Bonnet House Blog

If you would love to spend your days roaming one of the nation’s most beautiful historic houses and gardens, and helping others share in its transcendent beauty and remarkable history, serving as a volunteer at historic Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale, Florida should be right up your alley. It is through the efforts and dedication of Bonnet House volunteers that we are able to maintain the integrity of this unique historical estate and to ensure a pleasant and enjoyable experience for every one of our visitors.

With five distinct eco-zones and the vibrant legacy of Frederic and Evelyn Bartlett – whose interests ranged from art, poetry, and music to natural conservation and organic agriculture – Bonnet House has nurtured eclectic interests for almost ninety-five years. There’s something for everyone to enjoy here, and the same can be said of our volunteer opportunities, with a variety of ways in which they can serve, to suit everyone’s skills and talents. Volunteers can serve as Lead Guides, sharing the Bonnet House story as they guide visitors through a tour of the main residence, or they can serve as Education Volunteers, promoting Bonnet House’s educational missions. There are wonderful opportunities for Back-Up Guides, assisting the Lead Guides, and for Nature Trail Interpreters, who share historical, environmental and botanical facts with the visitors. Other volunteer opportunities available include Bridge Greeters, who welcome visitors and provide directional information; Courtyard Coordinators, who check admissions and monitor the courtyard to ensure proper flow; Museum Shop Assistants, who help maintain control and oversee items in the Gift Shop; Collections Volunteers, who work with the Curator in the care and maintenance of archives; Research and Library Volunteers, who create the Bartlett’s book collection; and Data Input Volunteers, who compile and input data in various formats for events and files.

A visit to South Florida is truly not complete without the unforgettable and highly educational experience shared at beautiful, historic Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. Bonnet House is located at 900 North Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. For more information about becoming a volunteer, and helping our visitors enjoy the uniqueness of this architectural jewel, and its fascinating story that spans and parallels a wide swath of American history, please call (954) 703-2606 or visit www.bonnethouse.org/opportunities – we look forward to sharing this wonderful experience with you.

A recent survey from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reported that one in five Americans has an active interest in bird watching. If you’re one of the many who enjoy the infinite beauty and variety of our winged friends in South Florida, the next few months will provide you with a great deal of joy at the beautiful Bonnet House Estate. Our extremely popular Birding Classes return, led by birder extraordinaire Paddy Cunningham, who has been a professional Naturalist in South Florida for over two decades. The first of the individual Birding Classes, “Hawks Galore,” will take place Sunday, September 20 from 2pm to 5pm. Subsequent classes, also taking place on Sundays from 2pm to 5pm, will be held on November 8 (“Ascend to Better Birding”), January 10 of 2016 (“Birding by Season”), and March 6 of 2016 (“Birding by Ear & Habitat”). The cost of Birding Classes is $20 for Bonnet House Members, and $25 for non-members. To register, call the Bonnet House Education Department at (954) 703-2606. Bonnet House is located at 900 North Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304.

Our world-famous orchid collection is one of the many reasons why a visit to South Florida is truly not complete without time spent at beautiful, historic Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. Beginning on the first day of August, Bonnet House will once again be offering its popular morning orchid care classes in our lovely air-conditioned Island Theater. Come learn how to care for your orchids with orchid curators from Broward Orchid Supply. Each class is followed by a tour of the orchid greenhouse, lathe house and display house. Orchid supplies will be available for purchase at all classes.

All classes take place on Saturdays from 10am – 12pm. The schedule is as follows:
Orchid Basics – August 1, 2015
Orchid Repotting – August 8, 2015
Orchid Mounting – August 15, 2015
Diagnosing Pests & Diseases – August 22, 2015

The cost of each class is $30 for members and $35 for non-members. Bonnet House is located at 900 North Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. For more information or to register, visit www.bonnethouse.org or contact Linda Schaller at [email protected] or (954) 703-2606.

If you are looking for a unique venue for your wedding ceremony and reception, Bonnet House Museum and Gardens offers the perfect South Florida location. Originally built in 1920, and embodying a unique combination of old-world charm and understated elegance, Bonnet House exudes classic and eclectic taste, with artwork and decorative flourishes seen at every turn and an evident love for nature reflected in the beautifully manicured grounds surrounding its 35-acre estate.

Whether you are planning a close and intimate gathering or a grand and lavish affair, Bonnet House Museum & Gardens sets the scene for romance and timeless memories. Our dramatic spaces, such as the Hibiscus Garden, fountain courtyard, water front veranda and tree-lined alee all provide memorable possibilities for a truly unforgettable wedding.

A very unique venue – listed on the National Register of Historic Places and declared a historic landmark by the City of Fort Lauderdale – Bonnet House was awarded Wedding Wire Couple’s Choice Award for 2014, with the maximum 5.0 score for all reviewable aspects: Quality of Service, Responsiveness, Professionalism, Value and Flexibility. For additional details, rental information or a tour, please contact Nicholle Maudlin, Events Manager, at 954-703-2608 or at [email protected].

Guests attending Bonnet House’s “Cruisin’ Down The River: Historical Adventures of Dreamers and Schemers” will cruise the New River in style aboard the famous “Carrie B” paddlewheel boat to enjoy a most entertaining evening with former Bonnet House Curator, Stephen Draft, as he shares some of the fascinating history of Fort Lauderdale’s New River and the dreamers and schemers who had a hand in establishing this historic stretch of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The event, co-sponsored by Kelly’s Landing Restaurant, takes place at 5:00 p.m. on July 25, 2015.

Admission is $45 for members and $55 for non-members and includes two glasses of wine along with a lite snack generously sponsored by Kelly’s Landing. A cash bar will also be available onboard. The yacht embarkation site is 3440 North New River Drive East, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. For more information and to reserve your seat, please call (954) 653-1554 or visit BonnetHouse.org/calendar.

Reprinted with permission

Among the watercraft rentals and spring break parties of Fort Lauderdale lies a safe haven for nature and art: Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. Bonnet House was the winter home of artist and Chicago native Frederic Bartlett, his second wife Helen Louise Birch, and third wife Evelyn Fortune Lilly. Named for the vibrant bonnet lilies found on the grounds, the house remains a direct reflection of the Bartletts’ enthusiasm for creative expression and passion for the preservation of the untouched Florida landscape of the 30s and 40s.

Monica Estevez, Marketing Manager with Bonnet House, notes, “People are amazed at what a tranquil and secluded place it is, even though it is located in the middle of Fort Lauderdale beach.” Estevez believes the loyalty to the vision of the Bartlett family is a unique part of its charm. “They loved life and each other and created a unique winter home that was reflective of them and their interests.”

Today, Bonnet House is maintained by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation and is dedicated to serving the community as a place of artistic expression and preservation. The grounds, brimming with fauna and spanning 35 acres, host a variety of Florida’s native ecosystems, from beachfront dunes to mangrove wetlands; the gardens serve as a conservation of Florida’s ever-decreasing barrier island habitats. The interior of the House itself remains virtually untouched, offering a window into the lives of the Bartletts. Each room has its own role and personality, developed over time through the eclectic tastes of Frederic, Helen, and Evelyn. Galleries are filled with the art collected by the Bartletts, as well as a collection of Evelyn Bartlett’s personal work.

Every year, Bonnet House hosts a wide array of events, ranging from live music series to educational programs. Estevez estimates that, “11,000 participate each year, including about 8,500 youth who come on school field trips or participate in distance learning programs sponsored by the museum.” A particularly popular program, “An Eco Here, An Eco There,” invites students to perform a field study of the rich habitats surrounding the Bonnet House. The House also hosts widely attended community events such as the Orchid Festival, which is held annually at the beginning of Florida’s cool winter season. The Orchid Festival brings together local vendors featuring exotic plant life, garden art, and gourmet food trucks for a weekend of mixed drinks, green markets, culinary demos, and garden lectures. This affords visitors the opportunity to curate their own garden collection, taking the Bonnet House experience into their own homes.

The Bartlett legacy is one of artistic investment and devotion to creative expression. The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation has gone to great lengths to ensure that the Bonnet House is loyal to that vision through both the upkeep of the grounds and the devotion to the display and stewardship of the house’s interior. Bonnet House Museum & Gardens remains a refuge for creative souls, inquisitive students, and those with the desire to experience the rich artistic and cultural history Fort Lauderdale has to offer.

About Florida State Homes: Florida State Homes is a full service brokerage firm serving all of Florida, priding itself in having the best real estate agents in the state who value honesty and integrity above closing a sale.

Our world-famous orchid collection is one of the many reasons why a visit to South Florida is truly not complete without time spent at beautiful, historic Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. Our greenhouses and display house hold approximately 1,200 stunning, exotic plants in various stages of development. Truly a special treat for orchid enthusiasts and novices, our Orchid Greenhouse Tours take place on the second Tuesday of each month, with our Bonnet House Orchid Curator showing you around our greenhouses and discussing how our beautiful orchids are bred and cultivated – including our impressive seedling program, with orchid seedlings available for purchase. These popular tours are offered from 11am to 12pm, in groups of 15 to allow for questions and discussion, for $20 per person.

The story told at Bonnet House Museum and Gardens spans and parallels a wide swath of American history and makes a visit both to these pages and to the estate a uniquely educational and entertaining experience. Bonnet House is located at 900 North Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. Limited reservations are available for the Greenhouse Tours, and pre-registration is required. To register, please call (954) 703-2606 or visit BonnetHouse.org.

Guests attending Bonnet House’s “Cruisin’ Down The River: Women of Mystery River Tour” will cruise the New River and Intracoastal in style aboard the double-decker Water Taxi have to share an afternoon with award winning mystery novelists Elaine Viets and P.J. Parrish. Elaine will talk about her latest “Dead-End Job” mystery, Catnapped!, while P.J. Parrish will talk about her latest book, Heart of Ice.  The River Tour takes place on March 28, 2015 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Elaine Viets is looking forward to sharing her unique perspective with cruise passengers.  “Having worked close to a dozen dead-end jobs as a real-time way of researching my mystery novels, I have accumulated a ton of stories that always seem to delight and entertain audiences,” she mused. The lighthearted mystery, Catnapped!, is set in the world of show cats and cat shows.  Publishers Weekly comments, “The behind-the-scenes look at the show cat world is worth the price of admission alone in this witty cozy [mystery].”

P.J. Parrish, the New York Times bestselling author of ten Louis Kincaid and Joe Frye thrillers, is actually the nom-de-plume of two sisters – Kristy Montee and Kelly Nichols. Their books have appeared on both the New York Times and USA Today best-seller lists and they have won the Shamus and International Thriller Writers awards as well as being Edgar finalists. Renowned mystery writer Lee Child calls their new work “crime fiction at its finest.”

Admission to the River Tour is $45 for members and $55 for non-members. The yacht embarcation site is at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina located at 1881 SE 17th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316. For more information and to reserve your seat, please call (954) 653-1554.

Bonnet House Museum & Gardens visitors can participate in a unique VIP experience every second and fourth Wednesday of each month.  Normally closed areas of Evelyn and Frederic Bartlett’s private living quarters will be opened for these special tours, expertly hosted by our seasoned Bonnet House docents, and showcasing rooms not seen on our other tours. The special tours take place from 2 to 3pm, and cost is only $20 per person.

The special tour is offered in groups of 10 to allow for questions and discussion. Limited reservations are available, and pre-registration is required.  Please note that the ability to climb stairs is necessary to fully participate in the tour.  A video presentation at ground level will accommodate those guests unable to climb stairs. The main house tour is not included – if you are interested in viewing the main house, normal admission fees apply.

Bonnet House is located at 900 North Birch Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304. For more information or to pre-register for the Behind The Scenes tours, please visit us at www.bonnethouse.org/calendar/ or call (954) 703-2606.