Searle Brothers Nursery, Inc. &

The Rainforest Collection®

presented...

The 15th Annual Spring Plant Extravaganza!

March 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 8th, 9th, 10th - 2013

Southwest Ranches, Florida

"Brrr!" Brisk was the term that came to mind when describing the Spring Extravaganza, in both weather and attendance. The morning of the first Friday was treated to the last 'hurrah' of our winter here in S. Florida. The cold did not keep people away, as I think it did the opposite as people were commenting on how hot the last Fall 'Ganza was and how nice it was to shop in the cool weather. It has been a mild and pleasant winter here so far compared to years past. In this area of the county, this morning saw the lowest temps all season long, about 46ºF (7.7ºC). I came prepared with the S. FL. version of clothing 'layers'. Easily shed the second the temps warmed up...

- Friday, March 1st, 6:50AM - I arrived early, as I always do, in anticipation of the day. I spent the wait inside my truck trying to stay warm, taking photos through the windows.

- A few minutes later, this white truck belonging to the son of volunteer Judy Glock arrived and parked right in front of where the gate swing bar rests. I had to get out and tell him to back up to this spot, as fast as possible before freezing. Jeff Searle (far side of vehicle) arrived during the move and walked over to say hello. Judy's son needed landscape plants and was afraid we would sell out of some kinds, so he got here early to beat the rush.

- With landscape plants in tow through the register, the gate was opened a bit early to allow the freezing customers to get in out of the cold, or at least the cold breeze. On the left of the trailer, Michelle Searle wrote up the receipt while her dad Larry Searle counted the plants.

- Come freeze or low temps, the inspired and cold hardy collectors came through the gate.

Ryan

- The Searle tag team. Larry was going as fast as he could, so he could get both loads out of the way of the rush.

- They're coming closer....

- Jeff was busy behind me setting up his section of items from Thailand. He had just put out these lanterns and lamps right as the mob reached the sales area. They all sold but one, which sold the second weekend.

- I got behind the tractor to leave room for the carts being pulled down the road.

Ryan

- I was staying behind a bit to capture the action at the intersection as people went past me and into the shadehouse.

- At the intersection, the crowd split into two directions, either straight down the main road or making the left turn down the side road towards the main shadehouse entrance. I have noticed many palm people heading down the main road to the side entrance to the shadehouse, bypassing the croton chaos at the front. A smart move, as they are often the first to reach the tables. In center, Forum member Randy Wiesner (palmisland) makes the turn down the side road.

- Covering the Holding Area and manning a golf cart, Frank 'Pops' Searle watches the crowd as they go past.

- Commotion was building in the shadehouse, so I followed to investigate. I was taking blurry photos cause I was moving.

Ryan

- I took position in a line of customers and carts heading inside, so I could make the trip quicker. I got behind David, who was pulling the cart (and guarding) it for his wife, FM. Nyssa (SunnyFl) (in light blue).

- I got in and my ankles were not smacked by carts in the process. Bracketing the center of the photo in red shirts, Volunteer and FM. Jim Glock (jglock1) and Volunteer, collector and local plantsman Chris Mayhew welcomed customers as they fought their way to the croton section.

- On the right, Jim was in top gear with coffee in hand and commentary to enlighten and entertain. Few know how to pilot a palm related event as well as Jim can.

- After having to ditch his golf cart, Jeff made his way in to assist in the croton area.

Ryan

- A cart parking lot quickly takes shape along the sidewalk. They become portable holding areas for those who dash and grab.

- The chaos extended down the sidewalk as I was trying to keep up with questions and take photos at the same time, often while moving again and again. I would be leading a customer to a palm, while looking through the viewfinder.

- Croton loaded carts often skip the holding area and come straight down to do a palm run.

- With the available light, I did my best to keep up with the action near the intersection, but even the best photos came out a little blurry.

Ryan

- The customer in red was doing some reorganizing so I went up to see if he needed help.

- "I have to get all these in here, one way or another." He was trying to make room for all his crotons and some palms he wanted to get.

- FM. Mike Harris (waykoolplantz) loads his cart up fast with little room to spare. You know it is all going to a good home, and for many a great garden to visit during a possible future tour. A few notables include that large 7 gallon Lytocaryum hoehnei up front and a tall Dypsis procera reaching out above.

- It was the usual struggle between what is on your wish list, and the new stuff that you just found that caught your eye. I helped collectors with their lists, some ancient, hand-written notes that looked more like hieroglyphics and some typed and printed ones with notes, codes and layers of marks, slashes and highlighting. It is all the same thing, the language of the hobby.

Ryan

- Jim discusses the palms on this customers cart as they talk about landscaping. He was in the act of filling that cart, and I captured this moment where he was at the halfway point. From left to right: he had a few yellow ground orchids, a cultivar known as 'Tropical Pineapple Sorbet', a 3 gal. Ghost Palm, Mauritiella armata, a 3 gal. Licuala peltata var. sumawongii, in behind was a 3 gal. Chamaedorea ernesti-augusti, a robust 7 gal. Licuala longipes and a 3 gal. Hydriastele pinangoides sat at the customer's feet.

- It was still early and a bit chilly, as the shadehouse continued to get increased traffic.

- Who is that man obscured by a Chamaedorea oblongata?

- It is none other than FM. Ray Gompf (Ray G). He was without his glasses and I did not recognize him until he spoke and said hello. He had gotten eye surgery so no need for glasses. He mentioned 'how green' his plants are now.

Ryan

- I kept on the move, to try and be everywhere at once. I made my way outside, but along the way had to wait for traffic to clear. The grouping of palms on the left are Dypsis carlsmithii and they were popular this sale. The large one in the landscape is more visible now and is quite showy.

- Near the crotons, I noticed the one hybrid Red Triangle, Dypsis decaryi x leptocheilos, that we had was already on a cart...

- ...and the cart belonged to FM. Jerry Pezzeminti (Pez). He was in the act of loading it with crotons as I walked past.

- Outside along the main road, the landscape plants were being picked and prodded. The cloud cover was a little ominous, but no rain was in the forecast. The cloud cover actually made it a little warmer over night.

Ryan

- Bromeliads and the landscape ornamentals had the current focus of the crowd, but they made their way past the bedding plants and had to stop to grab a few.

- If you like different colors and had to pick one, we did not make it easy.

- Larry takes a moment to explain the different pot sizes to a volunteer. The bedding plants and herbs were in either 4 inch or 5 inch pots.

- The bedding plants had a great spot between the Bromeliads and the landscape plants.

Ryan

- Larry gives a little demonstration on how to space and install a tray of bedding plants, including a few tricks on how to do it in a hurry while crouching and not trip over ones' own feet.

- The side road had an assortment of tropical flowering trees and vines, heliconias and gingers, cordylines, ground orchids, and other exotic and unusual plants.

- Phones start ringing and they don't seem to stop all weekend. He is hard to see, but to the left of center, Jeff is on his phone giving directions to the nursery.

- Jade Vines, Strongylodon macrobotrys, were a hot item during the 'Ganza. We could not have enough. The cut flowers taken from Jeff's vine in his yard seemed to draw some 'ooh's and ahh's'. We restocked when we could, but ran out by the second weekend.

Ryan

- You gotta dig those crotons. Volunteer & Croton savant Judy Glock helps collector and Biennial regular Cathy Burger with her croton selection. Judy enjoys her coffee as well.

- "What are ye lookin' at?" We had an unexpected visitor in the shadehouse, a Brown Basilisk, Basiliscus vittatus. We think he had fallen from the shade cloth above and landed on the cold concrete of the sidewalk. He then got frozen/stuck and would not move, even when people walked right by him, over him. He wasn't doing anything so we left him there for now.

- Cathy and Lew Burger started a traffic jam of their own with their two carts. They got it straightened out rather quick.

- Lew makes more room and squeezes in another croton. They grabbed various palms including that large 7 gal. Oraniopsis appendiculata.

Ryan

- A cart load of plants almost to the orange fence gateway. It is amazing how more plants get added en route to the holding area.

- The gateway to the shadehouse.

- Long time grower and collector Bob Beatty went through the shadehouse grabbing old favorites and new species. A small 3 gal. Livistona muelleri found a spot up in the corner of the cart, along with a 7 gal. squat Attalea colenda. On the left, a 7 gal. Pinanga gracilis, with its dark, almost purple-brown stems, takes its seat. On the right, two 10 gal. Copernicia's go for a ride, a C. rigida (obscured) and a C. curbeloi.

- "David, hold this." Nyssa was looking at everything with determination to find what she wanted. When she found this 3 gal. Dypsis saintelucei, she made sure her David held it and never let go of it.

Ryan

- "What do you... oh its YOU again...come get it!" The basilisk was still in the same spot on the sidewalk hours later. This time he was a little more agile and decided to puff himself up in defense.

- With help from a customer, we were able to slide him over to the ground cloth where he would be warmer and out of harms way. He gave that sneaker some hell in the process.

- It was now later in the day, with only an hour or so until closing and attendance was still strong for a Friday afternoon.

- Many of the early birds had left by now, some of the afternoon collectors were now cruising through the shadehouse.

Ryan

- The return trip. Last few minutes of the sale, we reached 5:00pm and had passed it but still had customers, so we just waited longer. Had the usual Post Tour planned for Jeff's yard later in the day.

- This was one of the last carts to head on up to the registers, filled with palms. A tall Caryota rumphiana gets a steady escort, along with a Japanese Fern Tree, Filicium decipiens, and a diagonal Red Sealing Wax Palm, Cyrtostachys renda.

- It was a little bit past 5:00 when the very last customer put his collection together in the holding area. It was loaded onto a trailer and taken to the checkout.

Friday was a total blast, from the cold and from the plant frenzy that ensued, and there were still five days still to go. It was going to get steadily warmer through the weekend so the cold worries were over for now.

Post Tour: Friday Afternoon

- Volunteers, friends, family members and anyone else that was interested began leaving the nursery and heading over to Jeff's house for the traditional post tour walk-n-talk. With previous tours as an example, the name should probably be changed to drink-n-stumble, but alas. With all the attention garnered by the sale specimens of Jade Vine, Strongylodon macrobotrys, I decided to seek it out first in the yard. I walked over to the pergola containing the sprawling vine where it has grown comfortably for the past few years. It is now in full bloom, which is an understatement if you have ever seen one in person.

Ryan

- The Jade Vine produces its own very colorful mulch.

- Another view from the backside of the pergola.

- I turned around 180º from the spot above and took a portrait of this Copernicia rigida. He has been flowering for a while now.

- Dusk was coming and the temperature was dropping again, so I made my way back inside the house to see what was going on. On the way, Missy (Melissa) came outside with her bloodhound, Argos, who was promptly sniffed and inspected by bull mastiff Kona (left) and cane corso Kane (right).

Ryan

- Master chef Jim Glock was doing his magic again, preparing a magnificent spread for us this evening. Like usual, he spares no expense or labor in producing some of his best homemade specialties. He is pointing to a large pot of his incredible chili, slow cooked and left simmering for most of the day. On the right is one of my personal favorites, the buffalo chicken for Jim's buffalo chicken sliders. The chicken is served on slider rolls, then topped with a tangy blue cheese cole slaw. There was also cornbread to be served with the chili, fresh breads, and a nice antipasta salad; all to be followed by a range of desserts.

- The food was not ready yet, so we got ready to venture out into the cold and do the walk through the yard, with drinks of course. Chris Mayhew brought a favorite single-malt Scotch whiskey to the gathering. He is pouring himself a glass, with a little ice.

- Those interested in the walk, grouped up and entered the yard, starting by the patio around the pool. First up was the unavoidable scene of this Dwarf Betel Nut Palm, Areca catechu var. 'Dwarf', that is currently setting some gigantic seed. There was a brown leaf and leaf base covering the crownshaft, so I had Jeff pull it off, which revealed the next spathe concealing the next inflorescence.

- With Jeff's hand for scale, I photographed the green seed which could start ripening at any time.

Ryan

- A wider shot, showing trunk, seed, new spathe, crownshaft, and the petiole-lacking leaf bases.

- And now, the entire palm with its compact crown.

- An Encephalartos trispinosus in the process of a large leaf flush. This is average for how blue they get here in S. Florida. We get the speed, but not the color.

- This Coccothrinax borhidiana has started to grow faster of late, and has put on significant size in only the past year.

Ryan

- Attractive new growth on Jeff's old, lone and very slow growing Kentiopsis piersoniorum as it adapts to its new home. This plant came from seed collected during the 2000 Biennial in New Caledonia, only two years after the species was described.

- This specimen was grown in containers for most of its life, but the time came to try it in the ground and it has done well.

- It has the unique glaucous coating on the top side of the leaflets. It gets worn off quickly, I even rubbed some off by mistake.

- Kona likes to go between people's legs as they are standing in the yard, doing his horse impersonation.

Ryan

- In a prime spot near the pool resides this peculiar Dypsis sp. that is a form of D. baronii. It has a branching habit, black stems, white waxy crownshafts, white leaf undersides and a burgundy-red new emergent petiole/rachis.

- It has grown stupendously well and looks flawless out in mostly full sun.

- In addition to the colorful leaf bases and petioles, there is a faint coating of tomentum that is there, but hard to see.

- The tour bounced all over the yard, from palms to cycads, crotons to flowering trees, and everything else in-between. Jeff was showing everything, but Judy and Chris (obscured) were focusing on the crotons, while George was just trying to keep focused.

Ryan

- "Rawr...woof" The dogs were off playing together in one big moving fur covered blur, then the blur caught up to us. Jeff's third dog, the brindle colored pit bull mix named 'Brindle' was playing with the bloodhound Argos. The bloodhound spends all day in an apartment so this space is heaven to him.

- Looks vicious, but it isn't. They get up run back and forth, then Brindle pushes Argos over onto his back, repeat.

- Kane really wants to play, but doesn't know what to do. He is like the little kid on the playground that doesn't know the rules of the game so he does not get involved. He will walk around the other two in circles, occasionally poking his nose against one of them.

- Big doofus Kona just watches, might act as referee if the mood strikes him.

one Friday down, rest of the weekend plus three to go...

Ryan

- Saturday, March 2nd, early morning - The morning of the second day was cold, but just a little bit warmer than the day before. The activity was slow, but gradually picked up as it got closer to noon, a typical Saturday morning.

- The word of the morning was 'warmth' and what could we do to get it. Travis Searle dons layers on his head to try and keep warm.

- The main road was filling with customers grabbing landscape material and bromeliads.

- In addition to collectors, the morning crowd consisted of mainly gardeners and home owners looking to get an early start this spring on landscaping their yards.

Ryan

- I was going in circles this morning as I was answering questions in different sections and trying to capture moments. I got the timing right as I was walking through the shadehouse to capture this customer carrying out his new Allagoptera caudescens. The flash lit up the silver leaf undersides.

- Outside in the fruit tree section, I went to answer a quick question, then afterwards found Travis as he was tempted to eat a whole Scotch Bonnet pepper right off the bush. He changed his mind. I told him i would not help him if he did, as I would be too busy taking photos.

- The receipt writers were in force for Saturday as it was the weekend. The many Searle's fall out of the woodwork to assist. Wearing the hooded sweatshirt and smile is Missy, who greets a pair of customers and begins writing up their cart load of Cat Palms, Chamaedorea cataractarum.

- Peering inside from the side shadehouse entrance, the tables were getting thinned out as time went on. Having your palm book handy makes decision making much easier.

Ryan

- It was chilly, but seeing everyone with their cold weather gear made it look much colder than it was.

- The command center. There was serious talk about renting a hottub for under the tent, in the fall. Just to add more flavor to an already enriched event, and also for Jim to relax in. FM. Rob Van der Borg (Borgy230) keeps his eyes open while FM. Ron Kiefert (Moose) talks to a customer about a nice croton on their cart.

- Judy Glock knows more than just crotons, she also can describe many of the palms within the shadehouse. The two customers and her discuss the care involved for Licuala peltata var. sumawongii.

- "Ok, we got the Green Arboricola, I will go right and look at palms, while you get in line for lunch."

Ryan

- The BBQ crew went to work at around 11:00 am and didn't see rest for a few hours. With the cloud cover, it made it hard to tell time passing by, it still looked like the morning.

- Volunteer Karen gets her lunch early, before the rush comes.

- Carts get parked out in front of the barn, and a line begins to form for the early lunch crowd.

- Late Friday, the day before, we thought to add a round table outside the barn on the corner. Since it was going to be cool and overcast, many would use it, and they did.

Ryan

- Inside the barn, customers get their food, condiments, chips and drinks. We did not have anything warm to drink, but we did make room temperature drinks and water bottles available.

- For this 'Ganza it was definitely not hot under the barn. The orchids were popular and were being picked through during the weekend.

- The BBQ smoke is the call sign for 'come get it' it permeates throughout the sales area and brings people over.

- Jeff and Rob return from the second shadehouse with a specimen croton for the sale. The croton section was getting thin fast so Jeff was scrounging for material.

Ryan

- With a quick trim and a tag, the croton was ready to go.

- And go it shall. After being placed in the section, it was time for it to go, so Jeff and Rob carried it back out to the trailer. Probably the fastest turn-around for a newly pulled plant.

- Over the years, I have noticed groups, friends and even families that use the barn as a meeting point. They use it as a rally position for those who come from different places and destinations to find each other.

- The sun will come out...today. In the midday hours, the sun poked through the cloud cover for a short while.

Ryan

- Even volunteers get hungry. Jim and Judy didn't recognize they were dressed identically until I pointed it out to them.

- A customer's plant group within the holding area. It kept growing larger and larger.

Ryan

- Time to take a stroll upfront to see what was going on.

- Saturday afternoon was getting busy. Those arriving after lunch were mixing with those who were finishing their lunch at the nursery and going back to the sales area. There was a rush of activity that lasted for a while. The Thailand items were being looked over intently, including those hardwood seed pods.

- Andrea was keeping things organized in and around the checkout.

Ryan

- On the way outside, I captured this view of the parked cars from across the front growing area. The tall, containerized palms that used to be along the fence would block this shot. They have since been moved or sold.

- I almost got hit by a returning golf cart while taking this shot.

- A convenient highway K-rail made for a handy step ladder to get up higher to take this shot. Those power lines have served as a homing beacon for those looking for the nursery. Those spots seen on the towers where they meet the lines are massive bird nests, belonging to Quaker parrots.

- The other side of the entrance parking area. It was getting too windy for being up on a narrow surface so I got down, I was already pressing my luck.

Ryan

- With a trailer loaded with Bromeliads, Larry Searle cuts across the main road on route to the Bromeliad section to restock.

- The nerve center of the checkout process. At the moment, the registers were operated by Edy and daughter, Mandy Searle.

- Calm and coordinated, they kept up with the flow of customers with ease.

- Michelle Searle writes up another customer, not far from where her sister and mom are working on the registers.

Ryan

- Surprise photo. I was walking behind volunteers Karen on the left, and Derek on the right as they split off in two directions as landscape designer Candy was heading this way with a large Bromo' in one hand and an orchid in the other. She did not see me until I took the photo.

- Bedding plant camouflage. The customer's sweater and hat matched the plants she was looking through.

- Larry wasn't pointing at me, but to where the customer could go to get more boxes for her bedding plants.

- Burgers, burgers and more burgers. All three grills were going at full speed to keep up with demand. I know I had my fill a few times over.

Ryan

- If they ain't laughing, they're cooking. The BBQ cooks are always good for a quick laugh and commentary.

- The later afternoon lunch crowd.

Ryan

- Jeff had to play traffic cop for a second to move some carts out of the way. In the distance, Amadeo was rounding the turn, coming with a new load of plants for the spot in front of the cooking area.

- They were Ti 'Red Sister' plants, being sold as a special item this weekend.

- Dismount.

Ryan

- Time is of the essence. This is one group of plants that needs to be trimmed, cleaned, tagged, unloaded and placed in a hurry, so it can all be done again with another group in a few minutes. This is an example of how fast the process can happen, and while the sale is going on. Jeff divides up the tags and gives half of them to Amadeo.

- It was now later in the afternoon on Saturday and attendance was steady. The lunch rush was winding down.

- When you got to do things in a hurry, you use all the tools you have at your disposal.

- Back inside the shadehouse, it was business as usual. FM. Frank (Trópico) and wife Yenny arrived to look through palms, crotons and everything else.

Ryan

- "Giant Lady Palm, (check)... Ground Orchids (check)... Kid #1 (check)... and Kid #2 (check)... all ready to go."

- It looks like that customer is carrying that large Spindle Palm, Hyophorbe verschaffeltii, in his hands.

- The volunteers in the Holding Area were kept busy all day.

- Javier Bardem, disguised as the Bond villain Silva from the movie Skyfall, takes a minute to talk plants with Larry Searle.

Ryan

- Jeff helps the customers on the left, while Larry asks Silva, "Why did you have to blow up Bond's Aston Martin?"

- With help from Kathy, and daughter Missy, Andrea walks over to the left to help a customer with a heavy pot.

- A crowded moment along the main road by the Holding Area. Two lanes of out going vehicles with a lane for incoming customers.

Ryan

- To save space along the main road, a large order was driven out and around to a spot so Michelle could write it up.

- Nursery dog Charlie gets a break from his pen to hang out with Jessica and Pops.

Ryan

- A batch of Foxtail Palms, Wodyetia bifurcata, and some Christmas Palms, Adonidia merrillii, hang on for a ride through the checkout.

- When you can just carry your plants, why wait for a cart? The one on the right carries a Fishtail Palm, Caryota mitis, and the one of the left carries a Purple Hibiscus and a 1 gal. Licuala peltata var. sumawongii.

- Carlos gives a thumbs up as he drives down the main road and through the crowd.

- He moved the tractor up in line and his customers were still adding plants.

Ryan

Wow !!!

I am sad Searle nurseries is far from Sri Lanka, but my credit card is glad it's so far!

I'll cut some more cuttings of crotons and cordylines with the machete in the village and collect some more palm seeds on the floor. This is the way to do a garden for us!

Regards

Philippe

Can somebody tell me the name of the Crinum we can see on the tractor? ( the 2 last pics)

Thanks

Philippe