Employee List

Employee List

Matt Godlove, founder and owner of Palm Bay’s Secret Gardens was born and raised in Falls Church, Virginia. He has been around agriculture his whole life; his family had farms in West VA, which raised livestock and grew many crops for companies such as Del Monte.

Matt has always had a true love for growing plants. He moved to South Florida in 1979 and was in botanical heaven. He obtained his first orchid in 1980 and tied it to a piece of driftwood in front of his house and watched it grow and bloom every year. In 1992 after Hurricane Andrew he was exposed to an orchid collection that was in jeopardy due to exposure.

In salvaging the collection Matt found his true love in growing orchids. Matt grew as a serious hobbyist for several years and became very involved in the orchid world. In 1999 Matt started Godlove and Son Orchid Farm. As with many companies they outgrew their location rapidly. They were fortunate to find an orchid company and location which they could grow into at Palm Bay, Florida.

Margot Bennett is the nursery manager. Margot was born in Niles Mi and raised in Port Huron Mi. She came to Florida by way of the U.S. Air Force being stationed at Patrick AFB in 1977. She was stationed at Patrick three times throughout her AF career.

Margot was introduced to orchids 1996 at an art show in Boca Raton when she was given an Oncidium orchid as a bribe to go on a date with someone. The someone lasted 30 minutes. The orchid grew into a love and passion for orchids that is still growing today. Margot’s personal orchid collection numbers several hundred plants focused on Cattleya species, and their primary and natural hybrids. Margot also confesses an affinity for the Bifoliate Cattleya species.

Margot first came to the nursery in 2007 as a volunteer. She took care of Matt’s personal orchid collection on Saturdays. In time she got involved in the nursery’s breeding program. A short while later Margot became the nursery manager.

Princess is our nursery and guard cat. She came to the nursery as a kitten. Princess knew a good thing when she saw it and never left. Princess has two basic duties at the nursery. Guard Margot which she does well Where ever Margot goes, Princess can be found a few steps away, “helping” Margot or getting in the way. It depends on how you choose to look at it.

Princess is our chief medical officer, of sorts, and is charged with all the cat scans at the nursery.

Princess is also a holy terror to the few brave squirrels that dare enter the nursery grounds.