The 22nd Annual Spring 'Ganza - Under the Dark Clouds

[Palmarum]

Searle Brothers Nursery, Inc. & The Rainforest Collection^® presented (barely)...

The 22nd Annual Spring Plant Extravaganza!

March 6th, 7th, 8th, - 13th, 14th, 15th - 2020

 

It is amazing how much of a difference a few weeks can make. A month ago, most of us behind the organization of the Spring 'Ganza were busy pulling plants, setting up sale stuff and otherwise had our noses buried deep in palms. News of the outbreak was still scantly covered in South Florida, with reports stating that it was mostly going on elsewhere, with the activity level at the south end of the state, and of the sale, seemingly unaffected. This was slowly changing during the week leading up to the first sale weekend. We kept one eye on the news and the other on the plants.

Prior to the Spring Extravaganza, the nursery had attended two very successful plant sales, one in Key West, the other in Ft. Myers. Both events drew heavily on the plant selection and both depleted the selection just as heavily. There were more than enough Palms available for the Spring 'Ganza, but the prior two sales did make a dent in quantity across the Palm family and other plant groups -- namely Crotons, which were a target of many during the two sales (especially in Ft. Myers, which is a Croton haven). There were over 315 Palm taxa (species, varieties, hybrids) available at the opening 'bell' on Friday morning. Some were represented by one size, others as many as five different sizes; from 4-inch to 200 gallon and most sizes in between. Certain taxa were present in the sales area in large numbers or blocks, while others had only a single plant residing on a table, with the duty to hold up its sign by itself. There were of course, a few unlisted specials that didn't make the sale list, but not many. Throughout the sales area, the different sections were packed with material. Every section had new species or varieties. I lost track of how many cards (or signs) were put out, but it was a lot. I ran out of stakes and almost ran out of clips. The total content of material was just about record-breaking for a Spring 'Ganza (except for Crotons).

 

Friday, March 6th

- 7:55AM - The morning of the first Friday was a mess from my point of view. I was running way behind schedule by the time I made it to the nursery. I had to make a stop beforehand, which I usually never do, so I was rushing through everything after I squeezed through the gate. As a bonus, as I was heading out the door on my way to the early stop, the news announced that the first cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Florida, at this time it was two cases near Central Florida. The sense of "Oh crap" was carried to the nursery. On my way west through Broward County, I noticed a thick line of dark clouds further to the west, seeming to heading right for the nursery (and the 'Ganza). The sense of "Oh crap" had strengthened to "Oh shit" as I drove faster hoping to beat the rain to the nursery. I had a lot of material with me that could not get wet. I managed to get to the nursery and to the shadehouse's white tent without getting rained upon, as it seemed the rain had shifted to the north somewhat. I rushed to set up the pre-sale stuff the best I could and grabbed my camera to head to the gate. I took a few 'bookend' photos of the area in front of the tent to start the process...

- Normally, when I have the time, I like to photograph the sidewalk area in the main shadehouse to get an overall look of the Palm selection before it gets attacked. Clean sidewalk, all the Palms in their spots, signs all ready, etc. But this time I had to defer as the sale opening was upon me. I took one shot in front of the tent, showing the Dwarf Betel Nut Palms, Areca catechu var. 'Dwarf', on the left and the Red Sealing Wax Palms, Cyrtostachys renda, on the right. (B) I did an immediate 180º turn, took another photo looking back up the sidewalk and then headed that way. Those red spots in the distance are red shirts belonging to volunteers Judy & Jim Glock. They were going ahead of me to the sales area entrance to greet customers.

- 7:57AM - I knew I was going to be late to catch the crowd coming in, but I had to try. As I exited the shadehouse and made the turn, Kylie Searle was heading towards me, letting everyone know the customers were coming. We were both moving fast as I took the photo. I kept this shot as it gives an idea of how dark the skies were. They were much darker just ten minutes earlier. (B,C) I reached the holding area and caught a partial crowd making their way to the sales area. Shooting from the hip, I photographed through golf carts to capture Jim Glock greeting customers. The initial crowd through the gate was smaller than usual, but there were a lot of cars parked outside. I figured the dark clouds either kept some in their vehicles or delayed those making their way to the nursery.

- Like usual, the first group of arriving customers dispersed and headed off in all directions. I turned around and followed a few of the initial customers to the shadehouse entrance. Judy Glock was following them in as well, heading to the Croton section to assist collectors in finding their most wanted cultivars. (B) The shadehouse entrance became a parking lot in seconds. The cloud cover was still apparent as it cut the light to low levels, making a speedy customer, croton-in-hand, blur as he moved to his cart.

 

A link back to the Spring 'Ganza topic in the For-Sale sub-forum: Spring Extravaganza - For-Sale Topic

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 7:59AM - Familiar faces in both the palm and croton worlds arrived and headed into their corresponding favorite sections. I tried to weigh options for where the best position to be to photograph, but at the same time I felt the slightest mist of drizzling rain.

- This was it for rainfall as it never intensified throughout the morning. What ever it was going to do, it did. Customers, staff and volunteers mingled along the main road next to the holding area. Jim and Jeff greeted customers and offered them directions as to where their future favorite plants may lie.

- 8:01AM - The rush at the gate was definitely lower than normal, even for a first Friday of a Spring 'Ganza. We wondered if it was due to the weather or other reasons. It continued to show dark clouds in the area, especially to the north. The Bromeliad section was primed and ready. Every square-inch of space was used and it was loaded with color, simple yet effective eye candy. The customer on the left thought the section was photo worthy as well. (B) In the familiar red shirt, Larry Searle keeps everything organized up front as more customers continued to arrive.

- The Croton selection was being picked through with haste, as collectors searched to find their favorites. Judy was helping them locate one cultivar after another. It was great that she was able to do so, as I am not too helpful in the section. The cultivars are not organized into any particular fashion, mostly to keep it random. Very rare cultivars are mixed in with more common ones, to give everyone an equal chance of finding them.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:03AM - I could sense the thrall of Palm enthusiasts in action, so I followed the sounds of pots landing in carts and journeyed down the sidewalk. Along the way, I came across a 7 gal. Hydriastele sp. 'Highland Form' waiting for its ride to begin. It is an undescribed species at the moment and is very similar to one of the old Gronophyllum members before the genus was lumped in with Hydriastele. (B) A few more steps brought me to the sidewalk intersection, always a hub of activity with the tables and tent nearby. My eyes locked in on one cart, loaded with a notable palm I figured would not rest on the sidewalk for long. Those deeply divided fan leaves belong to an extremely rare or more suitably titled, 'Beyond Rare' species, Borassodendron borneense.

- Jaunting over to the far side, I took another shot of the cart as a mental note to remember the super rare palm. On the left, those distinctive entire fan leaves stood out -- belonging to the multi-size grouping of Licuala peltata var. sumawongii. Customers continued to flow into the shadehouse and make their way into the selection. (B) The tables were ready and were promptly perused by collectors with strong intent and little discretion. The art of the Palm nut in action. The cart held two collectors' favorites of undivided leaves; a 3 gal. Licuala thoana and a 3 gal. Johannesteijsmannia magnifica.

- 8:06AM - The undescribed Hydriastele sp. 'Highland Form' seen just above was joined by a 7 gal. Licuala fordiana. (B) I had to make a point to go back and photograph the Borassodendron borneense in more detail, as I may never see another specimen grown in a container again. I never knew Jeff Searle had this palm, it was just another treasure buried in the shadehouses. When I saw the name on his draft palm list I was surprised. I had not laid eyes on this species since the mid-1990s; during a palm sale featuring the great vendor, collector and backyard grower Shirley Mayotte. She had a one-leaf seedling for sale, it was extremely expensive and I believe it sold that sale or the next. I had not seen the species again until this week. It is also known as "the other Borassodendron" as the genus has but two species, with its cousin B. machadonis being more common and definitely the more easy one to obtain. (C) A close-up of the very sharp petioles. I could go on and on describing the reasons behind its rarity, but more photos await. Just look at it and drool.

- The Doctor is in. Familiar faces of the Palm world gather by the tables to discuss said world. From left to right, Doug Wood, Forum members Rick Hawkins (rick), Tracy Sutherland (Tracy S) and Mike Harris (waykoolplantz) listen to Jeff Searle. I think they were talking about the next Biennial, I wasn't too sure. (B) Faster moving empty carts transitioned to slower, loaded conveyances as the opening moments of the sale unfolded.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:11AM - The palm talk enriched confab continued. Pun intended. During the discussions, Jeff had made a quick run through the tables and found a few cards (in his hand) belonging to species that were now sold out. (B) Here one minute, gone the next. I had to raise my camera while answering questions and shoot in a hurry, as collector Steve Resh darted past with a new species in his hands, a 7 gal. Heterospathe uniformis. It was so new, that it was one of a few species that didn't have a sign card. At least now I didn't have to make the card for the second weekend.

- 8:17AM - A growing collection. Pun intended as well. There were many in the group, with space in the cart for more. From what I can see, (left to right), there was a 1 gal. Dypsis forficifolia with the red emergent leaf, a 1 gal. Chamaedorea klotzschiana, a 3 gal. Calyptrocalyx of either one or two species, a 1 gal. Pinanga speciosa and a 1 gal. Licuala naumannii. In the far background, a 1 gal. Dypsis mirabilis was hiding its Candy Cane-colored features. (B) With a moment clear of customers, I photographed the tables already showing empty spaces among the table cloths.

- 8:20AM - The cart carrying the three-gallons, Licuala thoana and Johannesteijsmannia magnifica seen above, was now on the move and picking up more passengers. They were joined by a 1 gal. Lanonia acaulis, a 2 gal. Iguanura geonomiformis and a much larger 7 gal. Areca concinna. (B) Volunteer and FM. Jim Glock (jglock1) guides a customer to a palm group behind me, as I move in on another extensive collection building in another cart.

- The cart was packed. Some of the palms were double stacked to get them all in there. (B) A massive living jigsaw puzzle. On the far left, under the sign showing striped petioles is a 1 gal. Snakeskin Palm, Caryota ophiopellis. That small bushy three gallon towards the left is a Super Dwarf Lady Palm, Rhapis excelsa cv. 'Super Dwarf'. A grouping of 1 gal. Kentiopsis oliviformis juts out towards the camera at the center of the frame. That paddle leaf towards the right, hanging over the edge of the cart, belongs to a 1 gal. Iriartea deltoidea. Too many more within the batch to describe. In the next cart down to the right, a lone, yet extremely rare 1 gal. Areca subacaulis has a cart all to itself.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:22AM - Questions and inquires lead me outside to the main road. Along the way I took another shot of the intersection, as carts became portable holding areas.

- Locating a couple full sun palm species for a customer put me in a position to monitor the main road. Traffic along this popular stretch of sales area was increasing steadily as we crossed the halfway mark in the first hour of the day.

- 8:30AM - Similar questions and location queries lead me back inside. It was getting more active for sure. That one fully loaded cart seen above was packed with all sorts of goodies, seen here from the opposite end. There were two, 3 gal. Dypsis fibrosa to the right of center with the larger pinnate leaves. An overgrown 1 gal. Reinhardtia latisecta var. 'Compacta' is sitting just to the left of the two D. fibrosa, with the broad leaflets. Closest to the foreground with the silver coloration, is a 1 gal. Hemithrinax ekmaniana.

- 8:36AM - FM. Randy Wiesner (palmislandRandy) inspects a tall, trunking specimen of Hydriastele beguinii; mostly obscured except for a segment of thin trunk. Doing most of the obscuring, is a grouping of Carpoxylon macrospermum. (B) He continues to work his way through the selection, as the second half of the sidewalk becomes crowded with others doing the same.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:38AM - A landscape design in progress. In addition to the 7 gal. Bottle Palm, Hyophorbe lagenicaulis, a pair of 3 gal. Black Varnish Plants and a couple Mammey Crotons wait to see what else joins the plan. The Black Varnish Plant is one of many Pseuderanthemum's in existence. It seems there are more of them now than ever, with more cultivars on the way. The full binomial of the Black Varnish Plant is Pseuderanthemum carruthersii var. atropurpureum cv. 'Rubrum', in case you wanted to know. (B) Customers and what I would assume as friends debate the finer points of "Who gets What." In the distance, down the road on the right in red, is volunteer, plantsman and FM. Tim O'Donnel (kwtimo). He is guiding a customer through the full sun palms, including that 25 gal. Dictyosperma album var. conjugatum that he is about the walk behind.

- Black Varnish Plants were popular this sale, probably because of their size. This one shared a cart with a selection of Bromeliads, including a rather unique species, Aechmea tayoensis, sitting at front-left. (B) When in doubt, keep adding them on. There is always room for one more. A cart gets fully loaded with a range of different plants, mostly selected from along the main road. Those low, flowering branches belong to a Congea tomentosa, or Wooly Congea. It is half flowering tree, half sprawling flowering viney-shrub. There is an old, famous specimen at Fairchild Gardens.

- 8:50AM - A mystery plant in the middle of the topic, go figure. This is a Sedum of some kind that has been grown at the nursery for some time, but no one has ever been able to get a name on it. The flowers appear a little more yellow in bright light. If you know the name of it, post it here or send it to me in a message or an email. It's been one of those landscape plants that has never had a sign card.

- As the first hour mark approaches, any signs that it was going to be a slow day had disappeared. 

Ryan

[Silas_Sancona]

Ryan,

 Mystery plant looks a lot like a variety of Aptenia cordifolia, often referred to as Baby Sunrose/ Heartleaf Ice Plant. If not A. cordifolia, very likely another Aptenia, or a closely related Genus in the Aizoaceae / Ice Plant family. 

[waykoolplantz]

Ryan...as soon as we can get out n about y’all will need to come by for supper and see the Borneense in the ground back by the bigass BorASSus  

[Jeff Searle]

Ryan......THANKS as USUAL! We were so lucky to get the sale off. nice pictures so far of many good friends that came out. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Jeff

[kinzyjr]

@Palmarum Thank you for the pictures and the accompanying commentary on each.  Makes me feel like I was there.

[palmfriend]

Ryan,

 

as always a great documentation, thank you very much! The palmy images are very much appreciated, helping

me to get some new ideas for my "most wanted" list... (if seeds are available)

All the best and please stay safe!

Lars

 

[Palmarum]

On 4/6/2020 at 1:40 AM, Silas_Sancona said:

Ryan, Mystery plant looks a lot like a variety of Aptenia cordifolia, often referred to as Baby Sunrose/ Heartleaf Ice Plant. If not A. cordifolia, very likely another Aptenia, or a closely related Genus in the Aizoaceae / Ice Plant family. 

Thanks, Nathan, A. cordifolia looks just like it. Plus, it seems there are multiple flower-color forms or varieties; yellow, orange, purple even a variegated variety that looks interesting. Baby Sunrose it is. It is ironic, as I was at a nursery not long ago and came upon a type of Ice Plant. They are kind-of scarce here in S. Florida, but some types seem to be grown. The one I saw had thin, succulent, upright leaves and a purple, daisy-like flower. I didn't get the name nor the plant, but I should have, it looked interesting.

 

On 4/6/2020 at 2:37 AM, waykoolplantz said:

Ryan...as soon as we can get out n about y’all will need to come by for supper and see the Borneense in the ground back by the bigass BorASSus  

I am glad you got it Mike, as I knew it was going to a good home. It should love that spot in the corner by the Borassus, it would like that shaded, rain forest-like environment.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:57AM - The regular Friday morning rush was on, and it spared no palm, large or small. I was bouncing back and forth from one section to the next when I came across a customer who needed help loading a couple large palms. First, was this 15 gal. Phoenicophorium borsigianum, orange highlights and entire leaves included. (B) Within seconds, we moved to the opposite side of the sidewalk in the same spot and grabbed the 25 gal. Verschaffeltia splendida -- then headed out the side entrance of the shadehouse. I had to extend the fabric door as high as it could go to get both palms safely through. The V. splendida was sporting a flawless set of perfectly-angled stilt roots.

- The customer made the turn and carefully guided the two large palms down the main road. I was happy the tires were holding. I could see the future setting of these two species forming the base of a Seychelles collection. Amazingly, during this 'Ganza, we actually had 5 of the 6 species endemic to the Seychelles; out for sale in different sizes. You can guess the one species we didn't have available.

- 9:00AM - Color. As I was following the duo down the road, I had to get a shot of the block of color formed by the spread of Guzmania and Vriesia bromeliads.

- Within a few minutes, the cartload of palmness made its way straight to the loading spot by the holding area. (B) The larger of the two, the V. splendida, was quickly loaded onto a waiting trailer, by the customer and Travis Searle.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 9:02AM - Next up, the Phoenicophorium borsigianum. Any palm with a complement of spines deserves extra care. More for you than the palm. The customer, along with help from volunteer Mark, heave the palm onto the trailer. (B) Mark spreads the two palms apart and aligns them along the center of the trailer. With one finger, he goes in close to check just how sharp the spines may be.

- The Seychelles duo will have to wait a bit before making it through to the checkout. There was a line ahead of them, consisting of loaded trailers, carts and golf carts. The receipt writers were making their way down the line. (B) The various orders held material from throughout the sales area. That tall palm near the front of the line was a robust Sugar Palm, Arenga pinnata.

- One order was packed with an assortment of plants from many different sections. It had a lot of Crotons, Bromeliads, flowering vines, Aroids and a few exotic flowering shrubs. (B) Another shot of that cart seen above with the Congea tomentosa. All those pale pink flowers, bracts and branches belong to one three gallon plant. It really is an amazing and unique sprawling viney shrub. It was joined by a healthy hodge-podge of plant material, including a Purple Prince Rose, a Beach Hibiscus, yellow and purple Epidendrum orchids, and those two flowering shrubs at the front of the cart, Suessenguthia multisetosa. 

- 9:04AM - The side road across from the Barn and BBQ area held many of the Tropical Flowering Trees and other one-of-a-kind material that didn't quite fit into any of the regular sales area sections. It was a lot to look through, including some of the weirder and more bizarre plants. (B) Palm people walk single-file to hide their numbers. On the left, Tracy, Rick and Doug saunter down the side road looking at stuff.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 9:26AM - [grunt... lift... then boom] I heard the sounds of a large potted palm getting lifted and placed into a cart behind me. I turned to find a large 10 gal. Hydriastele dransfieldii sitting on a customer's cart. Jeff was on his way down to assist, but the customer beat him to it. (B) A minute later, another customer was asking about a palm species along the sidewalk that also existed in the landscaping area behind the BBQ. They wanted to see the 'big one' so I led them to it. Along the way I passed FM. Ron Kiefert (Moose), Jeff and Jim as they were hashing it out about something in the plant world.

- 9:36AM - The grouping of Red Sealing Wax Palms, Cyrtostachys renda, are always a conversation piece during the Extravaganza. It is amazing how many people, even those who are not much into plants, will come to the sale wanting to see this palm. Jeff is seen here describing the ins and outs of growing this exotic palm in one's collection.

- 9:52AM - A hastily taken photo, but a funny one. In the midst of heavy traffic at the shadehouse entrance, between walking customers, moving carts and fully loaded ones, I took a speedy, point-blank shot of Steve in his neon yellow shirt, passing by with his load of palms. He was actually bringing them back to exchange them for two other ones. In taking the shot, I caused Tracy to move to her right, as if she was dodging a bullet, Matrix style. Neo would have been proud.

- 10:01AM - With that neon shirt, Steve was everywhere today. He is seen here not grabbing a palm, but selling one to another customer. I was too focused on the Semi-Dwarf Betel Nut Palm, Areca catechu cv. 'Semi-Dwarf', sitting on the cart to notice which one he and the customer were discussing. (B) I had to take another shot because this palm was perfect. With the overcast skies and camera flash, it's hard to tell just how dark green the palm was in person. I know many are obsessed with the more popular Dwarf form, but I think the Semi-Dwarf form is very cool and highly ornamental in all respects.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:33AM - There was consistent sales traffic throughout the morning leading into the midday hour. There was always a line at the checkout, but it was moving quickly, keeping pace with the orders as they arrived in line. Mark gives the situation two thumbs up as he drives the tractor. An injured Amber Searle, sans red shirt but with crutches, writes up multiple orders on the trailer. (B) Amber carefully moves to the back of the trailer to separate the plants into different orders.

- 10:54AM - The lucky person who have purchased the behemoth 65 gal. Dwarf Betel Nut Palm, Areca catechu cv. 'Dwarf', would also receive a growing set of seed. They still needed to get larger and turn orange. There is a slight chance that one of those seed will become an offspring that will look like the parent. A larger percentage will be semi-dwarf specimens, at varying degrees of dwarf stature. As I was photographing the seed, I began to hear the approaching sound of giggling. I went around the palm to the sidewalk and found (B) Kylie Searle passing by as she was hitching a ride on a large aluminum cart, unaware to the driver.

- A packed cart makes its way through the sidewalk intersection, complete with a broad sampling of plant material. The banana is a Hua Moa hybrid and those purple racemes belong to a bushy Mexican Bush Sage, Salvia leucantha. (B) It's easier to hide on a cart full of palms, when all the plants were seven gallon-sized specimens and you are seven years old. The cart was filling up fast, more so when the customer was skipping one and three-gallon sized material and going straight to the seven's. It's hard to spot all the palms based on their, well 'bases', but from I can see (left to right): the reddish leaf bases of Dypsis heteromorpha, a Heterospathe brevicaulis with the white glaucous leaf bases in the foreground, a thin-trunked Chamaedorea glaucifolia (tied with yellow tape), behind it is a set of stilt roots belonging to an Areca novohibernica, and a Licuala peekelii sits next to Kylie's knees.

- 11:06AM - It didn't take long, but Kylie had to give up her seat on the cart. It was getting full as it moved down the sidewalk. The cart looks small when it's loaded with only seven gallon palms. The customer squeezing by on the left smiled as he was giving the load a wide berth, after noticing the spines on the Salacca magnifica. (B) The S. magnifica was one of the last palms to be loaded before the cart headed out, bound for the holding area.

Ryan

[Tracy S]

great job describing this sale Ryan. I love reading your blogs. This is helping us through this stay at home pandemic by allowing us to ramble virtually through the shade houses. Keep up the good work.

[Palmarum]

1 hour ago, Tracy S said:

great job describing this sale Ryan. I love reading your blogs. This is helping us through this stay at home pandemic by allowing us to ramble virtually through the shade houses. Keep up the good work.

Thanks, it's been weird being stuck in one spot for an extended period of time. I do manage to perform some 'midnight gardening' via my bike. It's good exercise to see what's blooming and growing in the neighborhood. I have been looking through my photos and notes to see what other topics I might now have the time to do. There are always an event or two I've photographed but never seem to have the time to post.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 3:09PM - The activity and customer traffic on Friday began to slow down around midday. Some of the later arrivals would leave to get lunch and then return in the afternoon hours. It picked up again as we got closer to three in the afternoon, as people got off work early to attend. In the Bromeliad section, landscape designer Candy discusses possible garden ideas with customers. There were a few noticeable holes in the selection, as the newer cultivars and varieties were picked through by collectors. 

- 3:38PM - Kylie, Carson and even Dumbo2 got into the action as they were serving as guides for one customer. Kylie would tell them where to go, Carson would pull the cart, and Dumbo2 would check for food. In the background, Jeff runs around on his golf cart pulling plants for Saturday.

- 3:49PM - It was getting late in the day. With an hour left in the first Friday of the sale, crew and volunteers would start gathering up front. Carson is ready to go, for where ever the golf cart would lead. He waits next to Amelia and her mother, Gloria.

- 4:10PM - Customers continued to arrive until closing. We even had to shoo a few away at five o'clock. I was in solid plant mode all day, so I had been disconnected from any news reports during the sale. I did get a sense that people were checking their phones more often than usual. On the left next to the Fruit Tree section, (B) Carson shows one of his toy excavators to Amadeo who in turn explains to Carson what every little part does. It was almost time for the Post Tour at Jeff's house. I was wondering who was going to attend with the growing outbreak looming over everything.

 

Ryan

[Palmarum]

Friday Post Tour - Searle Residence

- 5:25PM - With the completion of the first day of the sale, it was time for the customary after party of sorts at Jeff's house that we call the Post Tour. It consists of everyone and anyone that spent the day at the nursery. It is mostly volunteers that attend, but it really is for anyone who wants to come. There is always an incredible dinner spread provided with expert skill by Jim & Judy Glock, who were a part of the first to arrive, drinks in hand. They usually leave early to get the food ready. With dinner cooking, they began the 'walk and talk' with Kylie and Darryl Windham, horticulture manager of the Naples Zoo. Darryl was wearing a perfect shirt for the Post Tour, it reads "Cocktails and Palm Trees" (B) More people arrive, either hanging out inside the house or heading straight out to the yard to look around. Travis arrived and was relaxing when he got a visit from Bacardi, the hospitality cat. purrrr...

- 5:31PM - After putting a drink in my own hand, I headed out to join the tour. The first step onto the patio had me face-to-face with one of my favorite orchids in the yard. This intensely red Cattleya has a name, but it's written on a tag that is now buried by plant and roots. It has a great fragrance as well, multiplied by numerous flowers on one plant.

- A few feet away lies one of the larger clumps of the Hybrid Sealing Wax Palm, Cyrtostachys sp. 'Hybrid'. It always wants to be photographed. No crowd around it this time, as others had moved onto other areas of the yard or were hanging out indoors. This clump continues to grow taller and taller, with more and more suckers and stems. (B) One of the first inflorescences I've been able to photograph.

- The clump had an earlier, older inflorescence, but that one was buried in the crown of leaves. The flowers on this one had not opened yet, and if they had, I would have wanted to get a closer look to see how they were constructed. The rachilla seem to be twisty and quite random in their arrangement. (B) The main stem has a very robust, almost stout crownshaft with nearly bulbous, overtly rounded leaf bases. When grown in full sun, these hybrids have very short petioles.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 5:33PM - I didn't know where to go next, but I did hear something about the Jade Vine, Strongylodon macrobotrys, flowering, so I headed to the pergola near the driveway. I found a couple of newly emerging pendant racemes on their way down from above. There were spikes heading down through the leaf litter, so more blooms were on their way. This particular raceme would be pressed into service during the second weekend of the sale.

- I heard voices and followed them. In any other situation this may be scary, but not on a garden tour. I crossed over the driveway and decided to catch up to one of the groups heading west through the front yard. Passing in front of the garage once again, I noticed the setting sun illuminating the Bismarck Palms, Bismarckia nobilis, that line the driveway. A cool shot, I always try to take it when the timing is right. (B) I made the turn by the garage and noticed Judy and Darryl had made it to the new planting area in the front yard.

- In the newer planting area, there were all sorts of surprises that were continually being added to the plot of land. A young Tahina spectabilis, how is this possible? A mystery indeed.

- 5:37PM - Along the fence, a rapidly growing Bauhinia bidentata was putting on a show of colorful flowers and bronze-orange foliage. Unlike the tree forming types of Bauhinia, this species is strictly a vine.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 5:39PM - I continued to follow the group counter-clockwise through the yard. I exited the front yard and headed west through the 'hillside' area, that runs between the house and the pond. Not far from the waters edge resides this chunky Borassus aethiopum. It has been slowly gaining size year after year. (B) The second photo was with flash.

- Meandering along the pathways and undergrowth, this area of the yard has some of the older plant collections, including a few separate Croton collections. This spot holds one of the many secluded seating areas, or garden nooks. Those large leaves belong to a planting of Dieffenbachia 'Mary Alice'. The trunks on the far left belong to an old Licuala spinosa; originally planted to provide shade to the area. On the right and in the distance, you can see fist-sized bundles of aluminum foil wrapped around the various Croton stems. These are air-layers in progress and will be part of the next crop of containerized Croton cultivars.

- 5:42PM - Adventuring back out into the sun, I left the shaded area behind and ran face-first into the behemoth Tahina spectabilis. This palm continues to ignore everything and just grows and grows. (B) Further into the southwest corner of the yard, I photographed the rare Neoveitchia brunnea that often serves as an identity test for enthusiasts. I wanted to make sure I got its photo, so as to monitor its rate of growth. I should have cut that one leaf off, but I left my cutters in the car.

- A few yards (meters) away, Darryl was looking over the tall specimen of Cyrtostachys elegans when he noticed a new inflorescence spathe adjacent to the crownshaft. I am not sure if this is the tree's first attempt at flowering or not, but it might be. (B) This palm was moved only a few years ago and has recovered nicely. It has put on a large set of fronds to make a full crown.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 5:46PM - I heard them voices again, this time for real. I could hear people gathering on the patio and Jeff's voice yelling into the beyond trying to find where everyone was. I began to make my way back to the patio when I came across the Tahina spectabilis once again. I photographed the giant leaf bases, but without a scale object. They are huge, take my word for it. (B) Located immediately next to the pool in a narrow landing strip, a Dwarf Areca Palm, Dypsis lutescens cv. 'Dwarf', happily coexists with cordylines and crotons. There are different cultivars of Dwarf Areca Palm's in existence. This particular one does not grow any larger. (C) It has every feature found on a regular Areca Palm, just miniaturized. I've noticed that many of the palm enthusiasts that visit the yard seldom recognize it.

- 5:50PM - I made it to the east edge of the patio and found Darryl, Travis and Judy making their way to meet Jeff, who had just arrived. Jeff had barely enough time to sit down, before Maui began to properly greet him in his own way. Jeff went on to ask where in the yard we had been already and told us that more guests of the Post Tour were on their way for walking, talking, drinks and dinner. We decided to take a seat and rest while waiting on the others to arrive.

- I found a comfy patio chair and looked around to see what I could photograph from a seated position. I aimed up and fired away, taking this shot of Moon, sky and a day's accumulation of dirt on my lens filter. (B) A dog toy presented itself followed by a bark and wagging tail. One toss later and Maui wasn't bringing it back.

- 6:01PM - Over my left shoulder, I looked up into the crown of a nearby Beccariophoenix fenestralis that shades the patio and part of the pool. (B) It has been in a constant state of flowering for years now. The black cord and lights seem to be a left over of the Christmas Party back in early December.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 6:06PM - 6:10PM - "Woof!" Elevating himself onto the round table, Maui sounds a warning bark that someone is approaching. The next group of Post Tour attendees had arrived and were making their way across the driveway and into the yard. (B) With our numbers now increased, we rose from our chairs and headed back into the yard. We had no plan of attack, so we made a zigzag path to the southeast corner of the yard, stopping by a Pelagodoxa henryana* along the way.

- The very corner of the yard, named Palm Circle was hard to reach due to recently felled branches and debris so we skipped it for now. We double backed, heading north along the east edge of the property and came across the mature specimen of Orania palindan. It had packed on some trunk diameter and was working on two of its first full infructescences. (B) I was able to get a close-up view of one of them. The fruit were the size of golf balls at the moment and they will get larger, almost baseball-size, before they change color and ripen. On a side note, there has been a lot of work on the genus Orania in recent years, the number of species is up to thirty; that is a lot from the days of only a handful of species.

- 6:13PM - Moving our way through the paths, we met up with other attendees that were just now arriving. This involves the use of human-based echolocation, which is the constant back-and-forth yelling of two people until they find each other. The huge American Oil Palm, Attalea cohune, that marks a key juncture of two pathways is always noticed during the tour. It has gotten so tall that it is hard to photograph the crown. (B) Past the juncture, we entered the land of the Caribbean giants, including this Copernicia gigas.

- We slowly meandered through the giants, making our way towards the driveway and the front gate area. Doug and Tracy had joined us, and were making their way through. (B) Back onto the driveway, I took notice of the Kentiopsis pyriformis that has marked this spot for some years now. It was seriously damaged by Hurricane Irma, two and a half years ago. Some might remember photos of the palm I have posted before. It has just about fully recovered, basically shedding all of its damaged leaves.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 6:18PM - The new arrivals had found each other and the regular tour goers as well, so we formed up into one group. We met up along the driveway near the front gate. Next to the gate, a long established section of Queen's Wreath, Petrea volubilis, was flowering profusely. It has been growing on the fence here for a long time. The flowers and bracts are in two, similar shades of purple.

- 6:20PM - The tour had reached the Kentiopsis pyriformis and it was receiving attention for the same reasons mentioned above, mostly for how much better it looks now than in years past. On the left, FM. Rick Hawkins (rick) [blue shirt] had arrived and joined the tour along with FM. Tim O'Donnel (kwtimo) who stood next to Jeff. Darryl was peeling off a bit of an old leaf base as he checks out the palm on the right. That pink tongue in the lower left corner belongs to Maui, as its hard to see the rest of the dog.

- We continued on, diving into the heavily planted area of the front yard. Tim and Darryl came across a striking example of Croton variability and quickly became enamored with it. (B) It is a one-of-a-kind, singular specimen of a cultivar named Indian Outlaw. It bears large, oak-leaf-shaped leaves that are intensely dark red and are quite shiny, as if they were treated with Leaf Shine. The plant originated as a purpose made hybrid. Jeff had received the plant as a seedling from a hybridizer in India. It was unnamed and thus needed one, so Jeff coined the moniker for it. As far as I know, there are no others in existence, as no offspring have yet to be propagated.

- 6:23PM - An unusual species of Areca became a subject of tour discussion. Jeff had 'lost' (mowed over) the name tag so we were trying to figure out what it might be. My guess was Areca camarinensis, but we would need to wait to see what the mature seed will look like. (B) This looks familiar. This front bed of the newer planting area was covered in this new Tradescantia that seemed to be growing everywhere. We had specimens of it out for sale during the first weekend of the 'Ganza, but it had no sign card as I wasn't sure what it was...

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 6:30PM - I began to photograph the Tradescantia in multiple ways, to get photos to be used on the sign card, if and when I figured it out. It was rather dark though as we were almost touring around in the night at this point. After the first weekend of the Extravaganza was over, I went to identify this plant and found out it is a hybrid between two species, Tradescantia pallida × sillamontana. The common name was a bit confusing, as it seemed to be a tie between two names, Pale Puma and Purple Fuzzy (slash) Purple Queen. I put both names on the card, which turned out nice and I had it ready for the second weekend. Unfortunately we had sold all the plants we had during the first weekend and thus had no need for the card. D'oh! You would be surprised how often this happens. At least the card will be early for the next sale.

- 6:33PM - Along the paved walkway that leads to the front door, one Hybrid Sealing Wax Palm, Cyrtostachys sp. 'Hybrid', decorates the entry way. We were discussing a theory surrounding this palm. This particular specimen seems to be affected by the average level of cold we get here each winter. It gets frayed and browns a bit, but recovers quickly every summer. The theory is, that this one hybrid is more of a percentage of Cyrtostachys renda (being more cold sensitive) than its other parent. Kinda like a 60-40 mix rather than a 50-50 cross. (B) It also seems to have more red in the crownshafts than that found in the other hybrid plants.

- Across the walkway an extremely rare species caught my attention, as I almost missed it in the darkness. I think it was recently planted and was positioned not far from the brick pavers nor the edge of the planting bed. This is Hydriastele selebica, a clustering species that has almost vanished from cultivation. Juveniles tend to get that those amber-orange petioles and rachises. It is a small palm known for its plumose leaves, similar to those found on a Foxtail Palm. This feature seems to be unique to this species within the genus.

- 6:34PM - We began to mingle around the front yard not far from the front door, as we had little light left to see with, minus flashlights. We continued to converse on everything as the sun vanished in the distance. On the right, Jim Glock had his attention stolen by a peculiar noise flying past in the dusk skies. We heard it and he saw it. It was either an owl or a bat. We received word that dinner was ready so we retired to the kitchen and living room for what was to be a great dinner. The next couple of hours were consumed in the way of food and Palm talk.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

Saturday, March 7th

- 8:24AM - Saturday morning brought a change in both the sale and in the impact of the outbreak, soon to be a pandemic. Overnight and into this morning, the news was reporting the first two cases of COVID-19 in Broward county. The sense of activity while driving through Broward was different. The traffic did seem lighter. I was, expectantly, early to arrive at the nursery. I got everything set up and ready in the shadehouse and sales area. We did have customers at the gate but any sense of a rush was absent. The gate was left open before 8:00am and customers began to wander in a few at a time. As time went on, the flow of customers increased. As soon as I grabbed my camera, I noticed these two checking out the plants on the tables...

- The one in the hat turned out to be Kylie, appearing much taller than she did the day before. She was giving a tour to Melissa, who was new to the 'Ganza. Her and her husband were getting into palms. They were at the Post Tour the night before, guests of Tim O'Donnel, and were among the later arrivals. Kylie was deep into reciting the description of Licuala mattanensis 'Mapu', of which we only had a single plant left for sale. She was reading with dramatic effect when she (B) turned at the right moment to shock Melissa with an unbelievable palm fact! Of which I couldn't hear.

- 8:27AM - A jaunt outside was taken to check on the early customer traffic. It was still slow for a Saturday morning. (B) Zooming in showed different plant orders being processed near the holding area.

- Turning around, I noticed Tim and his friend Mark checking out the big Talipot Palm, Corypha umbraculifera, growing in the landscaping. Mark and his other half Melissa almost had the place to themselves. (B) They worked their way through the full sun palms and into the shadehouse, where Tim continued the tour with the table gallons.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 8:32AM - I forgot to mention that it was cold. Brrr. A cold front had moved through during the night and left us with some chilly temperatures in the morning, hence all the sweatshirts and jackets. It didn't take long for a customer mass to reach the tables and the intersection by the tent. (B) Mark navigates a couple loaded carts as Tim describes a few of the palms on the table to Melissa.

- 8:47AM - During the Post Tour the night before, Mark and Melissa quickly became known as "M&M" as people in attendance began to remember their names. People kept asking for M&M and others responded "What? Who has candy?" By that point in the Post Tour and dinner, the alcoholic content had reached a new level.

- 9:04AM - An hour into the morning and the activity level was fighting to get from first gear to second. (B) Customers slowly made their way to different sections, with many sticking to the main road. I couldn't tell if the outbreak was a part of most conversations or not, but it seemed quiet, even among the few conversations I did have. On the left, Candy helps a duo with their landscape plant needs.

- 9:38AM - Back at the tent, Jim and Melissa try to help Andrea figure out a plant as a cart becomes a portable holding area on the left. (B) It wasn't quite full, but it was getting there. It was currently holding five palms and one aroid, a 1 gal. Alocasia 'Lutea'. The selection of palms was nicely mixed across vastly different genera. It included, at the moment, (from left to right) a 3 gal. Chamaedorea arenbergiana with the long, broad leaflets; a 3 gal. Ptychosperma sp. 'Wotoboho' at the trailer corner; a 7 gal. Satakentia liukiuensis tall palm at center background; a 1 gal. Borassodendron machadonis with the simple palmate leaves; and a 3 gal. Cyrtostachys loriae in the left background, partially obscured.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:06AM - A customer who knows what they want and where to get it. Without hesitation, one palm enthusiast on a mission grabs two 3 gal. Chuniophoenix nana and heads out the side door of the shadehouse. Notice how the two specimens resemble the Lady Palms, Rhapis excelsa, on the right edge of the photo. C. nana is often used as a shorter, more compact substitute to Lady Palms. Hmm... That man on the left in the blue jacket looks familiar. (B) We were not sure as to what to expect for the day, in terms of what might or might not sell. We did have a run on seven gallon-sized material the day before, so we took advantage of the lull and pulled more palms; including another 7 gal. Salacca magnifica.

- 10:09AM - I was spending much of the morning between the main shadehouse and the main road, mostly where the palms were located. A look up the road was showing an increase of activity at the two hour mark of the day. More customers were arriving compared to those that were leaving. (B) A quick 180º turn had me noticing a large crowd that was localized in one spot at the end of the main road. At a moment of coincidence, most of the customers browsing the landscape plants were doing so at the end of the selection...

- Zooming out a bit, it was just strange to see it like this. Although, the selection of landscape ornamentals were bunched together on the left side, i.e. a lot of plants in a smaller area. (B) A couple carts were stationed in front of the full sun palm section. The two had a big difference in palm and plant material. The one on the right held a 7 gal. Blue Latan Palm, Latania loddigesii, and a 7 gal. Borhidi Palm hybrid, Coccothrinax × 'Borhidi Hybrid' (mostly obscured). The cart on the left had a mix of material, but did include a 1 gal. Bentinckia condapanna.

- After helping customers find some full sun palms, I noticed how thin the Full Sun and Caribbean Palm sections had become. Standing up on a boulder, I took two panning shots of the section. We sold a lot from here on Friday and Saturday morning. We would have to restock where we could.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 10:13AM - Few palms come close to the look and function of Ptychosperma schefferi. It is a truly multi-role species. The nursery makes sure to select only the best forms to grow. These include the specimens sporting the broad, upright leaflets and the conjoined leaflets found on the juvenile leaves. Two fifteen-gallon plants get grabbed and loaded one minute, then (B) out the door they go.

- 10:35AM - That's who that is. The blue jacket belongs to long time veteran collector, world traveler and FM. Ray Gompf (Ray G). He was already a well-known palm collector and plant explorer by the time I started in palms over 30 years ago. I took more photos of him but my luck, they all turned out crappy, blurry, obscured, etc. He is the very definition of a Palm Nut. Many enthusiasts like to get tattoos of palms, but if palm trees got tattoos... they'd get one of him.

- 10:42AM - Certain customers didn't want to wait for more plants to get pulled, they wanted them now. Mark helps a volunteer pick up and move a selected 15 gal. Dypsis prestoniana from behind the tape and guides it (B) to a waiting cart, with help from Judy.

- 10:50AM - "I dunno how many to get!" The selection process can be time consuming while dealing with palm addiction. We try to help as much as we can, but some choices are best made by customers when they are under the influence, of Palmness. There are books, websites and even Forums that can help... make any Palm Fix last longer. Relax and let it wash over you...

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:12AM - The after cold front weather was incredible. Clear skies, mild temperatures and low humidity. Not the best for tropical palms, but good people weather. The sunlight for most of the day was intense. The slower pace of the morning was giving way to more crowds and batches of customers flowed through the shadehouse. (B) It was nearing lunchtime and the peak activity level of the day was still to come. Judy walks towards the tent with a group of cards in one hand and an unused stake in the other. The pile of cards representing sold-out species was growing behind me on a table.

- 11:56AM - My nose took over and followed the scent of BBQ outside to the side road. I came across volunteer and veteran plantsman Derek Burch assisting customers in the purchase of a large Fiddle-leaf Fig, Ficus lyrata. (B) BBQ smoke consumed the area. With the low humidity, the smoke wafted through the air like a slow moving cloud.

- Due to its size and top-heavy nature, the Ficus was tied to a nearby post for support. When moved to the cart, the plant was still unwieldy. They were using some of the twine to secure it to the aluminum cart. (B) As soon as they began to move, the plant started to fall over and Derek immediately caught it mid-fall. He then decided to guide it for the trip to the holding area.

- 11:57AM - Time to grill up some burgers and hot dogs. We had plenty on hand and we went through quite a bit on Saturday. (B) Someone ordered a group to be well-done and they got it. [Wooosh]

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 11:59AM - Traditionally, the area of the side road across from the Barn becomes a parking lot for carts during lunchtime. This always happens, like clockwork.

- Under the Barn, lunch was early and underway. The BBQ was going for about thirty minutes at this point, so there was a good hour or so left in the food service. We had plenty of bottled water and drinks to go around.

- 12:01PM - I was waiting for the lunch line to go down a bit before getting my own food, so I went over to the holding area to see what was going on. One order was palm heavy and featured many in the larger sizes. (B) The familiar orange fence forms the border between holding area and sales area. We had so many plants to put out, that we needed the space immediately in front of the fence to serve as sales area.

- With a bit of glare on the lens, I panned over to the main and side road intersection to show how busy it had become. (B) The length of time a sales order spends in the holding area varies greatly. Some groups are formed within seconds then are immediately loaded for the checkout, while others are carefully formed throughout the day. Certain customers are in a hurry, while others like to take their time. An entire block of one plant may be brought over in one moment, only to be exchanged for another minutes later.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 12:02PM - Up front, the checkout area was in full gear. I followed a couple orders through the checkout process. (B) Turning around, the activity along the main road had subsided a bit, but I attributed this to the mob that was heading to the BBQ area for lunch.

- That large Ficus needed constant supervision. There was hardly any wind, but just the movement of the trailer would cause the top-heavy plant to fall over.

- "Urrrrrrgahhh" A grunt of exasperation narrated the scene before me. The customers on the left had loaded 600 lbs. (272 kg) of fertilizer onto one cart, that volunteer Jacob was now trying to move for them.

- He was giving his all and gaining ground a bit at a time. I was just happy the tires were holding out, as I was waiting for the loud [pop] to come. (B) "On second thought, it will be easier if you bring your car in and park over there for us to load it for you." Problem solved.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 12:45PM - After a brief lunch, it was business as usual. A grouping of landscape plant and full sun palm questions brought me outside along the main road. We had to move out of the way as a tractor and trailer carrying restocks were on their way past. The trailer was carrying replacement 7 gal. Areca Palms, Dypsis lutescens, and more 7 gal. Cat Palms, Chamaedorea cataractarum.

- The moving load of palms made its way slowly down the main road (B) on its way to the landscape palm block by the holding area.

- "Hey Ryan, check this out." I heard my name and spun around to see Jim Glock carrying a group of Thatch Palms, Thrinax radiata, back inside the shadehouse. On one of the leaves, a tree frog had taken up residence. I emailed him this photo, as I remember he wanted a copy. If you didn't get it Jim, let me know.

- Looking back up the road, I notched the trailer of palms was nearing its destination, so I decided to follow. (B) On the left, a family nearly filled a cart with 7 gal. Vietnamese Gardenias. That is a lot of fragrance packed into one spot.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 12:51PM - The afternoon was turning out to be busier than expected, even with a large group still at lunch. The area in and around the Bromeliad section was perfectly shaded at this time of the day. (B) "Which ones do you want to get?" The Bromeliad section had a lot of choices, and I might have known only a small part of them. One good thing about them is that they are easy and fast to restock.

- Jeff Searle had pulled up with his golf cart to restock plants headed to the section on the left. I think Kylie was the one driving. I had just noticed in this photo that FM. Jeff Hunter (Kaname-kun) was standing there on the left in the maroon shirt. He might have been waiting to ask Jeff Searle something. (B) The trailer of palms had reached their spot and were being unloaded. The block of landscape palms are a fundamental part of the sales area and are always being moved, loaded or restocked.

- 12:59PM - Back in the shadehouse for a minute, I noticed a familiar speckled palm heading in my direction. (B) It was a 7 gal. Mealy Bug Palm, Dypsis mananjarensis, complete with its characteristic markings. It was going for a ride, along with a 1 gal. Cyphophoenix nucele.

- 1:04PM - And within seconds I was back outside again. This time I was needed to do a bit of compare and contrast between a set of different landscape plants. Starting at the far end of the selection, I took photos as I was walking back.

Ryan

[Palmarum]

- 1:11PM - It didn't take long for FM. Jeff Hunter (Kaname-kun) to get to the shadehouse, seen here guiding his friend and their cart down the sidewalk. They were carefully moving from species to species looking over each one. A robust 7 gal. Arenga undulatifolia held the center of the cart, with its leaves arching over the sides. Two 3 gal. Licuala montana were occupying the back and a 1 gal. Hemithrinax ekmaniana was riding towards the front. (B) They still had room in the cart, and they were destined to fill it. The cart was moved just a few feet when another palm caught their attention...

- 1:15PM - Down the sidewalk, another cart was picking up passengers. A 15 gal. Hydriastele beguinii var. 'Obi Island Form' was loaded promptly with team effort, making sure not to damage its nearly entire leaves. (B) The cart was rolled down just a foot or two where it received a 7 gal. Cyphophoenix alba, the formerly named Veillonia alba. A group of flowering Anthuriums were there as well.

- 1:24PM - Jeff had picked up a few more plants and moved his cart outside along the side road. He added a 7 gal. Reinhardtia latisecta to his order, (left side) which was actually a spontaneous late-pull during the morning and thus an unlisted special (in that size). A tall Zamia standleyi was added as well, along with a few other things that may be in there that I can't make out.

- 1:51PM - See what happens with you throw a new red leaf? You get pulled for sale. As we were looking for plants to restock, we came across this Burretiokentia koghiensis that was showing off with a red flag catching our attention. It was a striking color for this species to produce as specimens don't always do this here in S. Florida. Usually, its a deep pink color at most. Pulling this plant was completely spontaneous as the species wasn't part of the selection before this one. Another unlisted special for the enthusiast to find. Yes, it sold as expected.

Ryan

[waykoolplantz]

Hmmm...8am Friday for those few rare things...or noon Saturday for a FREE burger....need more palms...less tummy

[weldertom]

Thanks for the tour!

[Cindy Adair]

The next best thing to being there is looking at the photos and reading the commentary! Thanks so much!

I wish I could have attended...

[waykoolplantz]

1 hour ago, Cindy Adair said:

The next best thing to being there is looking at the photos and reading the commentary! Thanks so much!

I wish I could have attended...

You could have been rounded up and taken back to the asylum with the rest of the escapees