Springtime in Naples is the perfect time of year to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. And there’s no better way to celebrate spring than with a trip to the Naples Botanical Garden.
Though there is never a shortage of senior-friendly activities going on around Naples, the Naples Botanical Garden is offering several engaging and educational special events and ongoing activities that local seniors won’t want to miss:
Special Events at the Naples Botanical Garden
Free Talk: Farming Is Our Future with John Piotti
March 5, 6 p.m. (doors open at 5:30)
Kapnick Hall
Cost: This event is free and open to the public but seats are limited. RSVP required.
Join president of American Farmland Trust John Piotti as he explores both the challenges and opportunities facing farming. Find out why farming is about not only our food, but also the health of the planet and the future of society.
RSVP to Farming Is Our Future with John Piotti here.
Naples Flower Show and Garden Market
March 20-21, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cost: Included with regular Garden admission
Experience the 65th Annual Naples Flower Show and take in spectacular floral designs, botanical arts, exotic plants, educational displays, presentations, and interactive demonstrations. Guests can stroll through the largest juried flower show in Southwest Florida, then visit the vendors and take home a souvenir of your day.
Author Talk and Book Signing with Jennifer Jewell
March 30, 6-7:30 p.m.
Kapnick Hall
Cost: This event is free and open to the public but seats are limited. RSVP required.
March 31, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (book signing only)
Berger Shop
Cost: Included with regular Garden admission.
On March 30, join Jennifer Jewell, creator and host of the public radio program and podcast “Cultivating Place,” as she discusses her new book, “The Earth in Her Hands: 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants.”
In her book, Jewell examines how the plant world is impacted by greater representation of women and by diversity among those women. Learn how working in the world of plants is becoming a more viable and creative career path for women and how the plant-work world is demonstrating greater social and environmental impact and responsibility, thanks in large part to women’s contributions.
Donna McGinnis, president and CEO of Naples Botanical Garden will also join the discussion, as she and Jewell examine the role of women in the botanical garden industry and the rise of women executives heading U.S. botanic gardens.
RSVP for the March 30 event here. No registration is needed for the March 31 book signing.
April Foolin’ in the Garden
April 3, 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m.
Kapnick Caribbean Garden and Sustaining Leadership Council Event Plaza
Cost: Call 239-643-7275 for more information.
An evening of mystery and entertainment awaits guests as the Naples Botanical Garden hosts an evening celebration of the Garden’s Caribbean wonders.
Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the Kapnick Caribbean Garden, followed by a delicious dinner and entertainment.
The Impressionist’s Garden: Plein Air Paintings by Paul Arsenault
April 24-Sept. 7
Kapnick Hall
Cost: Included with regular Garden admission.
Paul Arsenault’s love for the Naples Botanical Garden shines through in this collection of original artwork. This exhibition in Kapnick Hall celebrates Arsenault’s passion for the natural world and painting en plein air — or painting outdoors — a method made famous by artists including Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh.
A Naples local since 1974, Arsenault can often be found painting among the greenery of Naples Botanical Garden, capturing the changing seasons of the Garden and showcasing its natural beauty.
Ongoing Events at the Naples Botanical Garden
Several events and programs take place in the Garden daily and weekly throughout the year. Though many of these programs are included in the price of admission, some events have a maximum number of participants or only run during certain times of the year, so availability may vary.
Daily Garden Tours
Every day on the hour
Smith Entry Prow
Cost: Included with regular Garden admission.
These first come, first served guided tours of the Garden are a great way to learn more about its diverse flora. Tour themes change daily, so check the schedule in the link above.
Music in the Garden
First and third Sunday of each month, 12-2 p.m., through Aug. 12
Water Garden Stage
Cost: Included with regular Garden admission.
Bring a chair and soak up the beauty of your surroundings while enjoying music from some of Naples’ best local musicians. Check out the lineup in the link above.
Naples Garden Club Ideas à la Carte
Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., through April 8
Idea Garden
Cost: Included with regular Garden admission.
The Naples Garden Club hosts short, 10-to-15-minute hands-on presentations covering a range of topics, including leaf manipulation for floral design, orchid basics, plant propagation, and more.
Yoga in the Garden
Wednesdays and Sundays, 10 a.m., through April 29
Kapnick Caribbean Garden
Cost: Regular Garden admission + $10
Bring your yoga mat, sunscreen, and bug repellent and come connect with nature through yoga.
Writing in the Garden
Wednesdays, 10-11 a.m., through March 25
Outside of Lu’s Courtyard
Cost: Included with regular Garden admission.
Let the Garden inspire your creativity when you join this free-flowing writers’ group of all experience levels.
Birding in the Garden
Tuesdays and Sundays, 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
Meet at the Smith Entry Prow
Cost: Included with regular Garden admission.
Join a Garden volunteer on this birding tour through the Garden to the James and Linda White Birding Tower and then back to the Smith Entry Prow.
Birders of all experience levels are welcome. Don’t forget your hat, stable, flat shoes (no flip-flops), sunscreen, and bug repellent.
Download a list of the many diverse birds spotted at the Naples Botanical Garden here.