For immediate release
Contact: Mercede New 904-757-4463, ext. 211
Gina Stiles – 904-757-4463, ext. 210

First Saturday Garden Tour – Containers for the Heat at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

June 6, 2009, 9:00 a.m.

May 13, 2009 – Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ first Summer Garden Tour of 2009 will take place on Saturday, June 6th, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  Guests have the opportunity to take a look at the Zoo’s selection of heat-busting plants to find out what plants will look the best in containers.  Guests are to pre-register online at www.jacksonvillezoo.org, and meet outside the Zoo’s ticket booths at 8:45 a.m. 

“Not all plants work well in containers, and not all container plants do well through our hot Florida summers,” said Bob Chabot, Director of Horticulture for Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. “Join us and we will show you what we have discovered through our experience that works well for us here at the zoo.”

The cost is $10 for Zoo members and $20 for non-members (Zoo admission is included).  Pre-registration is required and tour size is limited.  For more information, visit: http://www.jacksonvillezoo.org/things/horticultureworkshop.asp

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,400 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95.  The Zoo is open until 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays from March to Labor Day.  For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org.

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