The 20th Annual Spring 'Ganza - Sanford Does it Again

[Palmarum]

Searle Brothers Nursery, Inc. & The Rainforest Collection^®

presented...

The 20th Annual Spring Plant Extravaganza!

 

March 2nd, 3rd, 4th - 9th, 10th, 11th - 2018

SW. Ranches, Florida

Expectations were high for this 'Ganza... not just for the fact it was the 20th anniversary of the spring event, but it was the first significant Extravaganza since Hurricane Irma struck last fall. We were expecting a large turnout of homeowners, collectors, enthusiasts and Forum members, including some from far and wide; and we were not disappointed. The relatively warm winter helped in getting most of the plant material ready for the sale. Palms and plants were pulled from every corner of the nursery, pulled deep and wide as the nursery was still trying to replenish stock from a phenomenal sale a month earlier in Key West. We had the honor to host many volunteers and visitors from local schools, organizations and even a distant relative from way up north who came to witness the fervor of the S. Florida plant world for herself.

 

Friday, March 2nd

- 8:03AM - 8:05AM - The morning started off rushed and chaotic as it always does. I ended up missing the gate opening as there was too much to do during the hour before we opened. We were very busy the day before and we didn't quite get everything ready. Tags, cards, plants, tables, sales booklets aside, I headed to the front to capture the action, camera in hand. As I headed down the sidewalk from the tent, I could hear the mob as they reached the shadehouse entrance (A). The crowd then split off in different directions. A majority headed toward and then past me on their way to the tables as other groups went for the Crotons, Aroids and the Tropical Flowering Trees. Volunteer and Forum member Jim Glock (jglock1) directs the traffic flow out in front of the Croton section. Collector Steve Resh, always one of the first to make it to the shadehouse, (B) pulls his cart past me carrying a 7 gal. Drymophloeus oliviformis.

- 8:06AM - I exited the shadehouse to capture the mob, but I missed it. It had already passed this point and moved on. Customers were still arriving and were spreading throughout the sales area. Visiting the South Florida area once again, FM. Bill Sanford (BS Man about Palms) was in attendance at the Extravaganza for the second time. Those of you may remember the last time he attended the 'Ganza in Spring of 2010, when we had the severe cold during the first weekend. We blamed that on Bill and we were expecting a significant drop in temperature for this coming Saturday, which we also blamed on Bill. Sharing the moment with Bill and Jim, was volunteer and veteran plantsman Crafton Clift.

- 8:11AM - An intense shot of volunteer, designer, plantsman and FM. Tim O'Donnel (kwtimo) in action. He was looking right into the sun as he was carrying a 10 gal. Dypsis lastelliana to a customer's waiting cart. Collectors begin to gather near the intersection by the tables (B).

- 8:14AM - 8:16AM - Requests for location info had me running back and forth, including outside among the full sun palms. I was near the main road when I noticed a double Dictyosperma album var. conjugatum, in a 25 gallon pot, grabbed and placed on a waiting cart. I turned to the right a bit to show the side entrance to the shadehouse, as I was on my way back inside...

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:17AM - A cart placed conveniently in the intersection near the tent served as a mobile holding area for all sorts of palmy goodness. The two palms holding down the stern end (A) were a very showy 3 gal. Loxococcus rupicola sporting a new leaf and the only 7 gal. Licuala peltata var. sumawongii we had available. Hurricane Irma put a hold on the larger L. peltata var. sumawongii as she had an impact on their leaves. In the middle of the cart, (B) two 3-gallon plants, a Calyptrocalyx awa and a Dypsis pilulifera, add to the growing collection.

- 8:19AM - A 3 gal. Licuala orbicularis joined the group. When specimens reach this size, they begin to truly show their form. They gain that ability to exude that intense 'eye-candy' appeal that draws in the enthusiast like a moth to a flame. Just to the left, is a very rare 1 gal. Calyptrogyne costatifrons subsp. occidentalis, which doesn't look like much now, but it becomes a really unique Calyptrogyne species.

- 8:24AM - 8:26AM - The onslaught of the tables was well underway. Bill was right in the thick of things, pointing out his favorites (mostly Dypsis) among the selection. A cart does a u-turn by the tent carrying a 7 gal. Astrocaryum alatum, spines included.

- 8:33AM - (A) Spots, striations and raised markings adorn a 15 gal. Mealybug Palm, Dypsis mananjarensis, that proved to be irresistible. A pair of 1 gal. Dypsis pinnatifrons hang on for a ride. The overloaded cart slowly makes its way to the holding area for unloading.

Ryan

[BS Man about Palms]

2 hours ago, Palmarum said:

Searle Brothers Nursery, Inc. & T

- 8:06AM - I exited the shadehouse to capture the mob, but I missed it. It had already passed this point and moved on. Customers were still arriving and were spreading throughout the sales area. Visiting the South Florida area once again, FM. Bill Sanford (BS Man about Palms) was in attendance at the Extravaganza for the second time. Those of you may remember the last time he attended the 'Ganza in Spring of 2010, when we had the severe cold during the first weekend. We blamed that on Bill and we were expecting a significant drop in temperature for this coming Saturday, which we also blamed on Bill. Sharing the moment with Bill and Jim, was volunteer and veteran plantsman Crafton Clift.

 

Ryan

Hi Ryan-

 Glad to see you finding a bit of time to post up the 20th sale!

But I went through your old threads and confirmed this was my THIRD time working at the spring sale! The 11th, 12th and now the 20th are under my belt! 

And oh yes, Jeff said it was his best sale...... since oh..about the last time I was there! Hahaha I told him "You're Welcome"... Jeff said if I can guarantee sales like that each time he'll fly me out and back!!! ;)

[Palmarum]

15 hours ago, BS Man about Palms said:

... But I went through your old threads and confirmed this was my THIRD time working at the spring sale! The 11th, 12th and now the 20th are under my belt! ...

Ahh, ok, now it makes sense, as I kept thinking about the one visit during a non-sale time where we toured all over the place, I thought that was one of the three.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:34AM - It's easy to make up your mind about which palms to get, when you simplify it by grabbing one or two of each species you find. One collector was doing just that, by going through the tables and systematically picking one or all of each species. They were filling the big aluminum cart from one end to the other, pot to pot.

- 8:37AM - Two more for the collection, both in handy, 'ready-to-plant' sizes; a 7 gal. Lanonia dasyantha and a 7 gal. Dypsis onilahensis var. 'Weepy Form', complete with a glowing white crownshaft. The mottling on the L. dasyantha was not really that vibrant, it was an effect of the morning sun coming through the leaves overhead, shadecloth, etc.

- 8:38AM - The Holding Area quickly became busy as loaded carts and hand-carried plants arrived to occupy their own little spaces, forming stashes and sorted groups. Those entire leaves (C) belong to a Verschaffeltia splendida that was part of one stash.

- 8:39AM - Up at the front, the line for the registers was busy with receipt writers, workers and volunteers. The line was backed up a bit, but it was moving through. Jeff Searle took a turn at the receipt writers tent to help alleviate the wait. Just to the left, volunteer Crafton Clift wields his experience with customers' questions in and around the Tropical Fruit Tree section.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:40AM - 8:42AM - Jim was heading back and forth from one section to another (A) as the side-road continued to see an influx of customers. In the full sun palm section, (B) the table held some of the smaller or rarer palms that could handle the direct sunlight, including the group of Hemithrinax ekmaniana. The group was headlined by this 5 gal. specimen that represented the species and in turn promptly sold numerous smaller one-gallon plants. The landscape plants along the main road (C) were not overlooked by the first-day crowd, as some of the more exotic ornamental specimens were only available in small numbers and thus were being picked through heavily.

- 9:08AM - The Moose is loose... FM. Ron Kiefert (Moose) made his way through the crowd and surprised Bill with his own 12-pack of Diet Dr. Pepper, a staple of the Sanford Regime and one of his all-time favorite beverages; in case you didn't already know. It has become a bit of an inside joke over the years, as Bill has been known for his soda affinity for some time, often appearing in numerous Forum postings and photos while holding one of the cans.

- 9:16AM - 9:18AM - One parked cart (A) near the Aroid tables held a varied assortment of different plants. Every time I went by the Holding Area (B) the layout had changed, as older groups that were being taken out were being replaced by newer stashes, some needing to occupy the far back of the area. Some stashes were unloaded while certain cart-loads (C) were left on their conveyance, for a moment. The edge of the Holding Area was marked by a grouping of native Wooly Teabushes, Melochia tomentosa, with their fuzzy leaves and lavender flowers.

- 9:20AM - 9:22AM - The side road (A) never saw rest for the entire weekend. As plants sold, they were replaced as often as possible until we ran out of certain species. You can see Bill approaching on the far left with a weird look on his face. I couldn't figure out what he was up to at the moment. The stretch of the main road (B) that runs next to the Holding Area was the hub of activity for the day. Customers were coming in, as carts and trailers (C) were being loaded, plants from the Block section on the left were being bought and looked through, all in the same small area.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 9:23AM - The line for the registers was steady throughout the morning, without much of a reprieve until after midday. It stretched from the overhang on the left (B) where the registers were located, all the way back to the Holding Area. Plants were moving through while being pulled by tractor, golf cart, or by hand. 

- 9:24AM - Receipt writers were moving from customer to customer. Some had to write multiple orders on one cart, while some orders were comprised of the same plant of the same size in large numbers. In the middle of the rush, (B) Jeff writes up one large order of Crotons.

"Hmm, did I forget anything?" One customer overlooks a fully loaded trailer before heading on through the checkout. (C)

- 9:29AM - A cooperative measure among customers (A) moves a 10 gal. Chambeyronia macrocarpa off the sidewalk and onto a cart. Volunteer effort is needed to load palm after palm (B) onto one large cart, including a 3 gal. Pritchardia hillebrandii, a 7 gal. Burretiokentia hapala, and a 3 gal. Hydriastele kasesa; featured along the back of the cart.

- 10:54AM - One large order did not fit in the holding area. With Travis Searle at the helm, it was decided to move the three-trailer load order from the sales area to the second shadehouse. I was answering questions about different species of Coccothrinax when I noticed the slow-moving palm parade passing by.

Ryan

[BS Man about Palms]

8 hours ago, Palmarum said:

Ahh, ok, now it makes sense, as I kept thinking about the one visit during a non-sale time where we toured all over the place, I thought that was one of the three.

Ryan

Three sales and one non-sale trip... I'm approaching old news!!! haha

[Palmarum]

- 10:55AM - 10:57AM - The parade continued on through the sales area and down the main road towards the back of the nursery. I took off in pursuit wanting to see which plants were part of the large order. I followed along and took position on a landscape boulder (A) to try and photograph the entire order as it passed by, getting most of it. We were nearing the end of the landscape plant section. Cutting through the second shadehouse, (B) I met up with Travis and his crew as they reached the side-entrance. They had to raise the door as far as it could go and lay some of the plants down to get the trailers inside.

- 10:58AM - 11:00AM - The procession came to a halt just as the last trailer squeezed through the door, then the off-loading began in rapid fashion as everyone was needed back in the sales area, asap. A content & happy, but rather slow growing 7 gal. Basselinia pancheri gets carried off the first trailer and (A) placed on the sidewalk by a 7 gal. Dypsis prestoniana. The procedure continued from one trailer to the next. A 7 gal. Licuala poonsakii var. 'Ratee', one of the few in cultivation, marked the end of the first trailer load (B) as it's lowered to the ground. The second trailer (C) held many of the smaller plants, including a blurry 3 gal. Areca triandra, getting passed off in a hurry...

- 11:00AM - 11:01AM - The smaller plants gave way to some of the larger, three gallon-sized material. This included a 3 gal. Loxococcus rupicola (A), a 3 gal. Bentinckia condapanna and a 3 gal. Beccariophoenix fenestralis (B). A 7 gal. Heterospathe brevicaulis gets carried off (C) near the end of the second trailer...

- 11:01AM - 11:03AM - The third trailer (A) held some of the larger material including a 15 gal. Licuala cabalionii, near the left corner. Within a few minutes, the entire order was unloaded and placed in its temporary holding spot, waiting for specialized transport. It was quite the assortment. The order included a few duplicates, but the essence of increasing one's collection was evident, as numerous species were represented spanning many genera.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:27AM - 11:42AM - We had an abundance of Forum members and familiar faces from the plant world in attendance. It's great to meet new plant people and fun to watch how we all interact with each other in the midst of plant craziness. Forum members Missi Bellande (Missi) and Lisa Moore (CB Lisa) tune into a palm-laden anecdote delivered off-camera by the Moose, Ron Kiefert (A). They had traveled significant distances to attend and met up at the sale. They have jumped into the palm world, head first. As the interaction continued, an aroid-rich selection of plants goes by in a cart (B).

- 11:45AM - 11:48AM - The confluence of palm minds continued across the main road from the full sun palm section. All sorts of plant world knowledge and tidbits of interesting info were exchanged. Missi, Lisa and Ron look through the gallon-sized landscape plants (A) and pause for a moment over the Hedgehog Aloe, Aloe humilis 'Hedgehog'. With assistance from Ron, a specimen was selected. It was named 'Ryan'. I am still trying to figure out how that happened. Before departing, Lisa and Missi pose with Lisa's new charge, a ready-to-plant Coccothrinax montana.

- 12:20PM - It was a very humid and warm day. The weather had been building heat and humidity all week, leading up to Friday. The plants were happy at least. The buildup was ahead of a front that was pushing down the state and was going to deliver a cold drop for Saturday, an unexpected, but welcomed change. Customer attendance and sale activity was steady throughout the morning and up to midday. It didn't start to diminish until after lunch time. It picked back up as we got closer to late afternoon and the closing hour. At that time, we begin to see the attendees that leave work early, with or without permission. It is fun to see people in work clothes trying to multitask 'work' on the phone while looking through the plant selection.

- 12:39PM - A new leaf emerges (A) on a 3 gal. Areca vestiaria var. 'Maroon Leaf' as it waits on a customer's cart. Not far away, a 10 gal. Euterpe oleracea sits next to a 3 gal. Kerriodoxa elegans while parked in front of the white tent. Under the tent and to the left, FM. Jerry Behan (Jerry@TreeZoo) can be seen. He is talking to Ron on the right, obscured by the cart and customer.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 3:42PM - Friday became a phenomenal start for the 'Ganza in regards to palms and other plant groups. Late in the day, we had one rather surprising sale of Red Sealing Wax Palm Hybrids, Cyrtostachys sp. 'Hybrid',... four of them in fact. Amadeo moves the one from the sidewalk (A) to join the others in their block (B), already flagged. One customer really liked the way they looked, more for their dense growth and dark green foliage. As their supply has dwindled over the past few years, their rarity has increased and so has their value. The price per specimen was... significant, but that didn't deter the buyer who wanted them for hedge material. They will form a very unique hedge indeed.

Post Tour, Friday evening

With the intensity of the first day entered into history, a group of plant people, consisting of staff, volunteers, friends, relatives, Forum members and customers left the nursery and traveled nearby to Jeff Searle's residence to partake in the traditional Post Tour. This is where most of the group 'walk and talk' through the yard looking over the collection, seeing what has grown, what has been added and more recently, what survived Hurricane Irma. This is followed by a great dinner provided by Jim & Judy Glock.

- 6:15PM - The tour began at the birdcage, which is a first, as it had a new occupant, a chatty Sun Conure, Aratinga solstitialis. This vibrant-colored parrot relative is possibly a survivor of the aforementioned hurricane. He or she wandered into the yard one week or so ago, flying around as Jeff's wife Andrea was doing yard work. She noticed the bird, and being a bird owner in the past, tried to catch the elusive rainbow visitor. The forward attempt failed, so she decided to take a break. While seated at a table nearby, Andrea poured water into a bottle cap. The bird then flew down, landed on the table and began to drink from the bottle cap, vigorously. Andrea looked on in amazement, coming to the conclusion that is most likely a domesticated bird. She then extended her arm and the bird hopped onto her hand, scrambled up her arm and then perched itself on her shoulder.

Wild populations of exotic birds have been seen around South Florida, but this bird is very friendly to people, especially to Jeff. It is also missing a talon and part of a toe. This seems to be an old injury. Just prior to the 'Ganza, they rushed to get the cage ready, got bird feed and began the process of finding the owner, if there is one. He/she is very social, as its species description entails. When it knows someone is in the yard, it squawks fairly distinctly until he/she can see you.

- 6:17PM - The tour continued in a random direction through the yard. Members of the group that were interested and not exhausted from the day, ventured through the collection. We came to this mystery specimen of Astrocaryum, which is putting on a few leaves since the hurricane, notice the shredding of the older leaves. It came in originally under the name Astrocaryum lancetellu, which isn't authored anywhere that I can find. It has the characteristic silver leaf undersides found on members of the genus, but also has the habit of grouping its distal leaflets into connected segments.

- 6:17PM - 6:22PM - At this point in the evening, the group consisted of Jeff, Judy Glock, Tim, and Darrell Windham, of the Naples Zoo. We were running out of light quickly so we moved through with focus on palms and crotons.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 6:22PM - The yard is still recovering from Hurricane Irma, but there are areas that seem untouched. This Pinanga dicksonii appears as if there was no storm and received more than a few compliments.

- 6:26PM - The tour entered the corner of the yard known as Palm Circle. Many of the plants survived, but all share battle scars, including this Licuala naumannii. It had a full infructescence laden with bright red fruit.

- 6:27PM - 6:30PM - Tim holds up a deeply-notched, (A) apical segment belonging to a Licuala sp. 'Timika'. The leaves are very dark green when compared to other palms. Across the 'circle', a Calyptrocalyx yamutumene holds residence (B). This is only the bottom third of the palm, as there was little room for me to back up far enough to get the entire plant in the frame. It has been a champion of the genus for S. Florida, as it has been easy to grow and cold tolerant.

- 6:35PM - 6:37PM - One orchid was in full bloom along one of the pathways (A). Not sure of the name, I think it has long since grown over the tag. Looking down provides a good view of a Licuala mattanensis 'Mapu'.

Ryan

[Missi]

20 hours ago, Palmarum said:

- 11:27AM - 11:42AM - We had an abundance of Forum members and familiar faces from the plant world in attendance. It's great to meet new plant people and fun to watch how we all interact with each other in the midst of plant craziness. Forum members Missi Bellande (Missi) and Lisa Moore (CB Lisa) tune into a palm-laden anecdote delivered off-camera by the Moose, Ron Kiefert (A). They had traveled significant distances to attend and met up at the sale. They have jumped into the palm world, head first. As the interaction continued, an aroid-rich selection of plants goes by in a cart (B).

- 11:45AM - 11:48AM - The confluence of palm minds continued across the main road from the full sun palm section. All sorts of plant world knowledge and tidbits of interesting info were exchanged. Missi, Lisa and Ron look through the gallon-sized landscape plants (A) and pause for a moment over the Hedgehog Aloe, Aloe humilis 'Hedgehog'. With assistance from Ron, a specimen was selected. It was named 'Ryan'. I am still trying to figure out how that happened. Before departing, Lisa and Missi pose with Lisa's new charge, a ready-to-plant Coccothrinax montana.

Ryan! You forgot a pic of the big, beautiful Pigafetta that Lisa brought for Jeff and Scott to fight over!   It was such a blast meeting all you guys and hanging out all morning! Sooo many great people with infinite information to glean! I could have stayed all day if it wasn't for the sun and humidity frying my brain...I can't remember why I dubbed the Aloe 'Ryan'!  I'm pretty sure my brain was stew by that time of the morning and I was babbling nonsense! 

12 hours ago, Palmarum said:

- 6:15PM - The tour began at the birdcage, which is a first, as it had a new occupant, a chatty Sun Conure, Aratinga solstitialis. This vibrant-colored parrot relative is possibly a survivor of the aforementioned hurricane. He or she wandered into the yard one week or so ago, flying around as Jeff's wife Andrea was doing yard work. She noticed the bird, and being a bird owner in the past, tried to catch the elusive rainbow visitor. The forward attempt failed, so she decided to take a break. While seated at a table nearby, Andrea poured water into a bottle cap. The bird then flew down, landed on the table and began to drink from the bottle cap, vigorously. Andrea looked on in amazement, coming to the conclusion that is most likely a domesticated bird. She then extended her arm and the bird hopped onto her hand, scrambled up her arm and then perched itself on her shoulder.

I was enjoying listening to the wild quaker (monk) parrots (Myiopsitta monachus) go about their business on the power lines in the property next to the nursery. When Lisa and I left, we observed what they were being so noisy about. A bunch of grackles were going in and out of each little quaker nest and harassing the poor little green birds. 

[Palmarum]

2 hours ago, Missi said:

Ryan! You forgot a pic of the big, beautiful Pigafetta that Lisa brought for Jeff and Scott to fight over!  ...

I was enjoying listening to the wild quaker (monk) parrots (Myiopsitta monachus) go about their business on the power lines in the property next to the nursery. When Lisa and I left, we observed what they were being so noisy about. A bunch of grackles were going in and out of each little quaker nest and harassing the poor little green birds. 

Yes, it is a great looking Pigafetta. It did not have a mark or blemish on it. I didn't know about it or see it until after the second weekend. I came across it while Jeff and I were looking through the smaller fiberglass house and he had to tell me all about it. I believe Jeff won the fight.

The quaker parrots have always been around the nursery. They have been interesting to watch over the years as they seem so determined to build and maintain their giant nests, even when the power company (FPL) comes around and removes them. They like to strip entire clumps of bamboo of their leaves for nesting material. They get really agitated when large predatory birds come around, like a red-tailed hawk or a turkey vulture. They combine their calls into a screeching alarm.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 6:38PM - The tour group stopped for a moment along the brick path by the Licuala planting area. The leaf bases and trunk belonging to a Attalea cohune can be seen right behind Ron, who joined the group midway through the tour. Jeff could hear someone calling in the distance, meaning that dinner was ready, or almost ready. Before heading back to the house, we looked around the area one more time, noticing one of the Licuala sallehana that was rather full.

- 6:39PM - 6:41PM - We walked past one of the older full-sun areas and I took a flash photo of the Coccothrinax sp. 'Azul', that has been one of the signature palms of the area for years. It has grown tall, making it difficult to fit the entire tree into one frame. Ron and Jeff pause for a second on the way back inside to look over a croton, one with a possible mystery behind its identification, a common thread among crotons in general. We joined the others inside for a feast, and continued the plant world talk until the later hours. We included the typical plan for Saturday morning, of what to do, or what we could try to get done, in the hour before we opened.

 

Saturday, March 3rd

- 10:10AM - 10:11AM - I awoke the next morning to cold temperatures in my area. I knew it was coming but it was still a surprise. It quickly warmed up, but only just a bit, creating some of the best weather possible for a plant sale. It was cool and crisp at the nursery. With the need of a jacket for myself, we got the sales area ready in the hour or so we had before the first customers arrived. The traffic flow increased steadily. By the ten o'clock hour, it was getting busy, especially along the sidewalk in the main shadehouse (A). Bill Sanford, always at the ready, helps a customer with questions about a 1 gal. Chambeyronia macrocarpa (B). I made a run outside to see what was going on...

- 10:12AM - 10:14AM - Clear skies and cool temperatures, couldn't have custom ordered the weather any better. The Holding Area was receiving a stash here and there (A) as the morning moved on. Near the intersection in the road, I looked east to see Ron Kiefert, Bill and Jim Glock heading my way (B). They were heading back up after pulling some plants for the shadehouse. They were coming to meet with Judy Glock and Jeff, who were deciding on what to do next (C).

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:15AM - Jim and his crew make their way back to positions near the side road and the shadehouse. Bill steps inside the holding area for a moment (A) to checkout a 7 gal. Dypsis saintelucei that is just inside the orange fence. A few groups of landscape plants along the main road needed to be restocked for the morning and some additional Bromeliads were pulled and added to their section on the right (C).

- 10:17AM - A Fruit Tree question brought me to their section across from the holding area (A) as the pace of golf carts, tractors and hand carts got louder. A cart filled with rare and unusual palms pulls into the holding area and gets unloaded (B). Just to the left, a stash of Small-Leaf Clusia, Clusia rosea, wait for their turn at the register while a cart filled with Vriesea Bromeliads waits nearby.

- 10:18AM - 10:20AM - The field grown Silver Date Palm, Phoenix sylvestris, dug, wrapped and placed near the intersection (A) created a focal point for the sales area. It provided a bit of shade for the plants (and people) around it. Jeff hangs out near the intersection (B) to receive info from staff and volunteers, direct traffic, answer questions, etc. Andrea greeted customers and directed them to other people or sale locations as Travis informed his dad as to what was going on in other areas of the sale. Jeff had a handful of signs ready to hand to me. They represented plant groups that were sold out and were unable to be restocked. While standing under the handy Silver Date Palm, I used the shade to photograph the main road (C). In the foreground, two sizes of Dwarf Tree Jasmine, Radermachera 'Kunming', were both quite popular throughout the 'Ganza.

- 10:40AM - I went back to my post within the shadehouse as questions and location queries awaited my attention. The sidewalk in front of the tables saw traffic from those viewing the small plants on one side and those looking through the Lady Palms, Rhapis excelsa, and various plants on the other side. Some customers were just trying to get through. The tables were depleted heavily, with noticeable empty spaces throughout. We were able to restock a few species but not many for Saturday.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:55AM - 10:57AM - The sounds of echoing voices, rolling carts and general activity brought me out of the shadehouse and back towards the front area. Walking down the main road, I headed for the Bromeliad section first.

- 10:58AM - The selection already seemed a bit more on the thin side, compared to the early morning. In the background center, volunteer Cara can be seen manning the section (A). She managed to escape New Jersey just in time to beat a snow storm that later pounded the northeast. The plants were arranged by light tolerance, sun, shade, etc. When one Bromeliad sold, the remaining material was spaced out to fill the gap. When it got real thin, a run to the Bromeliad house was needed to resupply.

- 10:59AM - 11:02AM - The level of activity increased throughout the day, before, during and after lunch. Another view of the Silver Date Palm 'portable' focal point from the other side (A). That palm in the cart on the right corner is a 3 gal. Areca triandra. It is hard to stand in the intersection (B) for long without being in someone's way. In addition to the foot traffic, the golf carts return to this spot before pulling up to the holding area on the right. Further to the right, Andrea talks with a customer while sharing a pointer or two about the plants in their cart.

- 11:03AM - 11:04AM - Always try to get the photo when you can. With help from Jeff, Tim O'Donnel poses with friends for a photo opportunity (A). I was waiting for someone to photo bomb, but it didn't happen. Andrea couldn't get away from her spot for long as customers kept passing by (B). The Silver Date Palm did its job more than once during the day as the shade came in handy (C).

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:04AM - 11:05AM - If you hang around up front long enough, you get pulled in different directions. I had to keep my head on a swivel. I noticed Cara heading towards me... (A). then rounding the corner in full stride, passing by Jeff (B). I think she wanted to be first in line at lunch for a burger or hotdog. Turning to the left, I could easily detect the scent of Barbecue as it wafted through the air down the side road (C). It was making me hungry.

- 11:05AM - I took advantage of an empty trailer by climbing on top to get an elevated position for photos. Travis and Carlos chat on the left, as I look into the holding area (A) to see which stashes were next in line for transit. Turning to the right, I was able to look straight down the main road for a shot (B). Even a few inches in height helps with gaining an interesting perspective.

- 11:07AM - Volunteer and veteran plantsman Derek Burch was on hand to assist those seeking plant knowledge and experience. His wisdom stretches throughout all corners of the plant world and across numerous plant families, both common and obscure. He can follow up on most any bit of info with a quotable anecdote that connects the information with a point in botanical history. He also bears a well-honed wit and charming demeanor and wields both with precision, often with entertaining and enlightening results. 

- 11:07AM - 11:10AM - I took a quick tour through the Holding Area to see what was inside on my way to lunch number one. The stash of rare palms seen earlier was now back on a cart and ready for transit (A). The right side and back of the cart was dominated by multiple, gallon-sized Dypsis basilonga, recently available again as small plants. The left corner holds a 1 gal. Dypsis sp. 'Bejoufa' and next on the right is a 1 gal. Euterpe sp. 'Orange Crownshaft'. A few other palms and plants are mixed in that I cannot make out, but a fun collection nonetheless. A gathering of Heliconia cultivars, Aroids and ornamental plants form one stash (B) while another grouping was composed of various landscape plants and seemed to be part of a specific design plan (C).

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:11AM - Jeff greets customers and answers questions as he drives his golf cart and trailer through the crowd. He forced the lunch line to move over just to get by.

- 11:12AM - 11:13AM - The early lunch was well underway. With all three grills in full cook mode, the line began to get longer and longer. The area across from the barn became a parking lot for carts. The weather was perfect for eating outside and customers made use of the extra tables and chairs put out near the corner.

- 11:13AM - The partition between the serving area and the cooking area (A) never saw rest until long after lunchtime. The hamburgers, hotdogs, beans and chips were going out as fast as they were being prepared. The drink cooler and the ice chest filled with bottled water were routinely restocked, but not as much as usual, due to the cooler weather. For a moment, a table remained empty during the beginning of lunch (B).

- 11:15AM - BBQ goodness. One grill towards the end (A) was used just for the cooking of hotdogs which were in high demand. The line stretched out into the side road for most of the afternoon (B). Sometimes it would reach across and bend around in front of the tropical flowering tree section.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:16AM - The Aroid and Tropical Foliage section was picked through fairly well by this point on Saturday. The tables were thinned out, but there were still a good amount on each one. All the Aroids on the groundcloth were either sold or placed up onto the tables. The remaining plants were pushed up front near the sidewalk. The tables were due to be condensed and pulled forward.

- 11:17AM - The juvenile leaves of the Ficus dammaropsis var. 'Lowland Form' were still impressive for their size, acting as giant flags, waving down customers (A). They had prime real estate positioned right in front of the Croton section. Next door, a specimen of Anthurium faustomirandae was sporting a newly emergent, reddish-bronze-colored leaf (B). I was photographing the plants while killing time waiting for a lull in the lunch line.

- 11:19AM - 11:22AM - The cooking area was a masterpiece of efficiency, usually. The volunteers are experienced BBQ chefs and know how to keep the food coming (A). The seating area under the barn was almost reaching capacity, becoming standing room only (B). With lunch in hand, I made it back to the white tent, taking photos along the way (C).

- 12:06PM - 12:14PM - I wasn't the only one eating of course. Someone or something grabbed Bill's attention and caused him to have that 'deer in the headlights' look. Jim was talking with Travis, who was on the other side of the table. Kylie Searle found a sea shell and brought it to her dad, Travis to learn more about it. In behind the yellow tape, you can see the growing stashes belonging to volunteers.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 12:26PM - Near the midpoint of the day, every part of the sales area had activity. Along the side road, customers browsing plants, lunch diners, loaded carts and vehicles all vie for space (A). Amadeo drives a golf cart and trailer through the crowd loaded with a variety of Heliconia cultivars in different size pots (B). I wasn't sure if the plants were part of a sales order or they were meant for restocking, thus heading the long way back to the Heliconia & Ginger section.

- 12:26PM - The barbecue lunch was ongoing and showed no signs of slowing down. It is all good, as long as we don't run out of food on the first day.

- 12:29PM - I was summoned to the landscape plant area along the main road and afterwards found myself back in the Bromeliad section. A new Bromeliad was featured out in front on a table (A). I didn't get the name of it, but it had a very cool bloom featuring bright pink flower bracts. The bracts were very thick, stiff, smooth and soft to the touch. I couldn't help notice how the texture of the bracts resembled the exact feel and look of starburst candy. The fact I was eating them earlier might have had something to do with it. The second photo shows what happens when the flash batteries run out at the wrong time (B).

- 12:29PM - 12:30PM - Near the back of the area, Cara helps customers select which plants to get (A). One more photo of the colorful section before heading back to change batteries (B).

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 12:30PM - 12:36PM - Even though I needed the batteries, I took the long way around to the shadehouse. I took a shot down the main road as the sun seemed to reach its zenith, as there were minimal shadows (A). Customers were making their way to and fro, from the barn and/or the shadehouse (B).

- 12:50PM - 12:51PM - A neighbor to the nursery came by to work on the damaged New Holland loader (A) that has been stuck in the sales area. The loader was damaged and rendered immobile during the siege of Hurricane Irma last year. It is nice to have a neighbor who is a mechanic, owns loaders and machinery and is also a plant guy. I didn't get to watch him work, but he did make progress. At one point during the second weekend I heard the loader fire up and drive over to the neighbor's house. Customers look over the grouping of Saribus rotundifolius not far away from the recovery operation (B).

- 1:03PM - 1:12PM - Customers look through the tables one species at a time (A). It was tough to keep the tables full. I was taking smaller plants off the sidewalk and placing them on the more empty tables. I noticed Travis and Carlos working behind the tape and ventured over to find an order of Betel Nut Palms, Areca catechu, being pulled and loaded onto a trailer (B). There were eight of them, all in ten gallon pots. The two we had on the sidewalk mixed with the seven gallon-sized specimens were not enough. The load slowly made its way out of the shadehouse as I turned around to catch them again outside; having to make my way through the shadehouse crowd (C).

- 1:13PM - 1:14PM - Back outside, I photographed part of the Full Sun Palm section as I waited for them to make the turn (A). The section was thin on selection (thanks to Irma) but the plants in the nursery are recovering nicely. With a quick turn to the right, I saw the crew and load approaching (B). They couldn't move too fast as the palms were a tad top heavy. Carlos and Travis notice me as they roll on by heading directly for the checkout.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 1:16PM - The order of Betel Nut Palms had to fight for a path through the incoming and outgoing traffic. A patient moment or two and a space opens up so they can move through (A). They reach the registers up front, as Michelle Searle writes up an order in a different lane towards the right (B).

- 1:21PM - Forum member Justin (JD in the OC) drives his loaded cart back and forth and steers it for the side entrance. He had a 7 gal. Fishtail Palm, Caryota mitis, at the front with other plants in the middle. A 7 gal. Licuala grandis and a tall, multiple, 3 gal. Chamaedorea metallica stretch across the back of the cart.

- 3:33PM - 3:36PM - The afternoon hours were quite busy and flew by. One minute I was eating another lunch, the next I was out on the main road taking a photo of Bill with customer and collector Dr. Bobby Getter (A). Two very enthusiastic minds working together to grab palm species, it was fun to watch. The signature palm of this cart load was a 15 gal. Hydriastele microcarpa, also known as 'White Rachis' (B). It is a very elegant, solitary member of the genus, known for its distinct leaf rachises, which are bright white in color (C). This species was first noticed at palm sales in the 1990s as small one-gallon plants, labeled Gronophyllum sp. 'White Rachis'.

- 3:36PM - Bill was going at full speed. The situation can be scary, but Bill is quite productive without a speed limit. He was positioning the first cart load into the holding area while thinking of where to take Bobby next. The two palms towards the right side, or rear of the cart were a 7 gal. Heterospathe brevicaulis and a 3 gal. Dypsis heteromorpha (A). A 7 gal. Actinokentia divaricata occupied most of the mid-section, along with a 3 gal. Neoveitchia storckii and a 1 gal. Dypsis heteromorpha (B).

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 3:38PM - 3:39PM - The next Sanford-inspired cart load had a definite Madagascar theme. The feather duster look of a 20 gal. Ravenea krociana took the lead of this stash on wheels. It had company. A 3 gal. Dypsis prestoniana and two, 7 gal. Dypsis saintelucei occupied the rest of the cart (A). The palms were off-loaded and joined the rest of the growing stash in the holding area, with more to come.

- 3:41PM - 3:46PM - The Phlogacanthus turgidus, Lavender Bells, positioned at the intersection were very popular. They were restocked regularly until they sold out (A). Travis and Jeff help a customer select a Red Cluster Bottlebrush standard, Callistemon rigidus, from the block. After the choice was made, they loaded it onto a cart.

- 3:49PM - 3:57PM - The process of restocking and pulling plants was ongoing. Jeff was running back and forth on a golf cart for most of the day. On one such trip to get plants for a customer, he ran into Bill, Ron and Bobby as they were leaving the shadehouse (B). The cart held a 7 gal. Heterospathe longipes in front and a 10 gal. Dypsis lastelliana in the back (C).

- 4:02PM - 4:07PM - The last hour of the sale on Saturday saw action right up until closing. I still met collectors who were arriving late in the day. In front of the barn, Ron, volunteer and FM. Dr. Scott Cohen (Scott Cohen) and Tim relax while answering questions on the phone or in person. 

Ryan

[CB Lisa]

Ryan, you’ve done a fabulous job documenting the events of each day, and it’s so fun and interesting seeing all the mind boggling choices other people have made, as well as getting a really good laugh from some ridiculous expressions on my own face! 

Thank you for taking the rest of us along on that tour of the yard (sure  would love to have seen that in person!), the barbecue (which looks like it was thoroughly enjoyed by all!) and the rest of the sale! There are certainly going to be some impressive additions to yards somewhere down there (or maybe even up this way!) 

[CB Lisa]

On 3/26/2018, 12:15:16, Palmarum said:

Yes, it is a great looking Pigafetta. It did not have a mark or blemish on it. I didn't know about it or see it until after the second weekend. I came across it while Jeff and I were looking through the smaller fiberglass house and he had to tell me all about it. I believe Jeff won the fight.

The quaker parrots have always been around the nursery. They have been interesting to watch over the years as they seem so determined to build and maintain their giant nests, even when the power company (FPL) comes around and removes them. They like to strip entire clumps of bamboo of their leaves for nesting material. They get really agitated when large predatory birds come around, like a red-tailed hawk or a turkey vulture. They combine their calls into a screeching alarm.

Ryan

I think the parrots definitely add to the ambiance and feel of the tropics down there! 

Not sure who ‘won’ re: the Pigafetta but it’s definitely a trooper...got beat all to heck in Irma! All foliage had regrown since then...quite a champ in my books! Hope it ends up in a nice WARM spot! 

[DoomsDave]

Whoa, nothing like a good, old-fashioned sales orgy!

Oh, what a joyous sight; the inventory shrinks and the bank account increases.

So glad to see it went well!

[chad2468emr]

On 3/25/2018, 9:02:36, Palmarum said:

 

Wild populations of exotic birds have been seen around South Florida, but this bird is very friendly to people, especially to Jeff. It is also missing a talon and part of a toe. This seems to be an old injury. Just prior to the 'Ganza, they rushed to get the cage ready, got bird feed and began the process of finding the owner, if there is one. He/she is very social, as its species description entails. When it knows someone is in the yard, it squawks fairly distinctly until he/she can see you.

 

Ryan

Has the owner of this bird been found yet? If its friendly, its definitely a lost pet. I am a crazy parrot person in South Florida and I've got a few connections that might be able to help find the original owner, or find a home if one is needed. @Jeff Searle

 

On a completely separate note, this thread is making me very eager for the sale this Fall. I didn't get out there this first weekend because I was moving, and there seems to have been a lot less left when I finally made it the following Saturday. Either way, I still managed to sneak away with a few good palms! 

Edited March 28, 2018 by chad2468emr

[Palmarum]

58 minutes ago, chad2468emr said:

Has the owner of this bird been found yet? If its friendly, its definitely a lost pet. I am a crazy parrot person in South Florida and I've got a few connections that might be able to help find the original owner, or find a home if one is needed...

I have no new information about the bird as of today, but as soon as I find out anything I will post it. As for now, the bird seems content in his new enclosure. I do remember someone mentioning his/her wings not being clipped, in reference to how long the bird might have been on its own in the wild. But that might not mean much as not everyone may clip their birds' wings. I rescued a Cockatiel after Hurricane Wilma and tried for a while to find the owner. I made a make-shift enclosure for it and it worked 'ok' until an rescue volunteer came and got him. She was from 'Broward Bird Rescue' which I do not think still exists under that name, or it might have been lumped in with SFWC.

Ryan

[Missi]

19 hours ago, Palmarum said:

I have no new information about the bird as of today, but as soon as I find out anything I will post it. As for now, the bird seems content in his new enclosure. I do remember someone mentioning his/her wings not being clipped, in reference to how long the bird might have been on its own in the wild. But that might not mean much as not everyone may clip their birds' wings. I rescued a Cockatiel after Hurricane Wilma and tried for a while to find the owner. I made a make-shift enclosure for it and it worked 'ok' until an rescue volunteer came and got him. She was from 'Broward Bird Rescue' which I do not think still exists under that name, or it might have been lumped in with SFWC.

Ryan

Being extremely active in the companion parrot community, I do know that it's a growing trend to NOT clip one's companion parrot's flight feathers these days. However, that doesn't mean everyone follows suit. With the mention of missing toes/nails, I would suggest that this may have been a breeder bird that escaped its cage or was let loose because it was no longer wanted (many parrot breeders are retiring or going out of business, thank goodness). Breeder birds stuck in cages often squabble because they're not able to get time away from each other and toes are often the first target of an angry beak. If you guys end up looking for someone to place the conure, I would suggest Florida Parrot Rescue (FPR) who have many wonderful volunteers and foster homes all around the state. On this coast we have an amazing rescue out of Punta Gorda, Parrot Outreach Society, but that's a distance. If you guys decide to keep the little bugger, I think he'll be in his element among the beautiful plants. 

http://floridaparrotrescue.com/
http://parrotoutreachsociety.org/

[chad2468emr]

1 hour ago, Missi said:

Being extremely active in the companion parrot community, I do know that it's a growing trend to NOT clip one's companion parrot's flight feathers these days. However, that doesn't mean everyone follows suit. With the mention of missing toes/nails, I would suggest that this may have been a breeder bird that escaped its cage or was let loose because it was no longer wanted (many parrot breeders are retiring or going out of business, thank goodness). Breeder birds stuck in cages often squabble because they're not able to get time away from each other and toes are often the first target of an angry beak. If you guys end up looking for someone to place the conure, I would suggest Florida Parrot Rescue (FPR) who have many wonderful volunteers and foster homes all around the state. On this coast we have an amazing rescue out of Punta Gorda, Parrot Outreach Society, but that's a distance. If you guys decide to keep the little bugger, I think he'll be in his element among the beautiful plants. 

http://floridaparrotrescue.com/
http://parrotoutreachsociety.org/

I'm friends with the owner of the Palm Beach Parrot and Bird rescue, and she generally picks up birds that need homes all long the eastern coast of Florida, so she would be a great option as well. 

https://www.facebook.com/palmbeachparrotrescue/

 

[Jeff Searle]

As of now, the bird is quite happy and doing well.

[Palmarum]

- 4:09PM - The sale had reached the point on Saturday where we started to plan on what to do for Sunday morning. Pulling plants and restocking where we could was still the main mission. Bromeliads were in high demand for the first two days and we figured Sunday would not be any different (A). One plant we could simply not stock enough, was the 3 gal. Alocasia 'Regal Shields'. We had the plant situated in three blocks in three different locations and they were still selling out. This trailer load was to refill one of the blocks.

- 4:11PM - 4:12PM - Since he knew the plants already, Bill grabbed a clipboard and began writing up the order he helped put together (A). To speed things up towards the end of the day, Jeff climbed into a customer's truck and drove it into the nursery to better position it for loading. I hope he cleaned his shoes first before getting behind the wheel of the new-looking Ford truck.

- 4:13PM - 4:15PM - Michelle writes up an order consisting of a couple Chinese Perfume Plants, Aglaia odorata, and a few other plants (A). Is the customer tall or is Michelle short? I would think a little of both. Andrea converses with customers who were next in line at the receipt writing tent (B).

- 4:17PM - An order was being moved from the holding area onto a trailer, with one plant yet to be pulled. The customer wanted to add a 15 gal. Foxtail Palm, Wodyetia bifurcata, to their stash before heading through the checkout. After one was selected, Travis and Amadeo took hold of the situation and carried the palm to the trailer.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 4:18PM - The palm found a spot on the trailer with ease along with the other plants. The Foxtail Palm was top heavy and the trailer tends to be bouncy on the roads, so a little extra help was needed (A). With a bit of encouragement, Amadeo's granddaughter boarded the trailer and got behind the palm to keep it upright (B) during the trip. She was going to be fine... (C).

- 4:18PM - With Amadeo at the helm, the golf cart and trailer slowly moved down the side road with her holding on tight. She didn't let go for the entire trip.

- 4:23PM - 4:39PM - The end of the day came quick, as we were helping customers until closing. Tim, Andrea and Travis head to the front end to help wrap up things in the sales area (A) while Michelle and Larry continued to write up customers (B). Dumbo Two spent the day searching for leftover barbeque, where ever it may be found (C).

Post Tour, Saturday evening

Just like the evening before, we made our way over to Jeff's house for the after-sale plant tour and dining event. This time, the tour took a different path through the yard and the attendees varied throughout the evening.

- 5:28PM - I started my own tour early and walked out onto the patio before many of the others arrived from the nursery. This brilliant red Cattleya orchid is always in bloom during the spring 'Ganza. It is mounted on a trunk right next to one of the sliding-glass doors, so we can all see it from inside. It has a name, but the plant has long overgrown the name tag. I call it the 'David McLean' orchid as it was once a gift to Jeff from legendary plantsman David McLean.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 5:29PM - 5:30PM - I kept photographing the orchid with different light sources and settings, just for the fun of it (A,B). Across the patio, a recent emergent flush of Browneopsis ucayalina was in its final stages of fading to green. I saw this tree when it had an entire set of new flushes at the same time, about a week and a half earlier, but I didn't have my camera with me. It was spectacular. I think this species was moved over to Brownea, with other species remaining in Browneopsis, but I'm not sure.

- 5:30PM - 5:32PM - A moment of silence was cut short when Kylie Searle found me in the yard and yelled my name. She was on her way to see the new resident bird. The bird cage has been empty for a while and was smacked around by Hurricane Irma before being put back into use recently. Jeff was already in the process of getting materials to repair the enclosure, including a replacement roof and supports (A). The bird was cheery and saw us coming, responding with a set of calls. He/She seemed to have its attention divided between its enclosure and ourselves.

- 6:02PM - I double-backed across the patio to find where the tour had went and took a moment to look over the Dwarf Betel Nut Palm, Areca catechu cv. 'Dwarf', that resides next to the pool. [sigh] Imagine if all that seed grew true to form.

- 6:04PM - I met up with part of the group consisting of Bill, Jim and Jeff as they made their way through the east side of the yard. Jim was recreating a funny moment of plant world lore that is hard to describe on the Forum (A). Let's say he did it perfectly. The focus was on palms of course, with stops at whatever caught one's eye.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 6:06PM - 6:08PM - Near the bend in the path by the shed, Jim looks up into the crown of a damaged but resilient Orania palindan (A). Looking up into the crown myself, the palm is working on its broken leaves and bent petioles, not to mention a few fallen branches that have yet to work their way out (B). Near the entrance to Palm Circle, a containerized Johannesteijsmannia magnifica works to support its elegant crown (C). Its counterpart across the path, a similar-sized J. altifrons, was crushed by a group of fallen palm trunks and trees during Hurricane Irma. The palm is alive and will most likely recover, but posting a photo of it on the Forum would be considered vulgar.

- 6:11PM - The tour entered Palm Circle proper and began looking through the varied species once again. Bill found a fallen palm trunk in the underbrush and couldn't help but take a real close look at it (B). "Hiyah!" The trunk quickly became a tool and Bill tried to both attack with it and pole vault with it. Neither idea led to success.

- 6:13PM - 6:18PM - We crossed the mid part of the yard and made our way to the west side. I took a moment to get a shot or two of a Fiji, or Samoan Dwarf Coconut (A). Not far away and a bit off the path, resided this mature Heterospathe cagayanensis showing off its amber-bronze colored petioles and lack of a trunk or stem.

- 6:19PM - 6:20PM - Near the middle of the yard, a leaning tree was nudged up close to a Kentiopsis pyriformis, courtesy of Hurricane Irma. The palm was in no danger, but still had to fight for its own space. Bill saw the leaning tree and just had to climb it. He wanted to so badly. After a few good starts and some decent handholds, he decided to give up on his instinctual climb. With the type of plant people in attendance, I think this climb would be attempted again; with the right about of liquid courage. Hopefully I would be around to take photos.

Ryan

[Missi]

18 hours ago, Jeff Searle said:

As of now, the bird is quite happy and doing well.

I bet! I want to move in too!  Will weed for board! 

UGH! Those garden photos are eye candy! I now have several more species to add to my wish list!

I'd be right beside BS Man trying to climb that tree! How FUN!

[Kim]

Thanks for the photos and informative captions, Ryan!  I made it about 1/3 of the way, and will read more later.   What a fantastic nursery the Searles operate, wow. I visited with the IPS in 2014, but seeing all those carts loaded to take away palms and other plants is pretty exciting. Shoot, if I went to a sale there I'd need at least 3 carts to load all the eye-candy. Great stuff! I can certainly see why Bill volunteers -- it looks like a fun time with palm people and an amazing variety of species. Cute bird, too! Nice that Andrea and Jeff had an appropriate shelter to rehab for the colorful little screecher, uh, I mean creature.

 

[Palmarum]

- 6:22PM - 6:23PM - The west side of the yard held a few surprises for the tour, more so for those expecting intense hurricane damage. Certain plants, like the Areca vestiaria had no signs of storm influence (A). It is partially sheltered by a giant Talipot Palm, Corypha umbraculifera, but the wind was still able to whip on through to hit other plants. In the southwest corner of the yard, Bill, Jim and Jeff checkout one of the newer-planted sections. They were looking through the specimens of the understory; the crotons, smaller palms and other plants to see how they were recovering. The storm-trimmed hybrid Red Triangle Palm, Dypsis decaryi × leptocheilos survived, minus its usual compliment of leaves.

- 6:27PM - 6:31PM - A species of Meryta was recovering from the storm, as the plants around it were pushed up against it (A). The species name escaped those in attendance as we didn't know and the tag was buried somewhere at the bottom covered in brush and debris. With some added probing from Bill, Jeff remembered the plant originated from a collector in California while looking through the canopy (B). Judy Glock and Andrea walk down a path to find us, as the daylight was fleeting in a hurry (C). In behind and above them, a Tahina spectabilis can be seen through the shadows.

- 6:32PM - 6:35PM - We passed by the turtle pens on our way back to the house. A moment or two were spent looking for the tortoises while looking under, around and through the behemoth Encephalartos laurentianus that occupies most of one pen (A). He or she, keeps growing larger without any signs of trunk. I looked back at the section we came from and tried to get a shot of the Corypha umbraculifera I mentioned earlier, but it was too dark and too far for the flash (B). As we rounded the corner, we had to pause at the Tahina spectabilis. It's growth rate and size are a constant source of amazement. Bill used himself as scale to try and gauge the height of the specimen, the largest one in the yard. I had to back up to capture the scene and without the flash I had to hand-hold for a slow shutter speed due to low light, causing the blur.

- 6:36PM - At the edge of the patio, the pergola that supports a swing (and a bar) is home to a cool vine, Tecomanthe dendrophila. I can never seem to photograph this vine as I am always too early or too late to capture the blooms, except for now. It was blooming off of the woody stems in various locations. Near the top of the pergola, newer flower clusters were emerging down through the support stems and leaf litter (C). The lights were left over from Jeff and Andrea's last Christmas party, as the structure houses the bar setup during the event.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 6:39PM - 6:46PM - Immediately to the right of the pergola, a large-leaf Croton was leaning out a bit and seemed to be asking to be photographed (A). Believe it or not, this is a volunteer seedling that grew up in this spot. It is an unnamed plant of some unknown parentage. It is the only one of its kind, as it has not been propagated. It will get a name at some point. Bill, the bird whisperer, spends a minute with the Sun Conure. Bill and Jeff share a bench as we spent the last minutes of the tour talking on the patio. A great dinner awaited us for the second night in a row, as the plant talk continued inside the house.

 

Sunday, March 4th

- 7:57AM - "Damn." It seems the raccoons had a party last night. I don't know who was invited, but they sure went through the beer and beans pretty well. Sunday morning was spent restocking (and cleaning) where needed.

- 10:05AM - 10:33AM - The first hour of the day was busy as we pulled, tagged and stocked where ever and how ever we could. The flow of customers was slow and staggered, as the morning brought in a few in their pajamas and others with their breakfast and coffee in tow. With an hour until lunch began, the Sunday crew arrived and began getting the area situated and the coolers cleaned and prepped (A). Sales started at those carrying a handful of plants, then a cart load, then a trailer load halfway through the morning. Carlos gives a 'thumbs-up' as Michelle writes up one mixed order, which included a group of Areca Palms, Dypsis lutescens. Even the common landscape palms were in demand.

- 10:39AM - 10:50AM - Kylie Searle counts the remaining Orchids that were brought out and placed on a table (A). The space was previously occupied by two groups of plants that sold out. Frank 'Pops' Searle made his way through the sales area greeting people with Travis at the wheel (B). I spent part of the morning taking detail photos that I use in graphic design. First subject I spotted was the new bloom belonging to an Aphelandra hartwegiana.

Ryan