There is a small country road off bustling Atlantic Avenue in west Delray Beach that quietly leads to a hidden lush oasis—the Paradise Palms Botanical & Sculpture Gardens. This place combines beautiful nature and creative artwork unlike anything I’ve seen before. The unique Paradise Palms does not advertise its existence online, there are no signs to tell you where it’s located, it’s totally gated off, and visitors can enter its grounds by appointment only. I wouldn’t have known about it if someone hadn’t told me. And that’s the way they like it there.
If you’re fortunate to make an appointment and get into this 20-acre secluded paradise (it fits its title!), you can stroll through numerous well-curated gardens, groves, and micro-forests containing a plethora of plants, shrubs, and trees, including one of the most extensive palm tree collections in the country. You can see 2,500 palms in their natural environments, with at least 450 different kinds to enjoy. There are numerous pathways throughout the gardens, with ponds and bridges along the way, and breathtaking vistas.
I went with three friends one Thursday afternoon, and we were the only ones in the entire botanical park, except for some staff members. It was like we were walking through our own elegant estate. We were impressed by the large number of outdoor sculptures interspersed throughout the property, artfully situated among the landscaping of palms, vegetation, rock gardens, and cacti. We enjoyed rounding a bend and coming across yet another unique sculpture. The collection comes from all over the world, and the pieces are widely varied in style and materials used.
These sculptures have been collected over the years, some of which were commissioned for Paradise Palms, and many of them works by professional sculptors. Others are creatively made from old trees that were repurposed as art, or driftwood from nurseries, one painted a bright red. There was so much to see, a feast for the eyes. We especially liked “Guardian of the Garden,” a dramatic metal statue of a goddess with multiple horns on her head, sitting nestled among the rocks.
Paradise Palms has been an ongoing project since 2013, when 5 acres of land were acquired for this ambitious verdant undertaking. Later, two more sections, of 5 and 10 acres each, were added to make it the expansive, impressive estate that it is now. Delray Beach residents Mark and Kathryn are principal supporters of the gardens, which were developed by horticultural consultant Paul Craft and other landscape professionals.
Featured is a half-acre “open-air” conservatory of rare shade palms from Southeast Asia, Madagascar, and the Americas, in an artificially created rainforest. This environment is controlled by a complex mister system. My friends and I also appreciated the bucolic, Asian-themed zen garden. In addition, the grounds boast a yoga platform hidden in a small bamboo forest; a pond with koi fish; a tiki hut; a huge ficus tree; a butterfly garden; a miniature village for kids; and a “mini mountain” covered in trees, plants, and succulents that thrive in desert-like conditions.
We were given brochures with a map when we first entered the park, which helped us identify what we were encountering. Informative, illustrated signs are also posted along the paths to give visitors lots of details about what they’re seeing along the way. And the site’s management lets you roam the grounds on your own, but they’re frequently around to answer any questions.
Paradise Palms is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is “to preserve and promote knowledge and enjoyment of the more than 500 species of palm trees in this garden as an educational and aesthetic experience for visitors, enhanced by a variety of modern and contemporary sculptures.”
It was definitely an aesthetic experience that day for four women who felt very lucky to have discovered these secret gardens filled with displays of modern art. It was a lovely, peaceful afternoon that you wouldn’t expect just off the main drag of a busy city.
Paradise Palms Botanical & Sculpture Gardens is open by appointment on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. For information, go to paradisepalms.org.