Kanapaha Gardens Gainesville FL

16 years ago

Well I made a special stop (drove like mad for 5 hours in the rain) on my vacation to go to Kanapaha in Gainesville which says they have the largest bamboo garden in FL. It was nice but disorganized. It's 62 acres, not all bamboo, with paths not clearly marked, some are, some aren't.

Nice bamboo but my visit was spoiled by a non-informed front desk person who told me they didn't have any bamboo for sale (one of the reasons I came).

After touring the garden I did find a small sale garden next to the main building (with--surprise--bamboo!) but when I went to buy it I found that they had all left for the day and locked me in.

Bummer.

I didn't have a watch but figured by my phone call to my husband back at the hotel that it had to be about 5:05 when I found the door locked (about 30 feet from the nursery area).

The only exit is thru the main building and a walk around the perimeter showed a determined planting of thorny agave-like plants barring any escape so I yelled for about 10 minutes until I spotted someone in the distance (leaving in his car) who came and let me out.

Glad I didn't have to call 911 to get out of this garden. That would have been embarrassing.

Who knew love of bamboo could get me in trouble.

Anyway when we got home I went straight to Home Depot to buy a big pot of Seashore Bamboo (B. maligensis) that I didn't buy earlier because I thought I'd get something more wonderful at Kanapaha. Ha-ha.

There's no place like home. There's no place like home.

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Comments (5)

Scott Wallace
16 years ago
Sounds like you had one heck of a time!

However, Kanapaha usually has a large sale early in the year.

"Annual Winter Bamboo Sale. In early January, Kanapaha issues a descriptive sales/availability listing of bamboos that are being offered during January and February on a dug-to-order basis. Usually, between 15 and 20 types are offered; most are clumping forms but a few running bamboos-including the elegant black bamboo-are generally available. The list is mailed upon request. Individuals can order by phone and pay when picking up their plants. Plants are generally available for pick up within two weeks of ordering."

Where'd you drive from? Perhaps a trip to Chuck Theroux's place in Ormond Beach may have been a better choice? http://www.bamboo.ws/

Here is a link that might be useful: Kanapaha Gardens
naplesgardener
Original Author
16 years ago
webgator
thanks for the tip. Ormond Beach would have been out of the way for me on that trip but I will put it in my future file. (My bumper should say "I brake for garden centers").

My Kanapaha experience will sound funny to me sometime in the near future but at the time I was po'd. If I heard the story about someone else I'd be ROFL.
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Scott Wallace
16 years ago
No problem.

I kinda chuckled at first as I could imagine myself in the same predicament.

Maybe Sherri Snodgrass's place in N. Vero Beach would be closer? http://www.bambooflorida.com/

Here is a link that might be useful: Bamboo Florida
chills71
16 years ago
I just went to Beautiful Bamboo in Grovesville, Fl this past week. 35 mins from Orlando (NE).

They've got quite a selection (though not all varieties are available in all sizes).

www.beautifulbamboo.com

I got a couple different varieties myself. (now I've jsut got to bring them back to Michigan and plant them).

~Chills
countrynest
16 years ago
Naplesgard,
I have been there but not done that. As you described it I could see myself having a panic attack. Now you have a story.
I love my boos and hope to get more.
Felix

Kanapaha Gardens Gainesville FL

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Scott Wallace

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Scott Wallace

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