The 'Ganza - The 16th Annual Fall Palm & Plant Open House

[Palmarum]

Searle Brothers Nursery, Inc. &

The Rainforest Collection^®

presented...

The 16th Annual Fall - Plant Extravaganza!

Oct. 3rd, 4th, 5th, - 10th, 11th, & 12th - 2014

SW Ranches, Florida

Friday morning, October 3rd, 7:30ish...

- Palms trimmed, primped, polished ... check.

- Tropical plants grouped, spaced out and aligned with their sections.... check.

- Signs cleaned and set out... check.

These are just some of the mission items that fill the log for Friday morning among many others. The majority of prep is done leading up to Friday, but there is always something more to do before the gate opens. With the expertise of doing the sale for sixteen years, we have gotten many last minute items down to routine. This usually helps with efficiency and saves time used elsewhere for improving methods and sometimes creating new ideas for future 'Ganzas. With that being said, there is usually one thing that pops up out of nowhere and threatens with delay. It gets ironed out pronto. Many had their phones out double checking the weather (among other things) but the weather was going to cooperate with us this day. There was a front due through at some point. The rest of the weekend was "iffy" to quote the amateur meteorologists in the sales area. I got my prep done and made it up front to the barn to see what was the crowd was doing...

- 7:54AM - The best way to start a palm sale... donuts! Hungry volunteers flocked to the barn to get their hands on a donut, or two. Fan of all things frosted, Kylie Searle proceeded to clean one donut of its sugary coating.

- "Yummy." Myself and others were doing the same thing, some even messier. I took this photo while also holding two donuts of my own along with a soda. Try that level of multitasking sometime.

- The Orchids were displayed in their area under the barn. The tables were decorated with some of the newer, more durable tablecloths.

- The blooms were well timed. Only a hand full of orchids made it to the second weekend, the rest sold quickly.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 7:56AM - Time to head to the gate. On the way, the workers were charging up one of the tractor's batteries to get it up and running. At least trying before resorting to a standby battery. Just one of those things that can pop up. Sunrise light streaming through the holding area fence created that checkered effect.

- Since most of the carts are carried off during the morning rush, they are now moved from the concrete pad to the margins along the main road. This way they can be grabbed on route without the pause. Charlie, the German Shepard is still out... "Larry....get your dog."

- Riding Jeff's golf cart chariot style, we head out to let in the eager crowd...

- They see us approaching and take up positions at the gate. That is Andrea's head on the right in case you were wondering. She was going to be left to open as Jeff and myself turn around and race ahead of the pack. That was the plan anyways.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:00AM - Jeff turns the golf cart just in time to not get overcome by the crowd. He has to peel out to get ahead while I shoot in reverse from the back as he takes the bumpy route...

- We get ahead as Andrea yells for Jeff to come back and pick up customers (and her)...

- I jump off as Jeff waits for a gap to form in the crowd to head back to the gate. I keep shooting while walking backwards, hence my shadow...

- I run and shoot, literally, as I follow the group in to the sales area. Leading the pack, to the left of center is Forum member Nyssa (SunnyFL). She has a wish list with very specific items.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:01AM - I cut through the holding area to save time and to get ahead. On the right, FM. Randy Wiesner (palmislandRandy) closes the gap as he takes the corner. In the background, customers head down towards the Bromeliads, the landscape plants, or to bypass the Croton group to be first at the palm tables via the side entrance.

The shadehouse entrance quickly becomes a parking lot for carts. Veteran Croton collectors Mike and FM. Lamar (Native Son) eye up the selection quickly.

- Customers continue to arrive after the gate opening, volunteers as well. FM. Dr. Scott Cohen (Scott Cohen) strolls in with the second wave of arrivals.

- I begin multitasking as I start guiding collectors to palms, answering questions and taking photos. Never as many photos as I would like, but it is always the case during the 'Ganza. Expert diver, legendary photographer and author Paul Humann enters the shadehouse on the left. His yard is a legend onto itself.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:03AM - The ever popular palm jewelry gets picked through heavily and with precision. Jeff took time to hide some of the rarer cultivars, but they were quickly found by the top echelon of enthusiasts. In addition to Jeff, the section was manned by Judy Glock and FM. Tim O'Donnel (kwtimo).

- I was guiding a customer to a species when I made my way back to the shadehouse intersection. I found volunteer extraordinaire Jim Glock conversing with collector Lew Berger in front of the tables. A customer cuts through on the left carting a 7 gal. Licuala lauterbachii var. bougainvillensis.

- One customer went to the landscape plants first and got a load of Podocarpus, Podocarpus macrophyllus, and then made their way back through the shadehouse.

- Customer Steve arrived early to get his sought after Clinostigma. Cathy Berger was trying to get her cart through the traffic jam.

Ryan

[wimmie]

Always exiting to see! More, more, more?

Wim.

[Palmarum]

- 8:08AM - Happy he got to it first, Steve steadies the palm on his cart as the traffic jam intensifies in front and behind me.

- Cathy catches up to her husband Lew as they continue checking off palms from their wishlist. Cathy is a palm hunting machine.

- One cart gets filled with palm goodness.

- 8:13AM - On the right in yellow, IPS Director and FM. Cindy Adair (apaandssa) introduces herself to horticulturalist Crafton Clift as the sale continues around them. She was describing how the visit to the 'Ganza was just one part of her extensive trip to S. Florida, as the flash catches her off guard.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:18AM - FM. Rick (rick) looks through the tables carefully.

- 8:27AM - The Croton frenzy continued for a while as new collectors get their hands on popular cultivars. Randy and Mike discuss affairs of the Croton world.

- Judy describes the size and shape of a cultivar's leaf to the crowd.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:29AM - On the left, Jim notices FM. Ron Kiefert (Moose) on the far right getting into his lunch rather early, while FM. Rick Leitner (TikiRick) tows out his loaded cart.

- "Fohcusss..." Hey Scott focus... At least take your photo back from the customer.

- Tim jumps into action and starts moving some of the parked carts from within the shadehouse to the side road.

- A rather unusual and rare flowering tree, Calycophyllum spruceanum has a uniquely-colored peeling bark and a showy bloom of small white flowers. This lone individual was snatched up in no time.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:42AM - "Eh.. I forgot which cart is mine."

- Specimen palms of different sizes were on hand for those who felt the urge to skip the smaller containers. Jeff reached deep into his collection and pulled out this nearly mature Pinanga copelandii.

- Even from a good distance away, the grouped leaflets and colored leafbases made it stand out from the other palms along the crowded sidewalk. It is one of the easier to grow, solitary, moderate-sized species of Pinanga for S. Florida. These are some of the reasons why this palm is now heading to its new home.

- 8:45AM - The morning grew into a great time for palm and plant enthusiasts. Emotions were high, people were trading plant stories, telling palm-related adventures and exhibiting general tropical plant fanaticism. The great weather couldn't help but add to the good times.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- This was not Cindy's first visit to the nursery. In addition to the S. Florida Biennial earlier in the year, which toured the nursery, she had also come to a 'Ganza from a few years ago. She was looking over the palms in the landscape with traveling partner and long time IPS Member & FM. Lucinda McCartney (Lucinda). They were getting their fair amount of palm overload.

- Carts out, carts in. We were making a special effort to continually move the empty carts towards the intersection. The golf cart on the left stands ready in front of the holding area. Andrea talks with well-known grower Marie Nock in the center of the photo.

- Scott and Crafton start debating something while blocking the side entrance to the holding area.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:48AM - The line forms here. At one point the line for the checkout was backed up to the holding area.

- Golf cart, tractor, cart, by hand... however the plants are moved, they make their way through the checkout process and past the registers. That P. copelandii was getting all kinds of attention as it moved on by.

- The receipt writers were keeping busy all morning.

- 8:54AM - Amber Searle writes up a group of orchids for a customer.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:56AM - Classic scenario for in front of the holding area. On the right, FM. Mike Harris (waykoolplantz) moves his stash from the holding area onto a waiting trailer with Justin ready at the helm. Andrea and Kylie make sure that he gets all his plants. The stash included a mix of Palms and Crotons, including one 7 gal. Drymophloeus sp. 'Patipi' a.k.a sp. 'Irian Jaya', the tallest palm on the trailer.

- Tractor and trailer swing out to form another lane at the checkout, with carts on the inside lane.

- Bright light. Grower, collector and FM. Ellis Brown (EllisB) was walking towards me with palm in hand when he crossed into the direct, morning sun right as I was taking the photo. He is carrying a 3 gal. Caryota ophiopellis, the Snakeskin Palm.

- Croton collectors Lamar and Mike trade laughs with Andrea as they move part of their new spoils to the holding area.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:58AM - An incredible mix of color. As the cart moved towards me, I could not help but think that.

- "Oooh!" IPS Director, volunteer and FM. Ray Hernandez (Ray Tampa) gets excited when talking plants with Shirley Mayotte.

- An hour into the sale on Friday morning and it showed no signs of slowing down.

- A blurry, free handed shot (I had my hands full with signs and metal stakes) of a collector's cart being loaded. Some palms of note, from left to right, include a 3 gal. Actinokentia divaricata (new red leaf), a tall, thin 1 gal. Dypsis baronii, a small 1 gal. Chamaedorea geonomiformis, a 3 gal. Cyphosperma naboutinense, a 1 gal. Calytrocalyx sp. 'Kal Keyik', a 1 gal. Basselinia pancheri sitting in front of a 7 gal. Chamaedorea deckeriana, and followed by a 3 gal. Drymophloeus oliviformis on the corner.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 9:17AM - I was taking a photo of a cart loaded with a 10 gal. Dypsis crinita and a 25 gal. Ravenea krociana when a customer carrying a 3 gal. Brassiophoenix drymophloeoides darted by in front of me. I kept the photo as is, since it is still rich in palmness and shows what the activity was like near the shadehouse intersection.

(The activity in the shadehouse got a bit intense to the point where it was too busy to move palms and camera at the same time. This went on for a while until lunch time came and the tempo began to calm down. It was a great time for the sale, but such activity cuts into the amount of photos I can get.)

- 1:11PM - A customer who fell in love with the Sealing Wax Hybrid, Cyrtostachys sp. 'Hybrid' came to this sale to get another large 25 gallon specimen to go with the one she got last 'Ganza.

- It was moved to the holding area and tied up awaiting transportation.

- 1:51PM - A customer came in wanting a lot of material so we took shifts moving it out, starting with the palms in the shadehouse being brought out by volunteer Tim.

Ryan

(It is Monday afternoon and I'm heading out this evening to the annual Fall Auction and party of the Tropical Fern & Exotic Plant Society at Fairchild, if you are going as well, I will probably see you there...)

[Palmarum]

- 1:51PM - All hands were brought on deck to help with the order. Many of the palms and plants were tagged with flagging tape, so they were easier to find. As Tim was pulling this cart down the sidewalk, it began to get harder and harder to do so...

- Turns out he had a flat. If there is a weak tire in the group, a heavy load of palms will point it out. Across the back of the cart, from left to right: all 7 gallons... Spineless Peach Palm, Bactris gasipaes var. 'spineless', Teddy Bear/Triangle Palm Hybrid, Dypsis leptocheilos x decaryi, and a Cyphophoenix elegans. Word was sent out for a rescue cart to come and lighten the load.

- 2:02PM - A few minutes later Antonio arrived with another cart and transferred some of the palms. He took them out the side door of the shadehouse to a waiting tractor that had been brought up for the order.

- Jeff, Amadeo and Antonio each take a side in preparation in lifting a 25 gal. Dypsis carlsmithii onto a trailer. Travis carries a 7 gal. Dioon rzedowskii and adds it to the growing order.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 2:04PM - "3... 2... 1... go!"

- Done... next?

- People and carts left to gather more palms that were part of the order. There were four trailers and they were filling up quickly.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 2:08PM - The cart with the flat tire was emptied. The remaining palms were moved to this cart. As it was being moved to the waiting tractor, guided by Tim, he noticed this cart also had a low tire brought on by the heavy load. The carts get a lot of wear and tear during the 'Ganzas.

- Antonio and Tim take turns transferring palms from cart to trailer.

- On the left, volunteer Jim Glock was in awe of how many palms were being snatched up at once. Antonio handles a large 10 gallon Heterospathe intermedia and moves it onto the trailer.

- Next up, a 7 gal. Heterospathe elata, the classic Sagisi or Coppertop Palm, gets loaded by Tim.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 2:11PM - The loading process continued for several minutes until all the palms and plants were brought from within the shadehouse and sections outside. The order was larger than I thought. The customer knew what they wanted. Amadeo starts transferring palms from the last cart to the trailers. He has his hand on a 2 gal. Calyptrocalyx aff. fasciculatus...

- A 7 gallon Dypsis lutea was moved to the right side of the trailer, followed by two hands on a tall 3 gal. Dypsis basilonga...

- A tall 7 gal. Ravenea glauca was next to be moved over. Some of the palms remaining on the cart (from left to right) include a 7 gal. Pholidostachys pulchra, 3 gal. Asterogyne martiana, and those huge fan leaves belong to a 10 gal. Licuala peltata var. sumawongii.

- 2:12PM - The order was complied and loaded. Next part was getting it to the checkout. With Travis driving, the tractor began to slowly make its way down the main road...

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 2:14PM - After reaching the open area between shadehouses, Travis makes a wide u-turn and steers the tractor back up the main road...

- Antonio and Amadeo run along side as escorts, making sure nothing tall falls over. Travis gives a 'thumbs-up' as he gets closer and notices me taking photos...

- Slow and steady.

- A quick, effective and fun way to start a palm collection. In one easy step.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 2:15PM - The palm caravan rolled on down the road towards the checkout. Customers and carts in front of the Bromeliad area had to make some room for it to go by.

- The speed slowed to a crawl as they were careful moving under the Royal Poinciana.

- Deciding to use the shade to protect some of the more sensitive palms, the tractor was stopped here.

- "Ok, now for the hard part." Now it was time for the checkout process to begin and they were planning on a way to do it methodically so that they wouldn't miss anything. Michelle Searle was ready with her clipboard, but she wasn't going to do it all herself.

Ryan

[Sabal Steve]

It's amazing how big and healthy some the palms grow there in pots. Does anyone know what the blue Copernicia behind the guy on the tractor is?

[Palmarum]

... Does anyone know what the blue Copernicia behind the guy on the tractor is?

Hey Steve,

We are fairly sure it is a silver Copernicia baileyana that has not flowered yet to know for certain. The plant came in under a different name a long time ago and we know now that name is incorrect. It is great eye candy either way, as customers all want to know what it is, even the non-palm people. It certainly gets people interested in Copernicia species.

------

- 2:18PM - The logistics of how to process this large sale was being finalized when receipt writer Mandy Searle walked by while looking over the entire order. "Eh... I will get the next customer." she said while walking past with a handful of bottled water.

- To double check everything at this scale, they decided that Jeff will cut and collect the tags while Travis counts the plants. Going palm to palm, they meet between trailers to make sure their numbers match. The smaller palm to the left of Travis is a 3 gal. Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana.

- With Jeff on one side...

- ... and Travis on the other, they move through methodically.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 2:21PM - Travis reaches the third trailer and counts plants under and around a 10 gal. Copernicia berteroana. Another 10 gallon palm, a Mealybug Palm, Dypsis mananjarensis, anchors the group at the front, left corner.

- Michelle was in standby mode.

- They often have to spread palms out to count them.

- Customers continue to arrive throughout the day. As they enter along the main road they have to make their way around the large, parked order of palms. Jeff and Travis reach the end of the last trailer and thought they were done, but wait...

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 2:25PM - ... there's more! When they thought they got it all, they found out the customer had a cart filled with the small stuff in the holding area. That tall palm between Jeff and Travis is a 3 gal. Salacca magnifica.

- They dig into the pile carefully as it contained mostly small and rare stuff from the tables.

- Michelle was being told prices from Jeff as he collected the tags while Travis counted. In short order, they had the order written down and through the checkout.

A fun way to end the first day of the Extravaganza. The sale kept busy for the next two hours and then afterwards many of us made the trip over to Jeff's house nearby for the traditional 'Post Tour'. A meeting of volunteers, friends and family to eat, drink, walk and talk their way through the yard -- followed by a great dinner put on by Jim & Judy Glock.

Friday Post Tour - Jeff Searle Residence

- 5:04PM - Some of us left the nursery early to meet up with those visitors who had been at Jeff's house for much of the afternoon. We gather in the living room waiting on the rest to arrive from finishing up the day's activities. Hostess Kylie Searle shows a book to guest Anna, known from Tropiscape (Palmpedia) as Forum member annafl, one of their key wikipedia editors. Brindle was happy to serve as a table.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 5:38PM - People continued to arrive over the next half hour. When we had the majority of the palm and plant people assembled, we started the tour. Leaving the patio area and heading east, the tour went to the sun area first led by Jeff. He was joined by many of the familiar faces from the sale, including FMs. Cindy Adair (apaandssa) and Ron Kiefert (Moose). Many of the orchids in the yard were in bloom so that was an added bonus.

- With drinks in hand, people talked palms and discussed the days events. Jeff points out the different Copernicia species to Cindy.

- With as many Croton people on the tour as Palm people, the conversations spanned both plant groups. This included many identification challenges.

- They paused for a few moments to admire this robust Coccothrinax macroglossa var. 'Azul'. Notice the silver-blue coloration on the upper surfaces of the leaf blades, the trademark of this rare variety.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 5:42PM - Volunteer Tim O'Donnel gives Jeff a wry look as Jeff tells one of many quirky stories.

- The tour reached the storage barn along the east side of the yard, which is also the home of this always flawless looking Orania palindan.

- Around the barn and into Palm Circle they went. Cindy shares a laugh with fellow FM. Lucinda McCartney (Lucinda) as they stand under a Verschaffeltia splendida.

- Outside of Palm Circle, the tour headed west along the trail. Jeff pulls Cindy to the side to show her a rare Hydriastele selebica growing in amongst a group of crotons. It is hard to photograph, but it likes the location. It used to be known as Gronophyllum selebicum.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 6:06PM - The tour continued as beverages were finished off and stories were shared. The garden has gotten quite full over the recent years so there are many plants tucked away in small spots.

- They reached the middle part of the backyard, far behind the pool, when Jeff tells the story behind one of the mysteries in his collection...

- The palm on the right is labeled Licuala sp. 'Fairchild' and has recently started setting seed, as Lucinda is discovering. It is a descendant from an unnamed palm that was damaged during Hurricane Andrew at, you guessed it, Fairchild Gardens.

- 6:15PM - Spur-thigh Tortoises, going at high speed.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 6:18PM - A young and robust Talipot Palm, Corypha umbraculifera, slowly takes over this spot in the yard. I should have had someone stand next to it, but they were too busy walking and talking.

- 6:22PM - They rounded the corner near the turtle pens and stopped to look over a large bed of Crotons, off to the right. We all got the sense that dinner was almost ready.

- Providing both scale and awe, Lucinda was quite taken back by the size of this Tahina spectabilis. It is one of a few in Jeff's yard and probably the largest.

- They had just about reached the front yard when someone yelled that dinner was ready. Time to fill our faces to excess.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 6:51PM - Chef extraordinaire, Jim Glock and his other half Judy went to great lengths to once again prepare an awesome dinner spread for us. He talks food prep and recipes with Cindy as he waits for the food to cool down...

- "Careful... it's hot." They were two types of savory casseroles that were both excellent. They were the main course and followed the appetizers and side dishes.

- We spent the rest of the evening talking about the days activities at the sale and other plant related gossip; not to mention eating to our limits. Larry Searle looks in on the game of dominoes being played by his daughters, Michelle and Mandy. He couldn't resist the bunny-ears.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

Saturday morning, October 4th

- 9:09AM - The morning of the first Saturday was busy. The crowd at the gate was smaller than the day before, but the nursery entrance soon saw a steady flow of customers as the morning progressed. A typical second-day morning. Jeff and Travis spent time talking with a veteran Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army. He and Travis were exchanging stories as customers moved through the sales area.

- 9:40AM - The main road sees the bulk of the sale traffic as customers shop for landscape plants, Bromeliads and other plants. Recently acquired and newer landscape material gets placed intermixed with the tried-and-true classical varieties and species. The landscape plants are divided into two main sections, with the full sun exotic palm section dividing the two.

- 10:11AM - A diverse mix of plants fill this one cart. The large Mangosteen, Garcinia mangostana, sits in behind a 3 gal. Indonesian Wax Ginger, Tapeinochilos ananassae, as they both share the space with a grouping of one gallon Lady Palms, Rhapis excelsa.

- In addition to the palms and crotons, Bromeliads were a hot choice during the 'Ganza. It seemed every time I walked by, Candy and Larry were restocking them.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:15AM - Kids seem to have it easy when traveling around the sales area during the 'Ganza... until their spot in the cart is taken by a plant. This girl still has room to spare at the moment as she shares cargo space with a 3 gal. Areca vestiaria var. 'Maroon Leaf'.

- Drone time. With Travis at the controls, his drone flies around the intersection by the holding area.

- 10:21AM - These customers were deciding on what flowering trees to get and where in their yard to plant them. They had already added a Royal Poinciana, Delonix regia, to their cart by the time I came back and were in the process of looking over the Tahitian Gardenias, Gardenia taitensis, on the right.

- Late morning was turning into the early afternoon as the holding area and checkout area saw increased traffic.

Ryan

[bgl]

Ryan,

This always looks like a truly fun event, and you do such a great job of capturing the essence of it! Plus, after the IPS Biennial in May this year, when many of us visited the nursery for the first time, it's so much easier to relate to what we see in your photos.

Bo-Göran

[Palmarum]

Ryan,

This always looks like a truly fun event, and you do such a great job of capturing the essence of it! Plus, after the IPS Biennial in May this year, when many of us visited the nursery for the first time, it's so much easier to relate to what we see in your photos.

Bo-Göran

The Extravaganzas have grown into events that are a lot of fun for both us and for customers. We are always thinking towards the next one. I try to photograph as much as the real activity as it happens, but I don't get it all, as I've found out over the years. I either see a unique situation in the distance, or something in the corner of my eye while talking palms with a customer and I am out of place to take the photo. Or... I will hear of something that happened on the far side of the sales area, long after it occurred. Jeff and his family worked in as many elements of the 'Ganza into the Biennial visit as possible: the lunch spread under the barn, the use of the red shirts on everyone, same volunteers, etc. I heard from some of the Biennial attendees during the visit how they were visualizing the Extravaganza as they were walking around the nursery.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:22AM - I was standing along the main road take photos out in front of the tropical flowering and fruit tree section, when I had to move out of the way. A surge of customers were making their way into the sales area.

- Missy and Travis talk with Frank 'Pops' Searle while hanging out in the holding area.

- Immediately in front of the receipt writers tent, it was business as usual. On the right, Amber Searle fills in the number of plants and container sizes on the receipt while Michelle waits for the next customer. The customer had a little bit of everything on her cart.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:24AM - The intersection out in front of the holding area has become the transport 'hub' of the sales area. We are always wondering if we are leaving enough room for passing customers to get by -- in addition, room for moving golf carts and tractors at the same time. On the right, Andrea Searle talks with several customers at once, including the new owner of that Mangosteen.

- Time to add more ice to the drink cooler... but oops...

- Instead of a nice batch of fresh, loose cubes, it fell out as a giant, heavy ball of ice.

- The giant hail nugget was chopped up and spread out, revealing a casualty. This can of Diet Pepsi was crushed and popped open by the weight. Nearby Pepsi drinkers mourned its passing.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:39AM - I was answering questions at the entrance to the shadehouse when the BBQ grills were being fired up, over to my right. This customer passes by carrying a large and bushy, 7 gal. Chamaedorea brachypoda along with a Bird's Nest Anthurium and a 3 gal. Zamia vazquezii.

- 10:46AM - Inside the shadehouse, the level of activity increased along the sidewalk... more so as lunch time approached.

- 11:12AM - Within the Croton section, landscaper, volunteer and FM. Tim O'Donnel (kwtimo) discusses landscape design with a pair of eager customers. The Crotons were thinned out the day before, and the more common cultivars were restocked and spread out. The very rare ones were long gone.

- "Hmm... how many do I want to get?" The Purple Ground Orchids, Spathoglottis plicata, were as popular as ever. We didn't have enough.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:13AM - Early lunch time.

- Even though it was still early in the afternoon, the lunch crowd were plentiful and hungry, including myself. After this photo, I grabbed my share of BBQ goodness and headed back into the shadehouse.

- 12:50PM - I spent the following lunch time eating and answering questions at the same time. Then it got particularly busy in the shadehouse. I had to put the camera down to write tags and pull plants. After that rush and around one in the afternoon, I headed back out to get lunch #2. It was still busy along the side road...

- 12:51PM - ... and within the barn, as lunch time was still going strong.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 12:51PM - Later lunch time.

- It is always tricky to photograph inside the barn area. The open area along the side road throws in really bright light at weird angles.

- 12:52PM - The weather had been phenomenal so far. The only threat was going to be for Saturday afternoon and early Sunday morning.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 3:20PM - Saturday continued to be busy throughout much of the afternoon hours. The sale saw customers all the way until closing time, we even had to turn a few away as we were closing the gate. Landscape designer Candy was showing a few potential clients through the shadehouse.

- The slower pace of the sale allowed us to start pulling more plants for Sunday.

- 3:23PM - We were thinking of what to do for Sunday morning as we were wrapping up the second day of the Extravaganza. More Bromeliads were a good, strong possibility.

Ryan