You were here for 20 days? That explains the recent cold weather! I kid, but when we lived in Michigan, every time we came down to visit the In-Laws, it seemed a bit of northern cold would follow us. And since being down here, the same goes for friends family who still live up north. They come down for a brief visit in the Spring and instead of heading to the beaches, we end up hanging out at some of the local indoor interests.
We were in Ft. Meyers last July for a few days and had it dawned on me, I would have stopped at the gardens while there. Unfotunately, it was when we were packed up and heading out of town when, while taking an alternate route to avoid traffic, we passed right by the Edison-Ford Gardens. I was kicking myself.

Haha Michael. But in truth-and I know you know this-the "coldest" day I experienced while down there felt like pure heaven. As it is, I went to a beach exactly three times while down, but they were three very good days. I like the places where nature is still in full force like Lover's Key, Barefoot Beach, those kinds of places. Somewhere where I can hike as much as lounge about, both of which I enjoy.

At the risk of beating a near-dead horse once again, I fear the politics and economic setup of Florida will kill the goose that laid the golden egg before long. From year to year, when I get down there, the changes, in terms of amount of woods gone, etc. is very noticeable. I'm not down to see a new Walmart or yet another Publix grocery store, fine chain though it may be!

But all said, I really and truly love it around there. I could make it work, if not for this person I married long ago who can't stand heat and humidity! I like to tell her it gets hot and muggy up here too in the summer, but she isn't buying.

Oh, I know. I live on the outside edge of a town that likes to tout that it is part of Tree City, USA and people like this town for that reason, but at the rate it is developing, they will be giving up those placards within the next decade, all to appeal to the retirement community on the other side of the town from us.

Hi Tom

I am glad to know that you had a positive experience while you were visiting Florida and now I have another place to visit in the future based on your good review of the Edison-Ford grounds.

Silvia

Ohh I can't wait to go now, I have it on my must see list this year. I went as a child but I don't remember it.

Hi Had to laugh at the comment about "bringing the cold". We arrived in the summer of 78 just as a hurricane was threatening but had to wait until 79 for one to acually hit . That winter it "snowed " for the first time in at least 50 years . Neighbors blamed us of course but has not done it again even though we stayed lol

Have you visited Fairchild?? Mostly palms but what is more tropical??

My only complaint is that they show you all kinds of vegetation that you didn't even know existed and find you can't live without from then on lol

gary

I had Fairchild on my list but never made it. I'm a palm guy too, no doubt. I'll tell you what though: While at my folk's condo-okay, it was their's but they sold it and now rent back-the weather people showed that a hurricane had formed far out in the Atlantic, somewhere near the Azores. A hurricane! In January! Now that's unusual weather. If I'm not mistaken, hurricane season is generally thought to begin in June or July, no? We've got some warm waters. Speaking of which-when did I ever resist going further and further OT-I just read a report that said that the amount of heat we've been adding to the oceans is equivalent to one Hiroshima-sized atomic bomb blast going off underwater for every day......for the last 75 years! Now the oceans are vast, we can all agree, but that's just a lot of warming.

Edison and Ford were especially interested in finding sources of latex for rubber production. That's one of the reasons why the genus Ficus was so heavily investigated. Sure are some cool trees, even if a few are now on the invasive species lists in FL. Cuban laurel-Ficus macrocarpa-was one of my favorites. Not a laurel but a type of fig, it is also not from Cuba, but Malaysia! Crazy naming schemes abound. Also, quite a few African tulip trees in bloom, not just at this site, but scattered around town. Once again placed on the invasives list, but a majestic and colorful tree all the same.

since I'm just rambling now, I must say, the Bismarkia palms are striking plants. These are the (eventually) large-growing glaucous blue-green palms which have become more common in recent years. Again, not native, but a very fine contribution to the S. Florida landscape I think. And the size, range, and productivity of epiphytes-at least in that part of the state-continues to amaze me. Pothos, split-leaf Philodendrons, ferns, orchids, and so many more are just magically at home in that warm, humid environment.

I'd seen five inches of rain come down in a storm before, including all the way up near Lake Superior, but on last Friday, that amount of rain fell in two hours in S. Fort Myers! The golf course which is set in the center of this particular condo complex went completely underwater. And my 85 and 86 yr. old mom and dad? They were out driving around in that storm, which featured a tornado very near to this condo! Mom had a doctor's thing, and dad....well...he saw no reason not to just drive home as per usual when the appointment was done!

Since you yourself took this Off-Topic, I must say I do find some driving habits a bit humorous and sometimes a little frustrating. As I mentioned above, I spent some time up in Michigan, 7 years to be precise. My first winter up there I was very much out of my element. Growing up in SC where everything got shut down for anything over a half-inch of accumulation because we lacked the resources to deal with it, it was a change to be driving around in a foot of snow and watching native Michiganders whip through the snow like it wasn't there. I am sure more than a few people were using some less-than-flattering terms while stuck behind me. I got better about driving in the snow and by the time my third winter came, I didn't stand out so much. Now, back in the South, I see things flipped. People who grew up in the North and could drive through snow and ice like it was standard fare (because it was) will all but jam on the brakes when they run into one our Gulf affected rain bands. Yes, it is suggested that we drive slower in heavy rain due to traction changes and sometimes visibility issues, but a difference of 5 mph is fine. 10-15 mph speed reductions is just overkill, especially when you consider that the rain bands are nothing compared to the type of condition changes cause by a winter storm.

One of the more awesome effects these rainbands can have on the Gulf Coast states is you can be standing in bright sunshine while 20 ft away rain is pouring down. I saw this a few times in SC, but have seen it far more often here and while I was living in LA and AL. I came home from work on one AL day to find my yard bone dry, but when I crossed the road to check mail, I was soaked in seconds. I crossed back to my house and enjoyed some time in a lawn chair drying off in the sun.

In regards to the Bismarkia palms, they are some of my absolute favorites. I have been told it might be possible to grow them in my area, but I just don't have the room to grow one. The really mature ones can have a very wide and impressive spread. Even if I ripped everything out of my yard and started from scratch trying to design around a Bismarkia, a mature one would just look so terribly out of place. My wife and I will be looking for land in a few years and she wants ten acres, six for horses and four for me to landscape/garden, even though I keep telling her that with my degrading back conditions, one acre will probably be plenty, two at most... but in any case, if we end up with enough land, I will definitely have at least one Bismarkia.

Yes, they're great palms. I know Jerry Pottinger-long-time Fort Myers landscape/nursery guy a little bit, and had a nice chat with him regarding the various palms suitable for that part of the state. He mentioned something-I don't recall the details-to the effect that with increasing popularity of, for example, Bismarkia, come new insect or disease problems that initially didn't seem to exist. So it is with all plants. Once sufficiently popular to have many folks reaching for them, along comes the pests. That said, I saw exactly zero Bismark palms that appeared to be suffering from anything. Quite the standout plant.

I continue to be impressed by that area's numerous royal palms as well. Native and well-adapted, I still remember the first time I saw them lining MacGregor Blvd. in Fort Myers. I felt certain these were "fake" palm trees, complete with concrete trunks! What I really like with the royal palm is when you're out in, say, the Corkscrew swamp, and you see one or more growing right in amongst the bald cypress, etc. Bright green crown shafts and again, that unnaturally smooth gray trunk. Amazing stuff down there.

That is true about the pests. It is one thing when a palm is found spotted here and there, but when they become really popular, any pests or diseases will find it easier to move from one to another. Without really thinking about it, people end up creating 'wildlife corridors' for these pests to spread across the state. I am sure I can be just as much to blame as anyone else in this, especially since I already mentioned that I am one of the ones looking to use Bismarkia.

I'd still be working with it if I was down there. Another "palm" I like seeing is the blue or glaucous phase of the saw palmetto. I believe this type to be native to only the east side of the peninsula, but because it contrasts so well with other green stuff, is quite heavily used throughout S. FL. Good-looking plant.

I'm also a big fan of both the native coontie, and the related "cardboard palm". Neat stuff.

Hi

By coincidence ,I was just reading an article about "Fordlandia" The remains were added as a tourist stop on the Amazon tour lol It was completely abandoned in 1945 The land was sold back to the Brazilian government at a huge loss never producing a single tire lol There is now great controversy from the expansion of soybeans in the area much to the detriment of the rainforest Interesting that still over 80 percent of natural latex is still produced in Malaysia from the original trees smuggled out of Brazil in the 1870's

If interested you can google Fordlandia Amazing how a man with the genius of Ford could fail so badly?? gary

Thanks Gary. Will take a peek. Sure have been a lot of big schemes in the Amazon basin. Daniel Ludwig and his giant Eucalyptus plantings come to mind. Wonder how (badly) that all turned out!