Rockledge Gardens is located in Rockledge, Florida, which is in the Space Coast region. Rockledge Gardens is the oldest garden center and nursery in Brevard County, Florida. [1]
Rockledge Gardens was founded in 1962 by Harry Witte. Witte was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and moved to Brevard County, Florida in 1948. [2] Witte ran a flower bulb business and expanded it into a nursery and landscape business as the area's population grew in the early 1960s, due to the space program at nearby Kennedy Space Center. [1] [3] Witte died in 1998 at the age of 87. In his obituary, Florida Today called him a “pioneer in the Brevard County environmentalism and beautification movement.” [4] Witte and his wife Mary had six children, who took turns working in the family business. Today, Mary Witte is still actively involved in Rockledge Gardens, and the business is owned and operated by the Witte’s youngest daughter and her husband, Theresa and Kevin Riley. [2] [3]
The 5 acre garden center includes a greenhouse containing indoor and shade plants, orchids, bromeliads, and succulents. [1] The outdoor area features tropical and hardy trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials. There are also gardens which demonstrate home landscape ideas. [5] A screened-in butterfly garden has a memorial to Harry Witte. [6] Staffed information kiosks are a place for customers to get help and advice with plants and plant care. [5] The Little Bugs Club, a monthly gardening program for 4-12 year olds, is led by Theresa and Kevin Witte’s daughter, Aurelia. [7] Rockledge Gardens also includes an 8-acre area across the highway from the retail space, where bamboo, palms and trees are grown for sale. [1]
Brevard County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 606,612, making it the 10th-most populated county in Florida. The official county seat is located in Titusville. Brevard County comprises the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville, FL Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located along the east Florida coast and bordered by the Atlantic Ocean.
Cocoa is a city in Brevard County, Florida. The population was 19,041 at the 2020 United States Census. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Melbourne is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is located 72 miles (116 km) southeast of Orlando and 175 miles (282 km) northwest of Miami. As of the 2020 Decennial Census, there was a population of 84,678. The municipality is the second-largest in the county by both size and population. Melbourne is a principal city of the Palm Bay – Melbourne – Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1969, the city was expanded by merging with nearby Eau Gallie.
Merritt Island is an island, in Brevard County, Florida, United States, located on the eastern Florida coast, along the Atlantic Ocean. It is also the name of an unincorporated town in the central and southern parts of the island and a census-designated place (CDP).
Rockledge is the oldest city in Brevard County, Florida. The city's population was 24,926 at the 2010 United States Census, and is part of the Palm Bay−Melbourne−Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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Titusville is a city in and the county seat of Brevard County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 48,789. Titusville is located along the Indian River, west of Merritt Island and the Kennedy Space Center, and south-southwest of the Canaveral National Seashore. It is a principal city of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The Space Coast is a region in the U.S. state of Florida around the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It is one of several "themed" coasts around Florida. All orbital launches from American soil carrying NASA astronauts have departed from either KSC or Cape Canaveral. The Space Force Station has also launched unmanned military and civilian rockets. Cities in the area include Port St. John, Titusville, Cocoa, Rockledge, Cape Canaveral, Merritt Island (unincorporated), Cocoa Beach, Melbourne, Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Indialantic, Melbourne Beach, Palm Bay, and Viera (unincorporated). Most of the area lies within Brevard County. It is bounded on the south by the Treasure Coast, on the west and north by Central Florida, and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean.
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Hidden Lake Gardens colloquially known as Hidden Lake 755 acres (3.06 km2), is a botanical garden and an arboretum operated by Michigan State University situated in the Irish Hills of southeast Michigan. The Gardens are known for their large collection of native and nonnative trees, shrubs and flowers. HLG was given to Michigan State University by Harry Fee in 1945. Today it is visited by nearly 45,000 people annually. One facet of the Hidden Lake Gardens mission is "To preserve an undeveloped area of the scenic Irish Hills, providing a place of beauty and inspiration for public enjoyment."
Viera is an affluent, master-planned community located in the central coastal region of Brevard County, Florida. It is part of an unincorporated section adjacent to the Melbourne, Florida area. For census purposes, it is divided between the Census Designated Places of Viera East and Viera West. At the 2020 census, Viera East had a population of 11,687, while Viera West had a population of 16,688.
Eau Gallie is a section of the city of Melbourne, Florida, located on the city's northern side. It was an independent city in Brevard County from 1860 until 1969.
Lake Poinsett is a lake in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near Rockledge and Cocoa, with small portions in Orange County and Osceola County. It is the second-largest lake in Brevard County, after Lake Washington, though it is actually the smallest lake in Osceola County. It is the widest lake in Brevard County, with a distance of 5 miles (8 km) at its widest point. At the eastern portion of the lake, a channel connects the lake to Lake Florence and Barnett Lake.
Environmental issues in Brevard County in Florida United States are highlighted by the amount of waterline, the amount of wetlands, the quantity of residents and visitors to the area, as well as the usual threat to air quality from commuters. Assisting in this is the Florida Space Coast Clean Cities Coalition which is headquartered in Brevard.
Space Coast Area Transit is the public transit system serving the communities in Brevard County, Florida.
The History of Brevard County can be traced to the prehistory of native cultures living in the area from pre-Columbian times to the present age. Brevard County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The geographic boundaries of the county have changed significantly since its founding. The county is named for Judge Theodore W. Brevard, an early settler, and state comptroller, and was originally named St. Lucie County until 1855. The official county seat has been located in Titusville since 1894, although most of the county's administration is performed from Viera.
The Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is a botanical garden in Settler's Cabin Park in the Pittsburgh suburbs of Collier Township and North Fayette Township, United States. The garden spans across a total of 452 acres, making it among the top 10 largest American botanical gardens.
Sheridan Nurseries is a Canadian garden supplies company based in the Toronto area. The company has over 375 hectares of land for growing plants and eight garden centers. Employment varies seasonally, but during peak periods it has over 1,000 staff.