West Palm Beach is adding a dose of heavy metal to its flora with a collection of life-sized animal sculptures at Mounts Botanical Garden, and it's turning to the public to help name these inorganic beasts. According to the Palm Beach County government's official website, Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden are calling upon folks to email suggestions for names for the new installations, which include three giraffes, two elephants, and both a hippo and a lion—all fashioned from recycled metal. The deadline sharpens its claws at Labor Day, September 2.
The newest additions serve as an appetizer to the garden's Leap intoNature, Art & Science program, which will unfold over the course of a year filled with nature-inspired programming for all ages, culminating with the Ribbit the Exhibit II grand opening on November 23. “As a prelude to our upcoming Leap intoNature, Art & Science, a year of inspirational programming for all ages that will culminate with our new Ribbit the Exhibit II Grand Opening November 23, Mounts Botanical Garden has recently added seven life-sized metal animals—three giraffes, two elephants, and both a hippo and a lion," Misty Stoller, Interim Co-Director, said in a statement obtained by the Palm Beach County government's official website.
This name-tagging game sets the stage for the coming Ribbit the Exhibit II, an event that bounds back into Mounts by demand, featuring 18-larger-than-life copper frog sculptures, each standing a good 5 to 7 feet tall and boasting a unique name and backstory. The frogs themselves are set to provide an artistic gateway into understanding the critical role of amphibians in our ecosystems. Family Days, wetlands workshops and "Frogtastic" educational soirees are on the books to make science fun and accessible.
Mount Botanical Garden is open from Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the admission is no wallet-buster either, with teen to adult tickets ranging from $7 to $15, and kids under 6 hopping in for free.
