While heading to one of my favorite stores in the area, I often passed SmartyPlants Nursery. I…read morecould never really see what was hidden behind the fence, so today I finally decided to stop and check it out. I'm so glad I did.
Originally known as Amelia's SmartyPlants, this two-acre plant nursery, garden, and café is located along North Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Beach. The nursery was founded in 2010 by Marta Edwards and Paul Harding. Over the next 15 years, they became well known for their selection of Florida native plants. When the couple retired in June 2026, two longtime local customers and hobby gardeners, former Delray Beach City Commissioner Ryan Boylston and former investment banker Ed Mileto, purchased the business to help preserve a place that meant so much to the community and to prevent the property from snapped up by developers.
The nursery is now expanding into an even larger community gathering space. One of the new additions is Café Tico, an on-site Costa Rican coffee bar serving coffee and brunch items. The property is also home to Urban Abundance, an edible-garden company that has brought more than 1,000 edible plants and 300 to 400 fruit trees to the nursery. The selection now includes spinach, herbs, tea and medicinal plants, mangoes, avocados, and other edible varieties that weren't previously available here. The plants are non-GMO and organically raised. You'll also find a wider variety of houseplants, edible plants, and fruit trees, along with expanded Sunday hours.
There's even more happening here with events. The Coco Market's garden-] set Coco Mini series brings yoga, local vendors, live music, and drop-in classes on gardening and growing your own food. The garden is also working on a plan to become a venue for weddings, parties, and other community gatherings.
I had no idea there was such an oasis of natural beauty tucked just off busy, industrial North Dixie Highway. This place really needs to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. I especially loved the statues (I definitely have my eye on a certain dragon!), the peaceful water features, and the gorgeous blooms that attract butterflies. There were so many beautiful butterflies fluttering around and it made my heart sing to see them.
The cozy café is so inviting with comfortable seating, and they even had a fall photo-op setup when I visited. Between the lush greenery, charming garden details, and welcoming atmosphere, it's heartening to see how this nursery embodies the vision of a community gathering space that inspired its founding. The next time you're looking for a new plant or some gardening inspiration, I highly recommend stopping by this Lake Worth Beach treasure. I'm glad I finally ventured behind the fence.