Society of the Four Arts Gardens, Palm Beach

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Description

Society of the Four Arts offers public gardens that are a tropical wonderland of palms, ferns, bromeliads, fountains, sculptures, rocks, ironwork gates, and pergolas, with the delightful scent of flowers filling the air. It takes about an hour to truly enjoy this lush and blessed place, taking your time to look at the textures of the leaves and palm trunks, smell the flowers on vines hanging from the pergolas, contemplate the sculptures, and touch the soft petals of the white hibiscus flowers. Some of the sculptures are very unique, from Mexican and American artists. featuring huge bowls of pears and apples, or young nudes, or mothers with children.
There is a Chinese garden through a gate with red doors where a lovely sculpture of a Kwan Yin, a Chinese goddess of mercy who protects mothers and children offers a place to pause and reflect on the sacredness of family life.  It is said that when she was about to enter Nirvana, she heard the suffering cries of mankind and turned back to Earth to aid the needy. She is saturated in serenity. Say a prayer to her and she will help you. She helped me.
A tropical area packed with palms, bromeliads, large-leafed plants, and exotic flowers is pure perfection! If filling up on beauty makes you happy, come here!
On the south end of the property, the King Library, in a sumptuous yet cozy setting, offers books and magazines you can browse on nice chairs, plus unique collections, such as Mizner's personal book collection. There are restrooms here.
Across the street, the Children's Library has storytimes on various weekday mornings and afternoons (see link to schedule below).
There are special art exhibits in the O'Keeffe Building. 
There are excellent concerts, documentaries, and lectures in Gubelmann Auditorium, especially in winter season when the snow birds return. See the Four Arts tickets website for upcoming events. The concert hall is a bit musty, so avoid if you have allergies.
Walk south across the plaza filled with carriages to the S. Lake Trail, a peaceful walkway and bike path along the intercoastal waterway. You can walk a short distance to regal Flagler Museum/Mansion.
Another lovely garden nearby is the garden behind Bethesda by the Sea Church. You can walk the side streets north of the Four Arts Garden, zig zagging between the intracoastal and the ocean, until you get to the church. The best streets to see from south to north are: Seaspray Ave, Seabreeze Ave (my favorite), Clarke Ave, and Barton Ave, where the church is located. Enjoy the palm trees overhead, the hibiscus and bougainvillea flowers, and gorgeous details everywhere, like statues and sweet street number plates. 
If you're hungry, drive north on Cocoanut Row past Royal Poinciana Way and turn right on Sunset Ave. Get a treat from one of the cafes or stores on Royal Poinciana Way, such as Sprinkles Ice Cream or Main Street Coffee.

Photo Gallery

Royal Palm Way, near the back entrance to the gardens.	View from under the pergola.	White and red hibiscus.
Purple bougainvillea on the pergola.	Strangler fig tree near the entrance.	I love these tropical trees!
Statue amongst palms.	Statue among the little palms.	Paths in the garden.
Lizard on palm trunk.	A lizard on a palm trunk.	Palm sky.
Sculpture of Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt on bench.	Bougainvillea in front of open-air building.	Dolphin fountain in front of Spanish building.
Monumental Apple Basket by Leslie Ortiz, in the open-air building.	Spanish building and iron gate.	Sculpture of mother and child.
Cute tree with hanging seeds.	White hibiscus.	Kwan Yin, Chinese goddess of mercy, special protectress of mothers and children.
Door to the Chinese garden.	Sweet little flower.	Red ginger.
Twirly gate.	Tree with pods hanging down.	Spanish fountain.
Purple and yellow orchid.	Fountain on the grounds between the garden and the lake trail.	Historic carriage for a special exhibit.
What a beautiful tropical spot!	Gorgeous doorway.	Amazing twisted trees.
Wall relief carving and lantern above the entrance to the Esther B. O'Keeffe Building, just outside the gardens.	Beautiful entrance to the Esther B. O'Keeffe Building, just outside the gardens.	I adore this building with the blue roof, as seen from the parking area.
Sculpture and city views across the intracoastal at the parking area just outside the gardens.	Royal palms in the park beside the gardens.	Society of the Four Arts Italian-style building.
Palms!	Four Arts Plaza and its pretty architecture.	I like their ironwork sign! Flowering tree by the pretty building at the entrance.
Parrot and heart sculpture.	Sculpture and fat palm.	Pretty sculptures in the garden.
Criss cross paths.	A fountain of three water spouts.	Sculpture with fish.
Breadfruit.	Interesting hanging flowers.	Courtyard with vines.
Chinese goddess sculpture.	Gate and hanging roses.	Hanging roses.
Tall palms in the Four Arts Plaza, outside the garden entrance.	The library and red-blossoming tree.	Red blossoms in a tree outside the library.
Blue tile roof in the Asian courtyard.	Tropical flowers with five petals.	White anthurium.
Bromeliad with flower.	Bubbling fountain in the courtyard.	Red ginger, silver palm, and blue sky.
Trumpet flowers and canary palm.	Round pool and silver plants.	Banana leaves catching the light.
Blue tile courtyard with door to other section of the gardens.	Layers of green.	Round pebbles, brightest green succulent plant, and stripey plant.
Green and pink bromeliad.	Doorway to other section of the gardens.	Golden sculpture of woman with bow and arrow.
Recovery by Grainger McKoy. The wing of the pintail duck, at a moment of its greatest weakness in flight, but when it gathers strength for the journey. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."	Shady courtyard with benches.	Skinny palms and bamboo.
The wonderful colors in Florida! Silver, greenest green, and blue.	Purple bougainvillea and canary palm.	Geometric building.
Orchids hanging from a tree near the entrance.	Shady path outside Esther B. O'Keeffe Building, with pyramid sculpture and city skyline in the distance.	Choosing a Title, by Frederick W. Freer, during a special American Impressionism exhibit in Esther B. O'Keeffe Building.
West Front of the Capitol Steps, Wash DC, by Colin Campbell Cooper, during a special American Impressionism exhibit in Esther B. O'Keeffe Building.	Blue wall with colorful paintings, during a special American Impressionism exhibit in Esther B. O'Keeffe Building.	Reddy at the Pool, by Joan Sloan, during a special American Impressionism exhibit in Esther B. O'Keeffe Building.
Reddy at the Pool, by Joan Sloan.	Sidewalk along Four Arts Plaza Rd- such beautiful trees!	Inside the Esther B. O'Keeffe Building. It is a little rundown but still pretty.
Kwan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, Protectess of Women and Children. Say a prayer and she will help you. She helped me.	Kwan Yin: It is said that when She was about to enter Nirvana, She heard the suffering cries of mankind and turned back to Earth to aid the needy. She is saturated in serenity.	Sunlight in a peaceful walkway.
Chilton Trust, a beautiful building across the street from Society of the Four Arts Gardens.	The banyan tree on the street corner at the gardens.

Directions

Exit Highway 95 at Okeechobee Blvd and follow it toward the ocean. You will cross two bridges and then turn left on Cocoanut Row. You can park along the road here for free and then walk across Cocoanut Row to the Society of the Four Arts entrance gate that leads into the gardens.
Society of the Four Arts, 2 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach, FL 33480, call (561) 655-7227.
Gardens open Mon-Sun 10-5.
Children's library open Mon-Fri (Sept-July) 10-4:45, Sat (Nov-Apr) 10-12:45. Storytimes for kids on certain weekday mornings and afternoons; click here for link to the current newsletter (bottom of the page) that has the schedule.
There are excellent concerts and lectures in Gubelmann Hall, especially in winter season when the snow birds return. See the Four Arts tickets website.

This is an interactive map, you can zoom and move it.

Overall Visitor Rating: Unrated.