PSSC MAY 2025 MEETING IN SEAL BEACH, OC CA

[DoomsDave]

Everyone, we are pleased to announce that the PSSC's meeting on May 17, 2025 will be in Seal Beach, Orange County, in two gardens, by the sea. One is older, the other is relatively new.  The last time the older garden (Snyder's) hosted a PSSC meeting was in the 1990s, about 30 years ago. 

 

Garden No. 1: Home and garden of Kenny Lam, 4741 Ironwood Ave, Seal Beach, CA 90740. Mr. Lam has been growing palms at his current location for 13 years. Several of his beauties were planted in his early years there, after he replaced much of the native clay soil with a more grow-friendly mixture.

On approach to his property, a blue Bismarckia nobilis and a "Silver Sword" stand out. Other highlights include: "Tri Bears" (yes, plural), Chambeyronia watermelon, hookeri and houliou, Dypsis lafamazanga, Pritchardia martii, a young Bentinckia condapanna, a large Beccariophoenix alfredii and more. Kenny is a master propagator of plants in general: his handiwork is all over his garden, with ti plants, plumeria, bromeliads, aroids, orchids and more providing understory color and form. 

 

Garden No. 2: Home and garden of Steve Snyder, 601 Seabreeze Drive, Seal Beach, CA 90740. Steve has been cultivating his palm garden since the '80's when he joined the Palm Society. His tropical garden lies in seaside Seal Beach, mere blocks from the ocean. Highlights include mature specimens of Normanbya normanbyi, Hedyscepe canterburyana, Latania lontaroides and Dictyosperma, plus Ravenea glauca, Chambeyronia macrocarpa and several Burretiokentia species as well as Polyandrococos caudescens. All this plus mature cycads, plumeria and heliconia. 

 

The Palm Society has not visited Steve's garden since the '90's; it will be well worth our attention to witness what decades of palm growing looks like.

 

POTLUCK LUNCH

 

We'll be having a potluck lunch with chicken provided. Bring your favorite dish to share; meat, vegetables, dessert, or any combination all greatly appreciated. Make it yourself, or buy and bring it - if you like it, we will too! If it's your grandma's favorite recipe, so much the better. We don't care if your grandma was from Chicago, Cairo or Caracas. Cook it up and we'll eat it! Come feast on food, and the joint joys of palms and good fellowship on a glorious late spring day.   

 

AUCTION

 

There will be an auction at this meeting. Donors have a choice of donating 100% of the proceeds to the PSSC (we appreciate that!) or 50% (we appreciate that, too!) The focus is on rare palms, in 1 to 5 gallon containers, though larger ones will be accepted. Also good are nice palm-themed objects d'art, and other exotic plants, including but not limited to, bromeliads, fancy Ficus, etc. We accept credit cards, checks, and good old cash, though, due to expenses relating to credit card transactions, we greatly appreciate cash and checks, if possible. 

 

Since we have a limited time in which to conduct the auction, we ask that donors provide plants that will realistically sell for at least $20. Please no Washingtonias, Phoenix canariensis, etc. We also appreciate liners and "freebie" plants as well for the plant raffle.

 

Thanks to all of our donors! 

 

 

ITINERARY:

9:30 AM Board of Directors Meeting

10:30 AM Begin Tour Kenny Lam Garden

11:30 AM Depart Lam Garden

11:45 AM Arrive to the Steve Snyder garden and begin tour

12:45 PM Potluck lunch

1:15 PM Finish tour of garden,

2:00 PM Begin Formal Meeting, Announcements

2:30 PM Plant Auction and Raffle

3:30 PM Adjourn Meeting – Clean Up Help Requested

 

REMEMBER:

Bring hot or cold dish for the Potluck

Bring donations for Auction and Raffle