This is always such a great sale!

Spring update from Gardino's website: 31st Annual Redland Festival Where: Fruit & Spice Park - Homestead, FL When: Saturday January 12th, 2008 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Sunday January 13th, 2008 10:00 am - Phone: (305) 247-5727 E-mail: fsp@miamidade.gov 2008 FFGC 52nd Annual Tropical Short Course Where: Embassy Suites Hotel - Boca Raton, FL When: Monday January 21st, 2008 8:00 am - 3:00 pm Tuesday January 22nd, 2008 8:00 am - 3:00 pm Phone: (772) 286- 0507 for info and registration Some of the speakers are: Gene Joyner (Tropical Flowering Trees), Rufino Osorio (Native Plants), Gail Miller (Orchid tips of the trade), Dr. Kimberly Moore Phd (Designing your garden), Claudia Bates (Wild about Flowers) Gardenfest by Garden Club of Indian River County Where: Under the oaks in Riverside Park - Verobeach, FL When: Saturday February 2nd, 2008 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Sunday February 2rd, 2008 9:00 am - 4:00 pm Phone: (772) 567-4602 Website: www.gardenclubofirc.org Admission: Free 45th Annual Coconut Grove Art Festival Where: Coconut Grove, FL - Miami area When: Saturday February 16th, 2008 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Sunday February 17th, 2008 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Monday February 18th, 2008 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Website: www.coconutgroveartsfest.com Admission: $5 adults, children 12 and under free Pine Island Garden Club Plant Sale Where: Pine Island, FL When: Saturday February 23, 2008 9:00 am - 4:00 pm one day only Phone: (239) 283-4607 Website: www.pineislandgardenclub.org E-mail: csharples@att.net And from a Flamingo Gardens email: Vendor Opportunities for Spring Garden Shows Flamingo Gardens & Wildlife Sanctuary seeks vendors for the Spring Garden Event, March 8&9, and Orchid/Bromeliad Show, March 22&23. Garden Event features everything for the yard and garden, for the Orchid/Bromelid Show only those plants and related supplies and items including arts and crafts. 3750 S Flamingo Road, Davie. Information and applications available at http://www.flamingogardens.org/events.htm, flamingoelk@hotmail.com, or 954-473-2955x34.

Hello! Wow-- kind of old post but I thought I'd chime in... I am also from Naples but now live in Tampa and bought my first house a few years ago. The first/easiest thing I think to grow "up here" and "master" are cannas. They're tropical looking (at least I think so), hard to kill and can spread/multiply (although not too fast or out of control). They were about the only thing decent the previous owner left in our yard besides our majestic oak and some sorry azealeas and holly bushes. They were originially over by the pool pump but I moved them (easily!) to a sunnier side of the yard where they weren't in the way of the pool equipment...they've been happy ever since. Jacarandas and Royal Poinciana's are also very fast growing and rewarding with beautiful flowers. The lovely folks at USF Botanical Gardens, Dunchenon's Nursery (Land O Lakes but WORTH the drive), and Green Thumb Nursery (Sheldon Road) have all been very helpful in rehabing my pool area into a more tropical paradise than this house's previous neglectful gardener. Also, the Plant Stop on Hillsborough can be helpful and has a few good deals. Its been three years of a lot of relocating, weeding, planting but its getting better looking every day (not to menion graduating from college and having my first child)! Poincianas (I have a dwarf variety) will also probably remind her of Naples! :) The USF Botanical annual sale is in two weeks which may also give her some ideas. Good luck! Tanya

Nullzero, Another carmabola variety I like and you may want to consider is called Bell. It has an orange / sunset colored flesh that is very sweet and refreshing. As for the Sapodilla, I prefer Hasya and Alano, in that order. I've have recently seen some Silas Woods Sapodilla's but not from anybody that ships them. I saw some of them at Excalibur Fruit Tree nursery in Lake Worth, Fl (but they were very small and recently grafted)and at the Manatee Rare Fruit Council sale (near Sarasota, Fl). Be prepared, they are not cheap if your looking for anything of size... If your considering mamey sapote, you may want to consider a green sapote. Supposedly, they are better then mamey sapote's. However, I can not attest to the taste as mine is still a little guy. I got mine from Lara Farms over in Homestead, FL. I believe Pine Island Nursery sells them and they do ship. But, If space is an issue, this one and many of the other mentioned above maybe too big. Another one to consider on the smaller size is the Atemoya, but I'm not sure how it would do there in California. Good luck