House Museum & Gardens presents its 14th Annual Fundraiser
“Impressions: A Juried Art Exhibit”
Thursday, March 6, 2014 at 6pm
Bonnet House Museum & Gardens presents its 14th Annual Juried Art Exhibit and Fundraiser Thursday, March 6, 2014 at 6:00p.m. “Impressions: A Juried Art Exhibit” is set to open with a private showing for V.I.P. guests starting at 5:00pm. V.I.P. guests will be treated to champagne and hors d’oeuvres, preview the exhibition, and partake in a rare viewing of the exclusive private living quarters of Evelyn and Frederic Bartlett, Bonnet House’s former owners. The reception opens to members of the public at 6:00 p.m.
The juried art exhibit showcases artists from throughout Florida and the artists’ personal interpretations of this country’s architecture, nature, or culture. All guests and participating artists are invited to cast votes for their favorite artist in the exhibition. The artist receiving the highest number of votes will receive the People’s Choice Award, awarded that evening. All of the artwork in the Impressions competition will be available for sale with 50% of the proceeds benefiting Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. The Impressions exhibition will be on display from March 6 through May 4, 2014 during Bonnet House regular tour hours.
Additional highlights of the evening will include fine food, fine wine and entertainment throughout the house. For additional information and reservations, please visit us at https://bonnethouse.org/impressions/.
With five distinct eco-zones and former owners whose interests ranged from art, poetry, and music to natural conservation and organic agriculture, Bonnet House has nurtured eclectic interests for almost ninety-five years. There’s something for everyone to enjoy here, and the same can be said of our volunteer opportunities. Looking for something peaceful and quiet? The courtyard and bridge aren’t that way all the time, but greeting guests there will give you ample opportunity (most days!) to enjoy the natural habitat and gardens. How about something more active with lots of visitor interaction, reading an audience, and telling a great story? Guiding house tours might be for you. How about sales? The Museum Shop is always in need of extra help. And no matter which role you choose, you’ll be interacting with other like-minded volunteers who have more passion and interest for the remarkable Bonnet House estate than you can imagine.
To learn more about the many volunteer opportunities at Bonnet House, visit www.bonnethouse.org/opportunities.
No one likes to think of his or her passing from this world, but death is an event that we all will share in common sooner or hopefully, much later. Putting together an estate plan can seem daunting, but it is really a fairly simple process for most people. Not only will it relieve family and friends of sometimes difficult decisions, it is also an empowering process that allows one the opportunity to take control of how assets accumulated in life will pass. As you begin gathering year end documents for the tax season, fall is also a good time to revisit estate plans—particularly if there has been a major life event in the past year—or to create one if you are currently without a will and/or trust. If Bonnet House has meant something to you during life, consider leaving a bequest in your estate plan. For sample language for a bequest to share with your attorney, contact Patrick Shavloske at 954-703-2603 or [email protected].
