2009 CFPACS Spring Meeting
When: Saturday, April 25th from 10:30am - afternoon
Where: Ron Eward and Fiona Pearce's Ron's Palm Sanctuary, Valkaria
http://207.210.245.133/ms/meets/2009/spring/index.html

I'd like to go, Ron and Fiona have a beautiful place that I saw two years ago. That's also the day BRFC has tree sale.

going. Awesome garden.

I took some photos of the meeting two years ago but can't find it on the forum archives. ???

Oh well, I guess I have to take a new batch!

Its a hard place to take photos as it is all canopied and tight. Mostly detail shots. Lots of bromeliads, croton, tropicals, fruit, and palms.

I got most of the croton pictures. The place is just beautiful and I look forward to seeing it again. I'm sure everything will be growing much bigger and probably has a lot more added.

I don't have any fresh batteries for the camera for tomorrow. Gotta remember to pick up freshies. I guess I have to bring a side dish as well!

epicsurf and I made the trek down to South Brevard and we were a little early. So, we made a quickee stop at Dr. Brown's Valkaria Tropical Gardens.

An appropiate sign at Dr. Brown's place!

Valkaria's Bromeliad selection is incredible.

Valkaria's bamboo walk way

I didn't have too much time to take photos at Valkaria. Last Valkaria Tropical Garden shot. I saw Dr. Brown working in the Garden. I didn't get to talk to him, but he was moving around! I think he is open every Saturday now. Cleofar (Dr. Brown assistant) also has opened up a retail store nearby off of Babcock. I haven't been to it yet.

The CFPACS was pretty cool. Ron and Fiona's yard looks great!

They recently had a wild fire that come up to the yard (last year) and they did lose a few plants to it on the fridges of the garden. However, the fire stopped when it reached his property. Its reported that Tropical Forest do not burn very good. A few neighbors lost their homes in the fire.

Tropical Storm Fay also flooded Goats Greek that weaves around the property. Ron reported only minor damage from it. Its a unique piece of property. It has a peninsular to it that the creek serpentines around. This curve in the creek creates an island effect that helps protect tropicals during a freeze. Ron did have some damage from this winter's freeze, however only plants there were outside the canopy. He has numerous oak, ribbon palms, and other hardwood tropicals that provide an overhanging canopy.

He also had some fantastic croton throughout the garden.

The auction went off without a hitch, the sale went smoothly, and, we all went away glad that we attended!

Here is EpicSurf (Dave Floyd), talking about his Delaura project that just recently won CFPACS hometown grant. He was accepted with a round of strong applause. Dave has put many volunteer hours into this project. He deserves the accolades!

(I also hate when pretty women get in the way of my photos! )
That's dave talking and holding the flyer to the event.

This pretty palm was near the meeting area. It was an eyecatcher. Ron said he got this from Okie of GTC. Dypsis something, it started with an H. Okie, are you holding out on us? What do these go for? Its a knock out palm.

frond and crownshaft

The tour starts!

Ron mentioned that there were alligators in Goat's creek.

The palm have teeth too!

teddies

Ron in the red shirt

Green variety of Bismarck palm got burnt by the winter's freeze. As you can see its outside the canopy. Ron said his silver Bismarck did not get freeze burn. Its reported the Green isn't as cold hardy as the silver is.





.

Edited: 04/26/2009 at 08:35 AM by Central Floridave

I like the curved palm effect. I think this is an archontophoenix. Probably cunningham