VERO BEACH, Fla. – November 8, 2023 – To remain vital in a changing society, botanical gardens are wise to focus on perpetual reinvention. At the enchanting McKee Botanical Garden, a new exhibit of art that highlights local birdlife is all part of our plan for the future.
McKee Botanical Garden in Vero Beach Florida has a long history of delighting guests of all ages. The garden at its height in the 1930’s attracted over 100,000 visitors each year. An original Florida Tourist Destination, the McKee Jungle Garden was a riot of exotic plants and trees and included a zoo of wild monkeys, hand fed alligators, chimpanzees and a performing bear. As central Florida developed in the 1970s, and Interstate 95 sped traffic west of the coast, attendance at the Gardens waned and the family-owned establishment was unable to compete with the lure of far bigger tourist attractions. McKee Jungle Gardens closed in 1976 and was sold to condominium developers. All but 18 acres were developed. These 18 acres, once the heart of McKee Jungle Gardens, lay dormant for 20 years. When it reopened in 2001, on a much-reduced footprint, it reinvented itself as a botanical destination with over 10,000 types of plants. Now, a generation later, it’s commitment to special exhibits is what keeps garden members coming back in record numbers.
This year’s attraction, A Tropical Flock of Avian Avatars by The Myth Makers: Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein, is poised to attract record crowds and delight visitors of all ages. The unique partnership between the Myth Makers and McKee Botanical Garden resulted in the largest exhibit of their career. The Myth Makers are known for their larger-than-life bamboo sculptures of Avian Avatars. These monumental works of art draw attention to local bird life and celebrate local heroes and heroines in the community.
The exhibit features ten new bamboo birds that are wading in the water, flying overhead or surprising visitors in hidden places throughout the garden. Each sculpture is a local bird, and each recognizes a notable person with a Florida connection. “Clatter,” a trio of wood storks, features hand activated bamboo chimes hanging on the tails of these odd-looking birds. Clatter celebrates the three founding fathers of the garden: Arthur McKee, Waldo Sexton and William Lyman Phillips. “Lift Off,” an anhinga that appears to have just taken off from one the streams that runs through the garden, draws attention to the first African American and Native American woman pilot: Bessie Coleman.
Located throughout McKee Botanical Garden, each installation activates one of the iconic environments and encourages visitors to experience it anew. In the Royal Palm Grove stands the majestic Platinum Peahen Promenade. Towering 25 feet tall and just as long, this sculpture invites guests to stroll through the legs and under the tail through doors of all sizes. Adorned with pinwheels that spin, and decorative mylar feathers that flutter, this sculpture is alive. This grand dame of the garden honors May Mann Jennings, the “Mother of Florida Forestry.”
What makes this installation especially unique is the connection between the materials that the Myth Makers use and the plant collections in the garden. There are over 40 types of bamboos featured at McKee. In 2002, the garden boldly built the first permitted, engineered bamboo building in the United States to draw attention to the architectural properties of this renewable and sustainable building material. Located nearby this iconic pavilion is one of the most popular sculptures in the Tropical Flock; “The Steward”, a Belted Kingfisher that the artists affectionately call the Queen Fisher, celebrates the local oceanographer and environmental scientist Dr Edith Widder.
The garden has created a map that charts a walking path for finding all of the Avian Avatars on view. All these delights can be enjoyed while strolling through the waterlilies, orchids, and palm trees in the garden. A Tropical Flock of Avian Avatars by The Myth Makers: Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein, is on view through April 28th, 2024.
McKee Botanical Garden is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to nurture and enhance a historic garden in a unique tropical setting for the education, enjoyment, and enrichment of all. McKee Botanical Garden is located at 350 US Highway 1 in Vero Beach.
For more information, please visit www.mckeegarden.org.
Admission: $15 Adults, $13 Seniors (65+)/Youth (13-17), $10 Children (2-12). McKee members and children under 2 free.
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday (10 am – 5 pm) | Sunday (12 pm – 5 pm). The last admission is at 4 pm. The Children’s Garden closes at 4:30 pm. The Garden is closed on Mondays and major holidays.