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

First Saturday Garden Tour – Asia at Last!
at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

May 2, 2009, 9:00 a.m.

April 23, 2009  – Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announces its next garden tour in the First Saturday Garden Tour series, Asia at Last, a tour of the latest addition to the Zoo’s gardens.  On Saturday, May 2, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. guests can tour through the new Asian Garden, reflecting upon the ideas of Eastern garden philosophies and observing the natural beauty of the plants indigenous to that area of the world.  Guests are to pre-register online at www.jacksonvillezoo.org, and meet outside the Zoo’s ticket booths at 8:45 a.m. 

“With nearly 30 species and varieties of bamboo, and 78 plants that are new to our gardens, this garden looks and feels completely different than anything we have done thus far, it has really turned out beautifully” said Bob Chabot, director of horticulture and facilities.

The cost is $10 per person for Zoo members and $20 per person for nonmembers.  Admission into the Zoo is included in the tour cost.  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 1,500 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 6:00 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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