The Ringling Announces Innovative Grounds and Gardens Programs

The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, home to 66 acres of fabulous Florida foliage and fauna, is pleased to announce their seasonal calendar of grounds and gardens events. The Ringling will be offering both weekly tours and special programming offered by Kevin Greene, Certified Arborist and the Ringling’s Assistant Director of Grounds and Kai Sacco, the Ringling’s new Rose Garden Horticulturist.

The season will kick-off Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 10:30 with a Conversation with the Grounds Staff at which Greene and Sacco will discuss the work they do, including an explanation of their day-to-day tasks, highlights of their favorite parts of the job, and trade secrets of the profession.

Grounds and Gardens Tours will begin in November and run through April. The tours will be held on Mondays and cost 15.00 or 10.00 for members. The hour and a half long walking tours are led by trained docents and allow visitors to walk the grounds in the steps of John and Mable Ringling. The Ringling recently received accreditation as a Level 2 Arboretum. The arboretum boasts an impressive collection of trees, among them 14 Banyan, the largest collection in Florida; two Shaving Brush; one Tiger Claw; one Monkey Puzzle; two Ear, the largest in Florida; two Rainbow Eucalyptus; and six varieties of bamboo. Included in the lush collection is Florida’s Millennium Landmark Tree, a Banyan, located near the Ca’d’Zan driveway.

On Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, The Ringling will host a Family Saturday featuring Mable’s Rose Garden. The rose garden dates back to 1913 and was one of Mable’s first horticulture projects at the estate. Mable was the first president of the Founders Garden Club and the club is still active in volunteering at The Ringling.

An Environmental Stewardship workshop is planned for Saturday, Jan. 11 at 10:30 a.m. Facilitated by the Ringling Arboretum staff, this informative workshop will focus on ways people can become better environmental stewards of Florida. Attendees will learn about the proper use of fertilizers and irrigation, composting basics, landscaping to conserve energy, the 9 principles of Florida Friendly landscaping, Integrated Pest Management and the benefits of trees. At the conclusion of the program there will be a tree planting ceremony to help celebrate Florida’s Arbor Day.

On Saturday, Feb. 29 at 10:30 The Ringling will present The Art and Science of South Florida. This workshop was inspired by the museum’s Syd Solomon: Concealed and Revealed exhibition. Artist Syd Solomon painted Florida’s coastal ecosystem and was profoundly inspired by the local landscape. Solomon was also an advocate for environmental conservation, a legacy continued by The Ringling today. During this workshop, participants will learn from Rose Garden Horticulturist Kai Sacco as he leads a walking tour of the Bayfront Gardens exploring topics such as coastal ecosystems, red tide, pollinators and the importance of native plants.

Participants will also learn how to create a Florida Friendly landscape using native plants. The program will begin in the Chao Lecture Hall followed by a walking tour tailored to the topic.

Additional information can be found at ringling.org/bayfront-gardens or by calling 941-358-3180.