A Palm Garden I found Today!

[BS Man about Palms]

That looks like an old PURE Rupicola!!

[Kris]

Dear Brandan

Fentastic location and it looks like a place where real palm enthusiest would love to a take a pilgrimage...I find peace there...And its more a palm jungle with old mature palm specimens left undisturbed..

Thanks for such beautiful stills of that place..

Lots of love,

Kris

[Hollywood Palms]

Great story and pictures-thanks!

David

[Gonzer]

Wow, if only palms could talk. Truly exceptional!

[plantapalm]

Alright Here are some more.... This is the Latania that was mentioned by Tala in an earlier response.

[plantapalm]

The Liv. Saribus was hard to photograph because of its location growing next to a large oak cramping its space. It has to be over 25ft tall.

[plantapalm]

another look at the Zombie the tallest is over 10ft

[plantapalm]

and a few more of the Copernicas the bailey is on the left

[paulgila]

who is the guy sitting in the parking lot in the 2nd to last pic?

what an incredible place!

[plantapalm]

That is my friend Rick, he lives in the community. With it getting dark earlier we ran out of time, he has told me of a few other areas that I still have not gotten to. While I was there I had a great conversation with the lady in charge of the property. She has agreed that if I help with ids I can come over as often as I like and have lots and lots of seeds. They would like to have new plaques made some of the original plaques still linger around fallen over in the hedges or faded to nothing. The unbelievable part is no one in the community even has a clue on what they have at their clubhouse and trails even right in their own yard. I have not snapped to many pics of the palms in the yards, because I have not made it through all the trails, but there are some monsters just in the yards alone.

Does anyone have ids for post 39 and the first 2 pics from 40

Here are a few more of the clubhouse. Bromeliads grow in all of the oak trees along with everywhere else.

Edited October 17, 2008 by plantapalm

[Tala]

#39 is a Mule (Butyagrus hybrid)

#40 is Sabal rosei

[bubba]

Michael, You have located a treasure!Those mature Copernicia bailyana's and macrolosa are incredible together with all the other items.The history lesson is a perfect demonstration of how well this Board can work to solve those intricacies that otherwise would be lost forever.If you gave tours,I would pay for admission! Thank you.

[plantapalm]

Alright I have more History on this Palm Garden! One of the original homeowners has a few stories that were printed on it. I have scanned them so you all can read them. Along with the layout of the new community with all the nature walks. Also I have a little more background straight from Moffie Bidlingmayer. I will post her story in quotes

"Brandan, I shall provide you with a brief history for your pictures; I would appreciate it if you would post this for others who have an interest.

Bill and I were married in 1950 shortly after he received his master's in Entomology at the University of Florida. As a Research Entomologist, Bill was one of the first persons to be hired for the new "Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory" on Oslo Road in Vero Beach. In 1954, we purchased a 47 acre tract (undeveloped land...just as the Indians left it) located 1.5 miles south of the lab and about 3 miles south of McKee Jungle Gardens.

We were very lucky to find this property between U. S. 1 and the Indian River...just north of the Indian River/St. Lucie County line. Bill was especially lucky that much of the land was perfect for growing many palm trees...organic soil with plenty of moisture and a pH about 5.5. We were on a tight budget so ALL of the palms started out as very small plants (most in gallon cans) or actually from seed. (I later shipped palm seeds all over the world from these palms.)

Many palms (and other plants) died because of cold weather despite various efforts to protect them. During the 33 years we were there, the coldest temperature was 24 degrees F However, just a few years after we sold the property in 1987, the temperature dropped to 18 degrees F. Bill and I visited the property several times after selling it and we were delighted to see how many palms survived 18 degrees. Of course, by that time many had their buds "up in the air" confirming Bill's belief all along that if he could just get the palms taller, they would have a better chance of surviving. However, Bill had given up on coconut palms long ago. For many years, Bill planted a replacement every time the coconut palm died but he finally gave up on that.

Throughout much of our time there, Bill's palm collection was >100 palms; palms lost to cold were replaced with "newcomers". My Bromeliad collection was also >100 much of the time although my interest was more in plants that survived the winters. I also shipped Bromeliads all over the world.

I'm sorry that I can not help with identification; Bill went to great effort to maintain labels but with little success.

When we retired in 1987, we sold our remaining 37 acres to one of the Mackle brothers (from Miami) who also purchased an old orange grove with frontage on U. S. 1. Our modest house was bulldozed; the homesite with the leaning oak and small pond (fed by a 6" artesian well) are now the site for the Community Building and swimming pool. Many plants were transplanted to a "holding area" while homes were being constructed. However, not surprisingly, many plants did not survive the transplanting. The large Royal Palms were not part of Bill's collection. A few of Bill's Royal Palms did survive.

Your pictures and interest represent the fulfillment of Bill's dream to "leave something for others to enjoy"; he would be proud that his efforts were successful. Bill passed peacefully in his sleep last April at the age of 88. I relocated to Boise, Idaho to be near our daughter and her family.

Moffie Bidlingmayer "

[paulgila]

looking at this thread again there are some great pix & amazing palms there!

[Jeff in St Pete]

Alright I have more History on this Palm Garden! One of the original homeowners has a few stories that were printed on it. I have scanned them so you all can read them. Along with the layout of the new community with all the nature walks. Also I have a little more background straight from Moffie Bidlingmayer. I will post her story in quotes

"Brandan, I shall provide you with a brief history for your pictures; I would appreciate it if you would post this for others who have an interest.

Bill and I were married in 1950 shortly after he received his master's in Entomology at the University of Florida. As a Research Entomologist, Bill was one of the first persons to be hired for the new "Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory" on Oslo Road in Vero Beach. In 1954, we purchased a 47 acre tract (undeveloped land...just as the Indians left it) located 1.5 miles south of the lab and about 3 miles south of McKee Jungle Gardens.

We were very lucky to find this property between U. S. 1 and the Indian River...just north of the Indian River/St. Lucie County line. Bill was especially lucky that much of the land was perfect for growing many palm trees...organic soil with plenty of moisture and a pH about 5.5. We were on a tight budget so ALL of the palms started out as very small plants (most in gallon cans) or actually from seed. (I later shipped palm seeds all over the world from these palms.)

Many palms (and other plants) died because of cold weather despite various efforts to protect them. During the 33 years we were there, the coldest temperature was 24 degrees F However, just a few years after we sold the property in 1987, the temperature dropped to 18 degrees F. Bill and I visited the property several times after selling it and we were delighted to see how many palms survived 18 degrees. Of course, by that time many had their buds "up in the air" confirming Bill's belief all along that if he could just get the palms taller, they would have a better chance of surviving. However, Bill had given up on coconut palms long ago. For many years, Bill planted a replacement every time the coconut palm died but he finally gave up on that.

Throughout much of our time there, Bill's palm collection was >100 palms; palms lost to cold were replaced with "newcomers". My Bromeliad collection was also >100 much of the time although my interest was more in plants that survived the winters. I also shipped Bromeliads all over the world.

I'm sorry that I can not help with identification; Bill went to great effort to maintain labels but with little success.

When we retired in 1987, we sold our remaining 37 acres to one of the Mackle brothers (from Miami) who also purchased an old orange grove with frontage on U. S. 1. Our modest house was bulldozed; the homesite with the leaning oak and small pond (fed by a 6" artesian well) are now the site for the Community Building and swimming pool. Many plants were transplanted to a "holding area" while homes were being constructed. However, not surprisingly, many plants did not survive the transplanting. The large Royal Palms were not part of Bill's collection. A few of Bill's Royal Palms did survive.

Your pictures and interest represent the fulfillment of Bill's dream to "leave something for others to enjoy"; he would be proud that his efforts were successful. Bill passed peacefully in his sleep last April at the age of 88. I relocated to Boise, Idaho to be near our daughter and her family.

Moffie Bidlingmayer "

Thanks for posting this! What a great story about the Bidingmayers.

[Eric in Orlando]

Sounds like CFPACS needs to meet here again....

[plantapalm]

Sounds like CFPACS needs to meet here again....

I will work on making that happen for next year sometime!

[Guest LeftCoastAngler]

Thanks for sharing all this.

I'm glad those retirees can still relish all these pieces of history...

~LCA.

[_Keith]

Great palms, great story that is both heartlifting and saddening at the same time.

It is a shame there is not a picture collection, and more writings from back in the day that could be published here or elsewhere to help immortalize this couple's efforts.

Keith

[gyuseppe]

still photos, thanks

[gyuseppe]

still photos, thanks

[Jeff Searle]

Simply put....a great story for the whole International Palm Society to enjoy. Thanks immensely for sharing this rich history in central Florida.

Jeff

[palmislandRandy]

Magnificent! Thanks for sharing. It's not too far of a drive from here!

[bubba]

This is truly an amazing find, bringing together incredible mature palms(grown 50 years before this had become an obsession),out of the ordinary insight from a developer(the Mackles)and beautiful land.The story of the Mackles, who were truly good developers,with it's twists and turns,including the kidnap and survival of a daughter,who was buried alive,is one of the most riveting journies imaginable.All of this wild stuff tied up in this well developed Palm Grove.

[plantapalm]

Bubba I had to do some homework. WOW, I found the story of the kidnapping, it was before my time. I had not heard that. I found a few links a short History of Mackle that briefly mentions Garden Grove and the kidnapping story from TRU TV. Interesting Stuff to say the least, What a family building in FL for 100 years.

[bubba]

A truly great Florida family, who developed Marco Island,Deltona and numerous other communities with great fair mindedness and foresight.Unfortunately, things got out of control when an outside group bought the majority of their interest in the Company and did inappropriate,unMackle like things.My wife's grandfather was their Insurance man from the git-go.