Members and guests of the Garden Club of Baker County recently visited the University of North Florida campus and were treated to a personalized tour of the UNF Botanical Gardens on May 6. “Our guide was Rhonda Gracie (far right in photo), horticulturist and landscape designer who has been instrumental in transforming the campus into a world-class garden,” said the club’s Pat Collier. “Rhonda was the 2022 recipient of the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association (FNGLA) Outstanding Educator of the Year Award. The Garden has also won numerous gold awards as a Florida-Friendly Landscape and is used as a teaching tool for students, many of whom volunteer with the maintenance. If anyone is interested in the Garden Club, please contact 904-259-6064.” She called it a great trip to see the university where she graduated in 1999 when “the campus was just buildings and parking lots, plus a small nature trail.”
