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

[Palmarum]

- 10:50AM - I continued to photograph whatever seemed to speak out loud and get my attention. I moved from one Aphelandra to another, the bright pink A. panamensis was next with its clusters of green bracts and pink flowers. A collection of Phalaenopsis blooms were part of one session as I moved around the sales area.

- 12:14PM - A slow morning quickly became a busy afternoon. From the main road and Bromeliad section (A) to the side road (B), customers were looking through the selection for what they needed or wanted, stopping only to grab a bite to eat.

- 12:14PM - Some of the customers I spoke with were returning from Friday or Saturday, or both days in some situations. They needed more of one plant in particular, like the Phlogacanthus turgidus (B) on the trailer, or just wanted to see what they might have missed. I spent time tracking down species for collectors as some were on their first or second day. I always get that one person who comes back looking to see if a plant they saw was still available. "Did it happen to sell?" Enthusiasts and some collectors use time to decide for them if they 'want or need' a certain species. If it becomes a maybe, they give it a day or two to see if it's still sitting on the table or sidewalk when they come back.

- 12:23PM - Carlos keeps his crew up to speed as he points and gives orders while restocking landscape plants. As soon as one group is done they are off to get more.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 2:38PM - 2:39PM - As plant groups sold out from around the Silver Date Palm, they were replaced with landscape plants from along the main road (A). It was better than leaving the spot empty. An hour and a half remained in the first weekend and we were already thinking ahead to the next one and what plants we could possibly pull. As the sale's pace began to wind down, we gathered around the front area and the holding area. Bill watches as Jeff and Scott go back and forth about something. Part of the entertainment.

- 2:45PM - 3:20PM - An aluminum cart serves as a rest area for Scott and Bill (A). They might not show it, but they are poised to attack or answer a plant question. If it's a Dypsis, Bill can find it (B). He went browsing through the shadehouse and found an over-grown 3 gal. Dypsis hovomantsina. I am not sure where it was going, but it caught Bill's eye. We ended the day discussing the sale and talking plants as usual, with focus on Bill's visit to the Extravaganza and S. Florida. It is great to have Bill in attendance as he is a "PRA" onto himself, where ever he goes. He brings that intense enthusiasm and shares it with everyone he meets, it's contagious.

 

Friday. March 9th

- 1:38PM - The four day period between weekends was spent trying to find more plants for the sales area. A difficult task, as some sections were hit hard. A shot of the shadehouse sidewalk after lunchtime (A). The palm selection along the sidewalk remained the same except for a few last-minute grabs to try and surprise collectors. The second Friday is usually the slowest day of the six, so extra time is spent cleaning and searching for more plants. A grouping of Hydriastele beguinii var. 'Obi Island Form' were set out in a large empty part of the sidewalk (B). They were not out on the first weekend, as they were quite large for their containers. They were pulled anyway as we were so short of material; becoming an "unlisted special" for the second weekend. The lower part of an emergent leaf was still showing red on a Calyptrocalyx albertisianus, as it remained closed far longer than the rest of the spear (C).

- 1:40PM - 1:43PM - The rebuilt signpost was moved around the shadehouse entrance, depending on whether we needed the space for plants or not. The flow of customers was spotty throughout the day, with small busy periods divided by long lulls of activity. We had at least one group of customers at all times, part of the game we keep track of on the second Friday. Larry Searle writes up an order as he was multitasking different jobs and posts around the sales area (B). A couple inspect the Fairy Petticoats, Elaeocarpus grandiflorus, that were added to the selection across from the holding area. 

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 1:46PM - 1:54PM - A few of the Auntie Lou Cordylines got a little too close to the barbecue the previous weekend (A). The perfect weather from the first weekend was duplicated with a similar cool front and dry pattern, requiring some extra irrigation. Amadeo waters the plants out in full sun before making his way down the side road, avoiding customers in the process.

- 2:08PM - 2:32PM - The remaining Orchids get picked through and eventually sell out (A). A family arrives to find they have much of the sales area to themselves (B), leading to the patriarch grabbing a 3 gal. Caryota obtusa (obscured) for their cart (C).

- 2:47PM - 3:13PM - Jeff takes a shift up at the front tent and dives into a cart filled with various palms (A). He is collecting the tag ends and writing the receipt. Two last minute Bromeliads make their way into the order (B).

- 3:16PM - The family, along with their new plant collection, make their way to the checkout, manned at the tent by Jeff. He repeats the procedure he has been doing all day, collecting the tag ends and writing up the receipt, using his golf cart as a handy desk.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 3:25PM - The remainder of the second Friday continued as pictured, one or two customers at a time with a few plants or an entire cart load. A customer makes her way through the shadehouse (A) with a cart load of Cat Palms, Chamaedorea cataractarum, while two others proceed to fill another cart to the brim (B). There is always room for one more (C).

 

Saturday, March 10th

- 8:09AM - "What the hell is that?" Within minutes of opening on the second Saturday morning, I was talking with Jeff in the shadehouse and noticed a round ball of fur sitting on top of the shade cloth. It was right above us, a short distance from my head. I went back to get my camera and photographed it as I was walking back, with Jeff in the red and white past the golf cart (A). Can you see it, dead-center in the image? As I got closer, it remained a mystery as Jeff and I scratched our heads trying to figure it out.

- 8:10AM - With our talking and noise making, the ball began to unfurl itself, revealing a raccoon's face. We stood surprised as no one would expect to find such an elusive night animal sleeping out in the open, in sunlight, during the morning hours. Jeff gave it a gentle 'wake up call' (B). It was in no hurry to go anywhere and quickly became an item of interest for volunteers and sale goers.

- 8:11AM - 8:15AM - As I was pondering the visitor from above, I took another shot of the Calyptrocalyx albertisianus and its newly emerging leaf to compare the color to the photo I took the day before, posted above (A). Selected parts of certain leaflets decide to turn whitish-green before turning to the regular green. Jeff returned quickly with his grandkids, Kylie and Carson to show them the aerial acrobat (B). We spent time studying the raccoon, trying to see if it was hurt or injured. We were thinking that he could hear us, but because of the angle of the shade cloth, he couldn't see us below.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:17AM - Leaving the shadehouse for a minute, I went to check on the early arrivals to the sale, including customers and volunteers. Everything was ready to go, minus the odd plant or two that needed to be pulled, but that action was never ending. Up front, Amber Searle takes a position (A) at the receipt writers tent as Larry keeps everything organized. In the background, the workers spend the slower morning hours doing regular nursery business. Customers were waiting at the gate before we opened and from that point onward they kept coming. As one was leaving, two or more were arriving. Dumbo Two did her best to greet customers (C) as they arrived... actually, she was checking them for food.

- 8:19AM - A small group of us were back in the shadehouse, bringing new arrivals to check on the furry attendee. Jeff and Carson were driving past on a golf cart, when Jeff stopped to let Carson off, to walk towards us (A). "Where are you going?" Carson thinks as he watches Jeff drive off (B). As Carson trots down (C) the sidewalk, we were talking about him being able to see the raccoon...

- 8:20AM - Yup, he could see him.

- 8:33AM - 8:35AM - Someone mentioned donuts so I went back up front to check. I directed two different customers to separate plant sections as I was looking for food. The morning seemed busy for a second Saturday (A) and we were wondering if we would have enough staff if the activity really took off. Kylie was practicing for Easter (B). She and her brother were keeping their great-uncle Larry entertained in front of the registers (C).

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:36AM - Larry got an idea. He hoisted Carson up and onto his shoulders and after a moment of balancing, took him for a ride. Michelle, seen earlier in the topic, was the previous rider of those shoulders, some time ago.

- 8:42AM - 8:45AM - And... she's dead, just kidding. D2 took a moment to bask in the morning sun (A). As new customers entered the sales area, Kylie served as part of a welcoming committee; more so if there were kids among them (B). Andrea chats with a couple as the sale moves through the first hour of the day. I am not sure as to what they were looking for, but they were having a good time talking about it.

- 8:51AM - One run through the shadehouse found the raccoon up and about. He was moving slow, but with steady footsteps, like he was unsure but wanted to remain stealthy. He appeared to be fine and free of injury, but had the image of someone who had a crazy night. He moved from one shade cloth panel to the next, making a hammock at each section. He took a rest in one such hammock, before moving off and vanishing into the bushes with a story to tell the others.

- 9:19AM - 9:36AM - A customer duo stopped along their route to ask Andrea a question or two (A). They had a few Podocarpus in the cart along with a flowering Orange Delight Vine, Black-eyed Susan Vine, Thunbergia alata and a 3 gal. Angelonia. In the flowering tree section, a 3 gal. Baobab (of which Adansonia species I wasn't sure of) was sitting in its spot devoid of any leaves as it's deciduous this time of year. This 'stick in a pot' was supporting an entire squadron of dragonflies (B). They appeared to be Blue Dasher Dragonflies and they were enjoying their layover. Randy Searle returns one of the giant aluminum carts from the parking lot to the sales area.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 9:44AM - 9:59AM - Even though it was the morning of the fifth day of the 'Ganza, we were still pulling plants. There is no way to tell how busy the second weekend will be, so it is better to keep the sales area full wherever possible. Volunteer Derek Burch and Travis Searle observe as Jeff writes tags for a new batch of Alocasia 'Low Rider' (A). They were going into an empty slot along the side road. A trailer load of Cat Palms, Chamaedorea cataractarum, rolls on by heading for the Landscape Palms section to restock the group.

- 10:06AM - 10:10AM - When Dumbo Two catches a whiff of something, she becomes super alert and very determined to track down the scent. She will dig and root with no end until she finds it (A). Only a stronger smell will break her focus. The Beccariophoenix alfredii located along the side road did his job by representing the species and providing shade (B). Several trips were taken while crossing the sales area to show customers what the specimens for sale would look like when older. With their insulated cups in hand, customers enjoy their beverages while chatting with Jeff about the sale (C).

- 10:13AM - 10:15AM - The tables were getting thin. I was spacing out the remaining one-gallon plants and placing a few three-gallon specimens (that were not too large) up onto the tables (A). The few 'unlisted specials' (the species that were pulled after the booklet and list were complete) were mixed in with the others. Many of the species that were represented were reduced to just one or two plants. Outside along the main road, the flow of customers was increasing as time went by. While taking the shot, I heard a familiar voice behind me...

- 10:18AM - 10:23AM - ... so I turned to find Derek describing plants to a customer. He continued to help by loading a pair of Ixoras into the cart. His work is never done, as his expertise was needed down the road to help a couple with their plant-related wants and desires.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:07AM - In the late morning, an eager collector came through the shadehouse and made a selective run on the plants. Their cart was filled with palms spanning the length of the sidewalk and included a 7 gal. Astrocaryum alatum positioned at the rear (A). From the front towards the middle (left to right) the cart held a few nice additions to anyone's collection including a 3 gal. Beccariophoenix fenestralis, a 3 gal. Marojejya darianii, a 3 gal. Nephrosperma vanhoutteanum and two, Chambeyronia macrocarpa one-gallons.

- 11:39AM - 11:51AM - Morning became midday and it was lunch time. Travis became cook and got the barbecue area ready to make food for staff and volunteers. We had one package of hotdogs left over to use up. Carson has the ability to eat an ice cube fresh out of the freezer, as Travis feeds him one (A). That kid will eat anything. 

- 1:01PM - 1:07PM - Jeff answers questions and becomes an impromptu negotiator between two groups of friends. I guess they were fighting over the passion vine, of which we only had one left (A). Debate settled, they moved on thinking of where to go next in their hunt for plant material.

- 1:12PM - 1:30PM - With their carts ready, they headed for the checkout. Amber writes them up as Carson inspects the plants (A). One cart was packed with Bromeliads (B). During a lull in the afternoon, crew and company meander through the sales area discussing what to do for Sunday.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 1:45PM - 2:07PM - A large order of landscape plants gets pulled directly from the growing area out in the nursery. This often takes place to save time by skipping the process of emptying the supply in the sales area and then having to immediately restock the section. Amber begins to write up the order as Jeff counts the plants (A). Sometimes, there is a group of plants in the sales area that are not in flower, flushing new growth, etc., except for one or two specimens. To help promote the plant group, these singular and showy plants are separated, labeled and placed out of the group. In addition to signs, flagging tape and other methods, these plants still get taken, much to our dismay. This was the second flowering specimen of a Lemon Kiss Ground Orchid, Spathoglottis 'Lemon Kiss' that we had restrained (B) and put on display, as the first one vanished during the first weekend.

- 2:08PM - 2:30PM - The afternoon was dotted with sales of different kinds, from the rare to the common. This trend gradually diminished until closing time. Newly emergent leaves continued to catch my attention. One of the Ficus dammaropsis out for sale was working on one such leaf during the week (A). I was watering the Crotons when I saw red nearby. Near the edge of the section, I found a Ptychosperma propinquum with a perfect new leaf (B). The Calyptrocalyx albertisianus with the eye-catching, two-tone emergent leaf that I couldn't stop watching found its way onto a cart, along with a 3 gal. Beccariophoenix fenestralis (C).

 

Sunday, March 11th

- 9:27AM - The main shadehouse got a well-deserved watering the night before as it had been dry all week. You can almost see the palms smile. The extra hour before opening was spent getting everything ready and hand-watering what the sprinklers didn't reach. I took a couple photos after I was done with the zone recovery of the sidewalk intersection (A) and the tables (B).

- 9:43AM - During the weekend, I was keeping an eye on the developing flower cluster of a Brownea grandiceps. The containerized tree was growing in the shadehouse, not far from the white tent. When I went to check on it, the flower seemed to reach its peak and thus asked to be photographed. I did not have anything around for a scale object. The bloom was roughly the size of a grapefruit.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 9:58AM - 10:06AM - Mmm... donuts. Carson devours a frosted donut as I get in line to get one of my own (A). As we were all indulging ourselves, volunteer Mandy walks over to her car and yells back, "Uhh, hey there is a snake over here." Travis and I walked over to find a Yellow Rat Snake, Pantherophis (Elaphis) alleghaniensis ssp. quadrivittata, climbing over a stack of cups sitting on a fence post near the dog pens (B). With a little play and effort, the native, non-venomous and rather docile snake slid into Travis's hands. He brought it over to show everyone by the registers (C). After a few minutes of show and tell, he let the snake go in a more secluded spot.

- 10:50AM - 11:03AM - Customers and a few enthusiasts kept me busy in the shadehouse for much of the morning. During one moment, Carson and Travis came to visit. It didn't take long for Dumbo Two to find us, or more accurately, for her to find the scent of donuts (A). She proceeded to remove all trace of frosting from Carson's fingers (B). Near the registers, a trailer load of different plants makes its way out to the parking lot. The majority of the order consisted of different Ginger and Heliconia cultivars.

- 11:21AM - 11:31AM - Carson and Kylie take advantage of their great-aunt Kathy for travel around the sales area (A). They use the opportunity to shop for some Orchids (B). After a while, Kylie took over and dragged her brother around by herself (C). The pace of the sale was average for the sixth day, as there were customers throughout the day. It got busy enough for Travis to change to a red shirt, as customers ask him questions on their way into the sales area.

- 12:26PM - 12:42PM - There was a definite rise in activity around lunchtime, as it got busy enough for me to put the camera down. As I wielded the camera once again, the side entrance to the shadehouse welcomed collectors as they packed a cart full of plants (A). A customer carts out a pair a 7 gal. Licuala peekelii. We had one left on the sidewalk for the day, but it wasn't enough as we had to pull a matching specimen for the customer's design idea.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 12:49PM - 1:43PM - During the second weekend, the lowered amount of staff and volunteers leaves us a bit stretched out across the sales area. I found out if I take a seated position along the side road near the shadehouse entrance, I can cover half of the sales area if anyone needs assistance. I was in this position when I noticed a customer using the shade provided by the Beccariophoenix alfredii (A). Tropical plant enthusiasm knows no age limit. A young customer carries his new 1 gal. Gout Plant, Jatropha podagrica, to a waiting cart behind me (B). A cake was purchased earlier in the day to provide us with dessert after lunch. I will let you guess who was first to the cake (C).

- 1:46PM - If it has wheels on it, Carson wants to play with it. Jeff gave his grandson his first golf cart driving lesson. He did pretty good without being able to reach the pedals.

- 2:01PM - 2:16PM - The last two hours of the Spring 'Ganza was slow but still fun. The extra time with customers allows you to find out more about how collectors and enthusiasts function in the South Florida plant world. We start talking about future events in the palm and plant world, such as meetings, tours, society sales, etc. In one moment, it looked like the clouds were conspiring together to send rain, but nothing came of it (A). The sales area saw at least one group of customers at a time for the rest of the day. When 4:00PM came, we were exhausted and left the nursery satisfied with the knowledge we had a great Spring 'Ganza.

- We continued on discussing the event as the sale closed on Sunday. Between various conversations we were coming up with ideas on what to do for the fall, including what plants we needed to grow and what plant groups we needed to expand upon. So many species, so little time. Earlier in the day, I took a few posed shots and figured to end the topic with Larry, Karen and Cara along with Jeff and Travis smiling away. I should've had them wave at the camera, but oh well.

Ryan

--<

P.S. - That is a Dypsis prestoniana in behind Cara in the first photo...