Leu Gardens, Here We come !

(pic) Christia obcordata

Remember this special thing ? Well, we managed to get a hold of just a few of these from someone that managed to keep a few plants going from the last freeze when we all lost our crops...keep your fingers crossed, it's going slow, and don't have many, but trying our best to propagate this popular winner !

Sorry for the delayed post this week, the turn-around time between our Ocala Show last weekend and Leu Gardens in Orlando this weekend, had us running crazy!

Ocala was a great show, as usual, with a record crowd coming out Saturday...unfortunately, we had another Sunday of drizzly, cool weather so it didn't end of the high note we would have liked but as always, we are fortunate and grateful for small successes right now. We came home looking like drowned rats, but jumped right back in to the fray of getting ready for the Leu Show which is usually our 2nd best show of the season.

If you haven't been to Leu Gardens, in Northwest Orlando (wayyy away from the Disney madness), you must make a point to do it (this weekend?!) or sometime..it is a large, fantastic botanical garden and one of our friends described it as the "Garden of Eden" of all events we do. Driving to Orlando, thru the I-4 corridor mess is not one of Mitch's favorite things to do, so we leave at 5 am, beat the traffic, lose a little sleep, get there early to set up.

This year we are back with great Lousiana Iris and so many special things, I can't keep up with making the signs! Although Mitch is super knowledgeable about so many things with plants, me being the newbie still after 7 years, I spend a lot of time researching plants we have, for botanical names (which I never pronounce right), care info etc. I am a nut about having signs as it is, and Mitch is a nut about making sure what I write on those signs is accurate, which of course, its a given. I think one of our biggest expenses is Marker pens and printer ink!

We are going into the show with our friends, the Sousa's and hopefully our backs, our spirits, and my light sprained ankle will make it through. Note, for Saturday Morning Market maniacs, the market will be located on Central Avenue this Sat. between 1st and 3rd streets, so look for the blooming market among the many St. Paddy Day celebrants that will be out there.

Next week, the market is closed down because of a little,lovely, noisy, popular Car Race which, if we were at market, I think the 3rd turn would actually go through our usual booth space !
While market is closed, we will be at Greenfest! in Tampa, and we urge everyone to come out for this lovely show, right on the water, downtown Tampa.

The last weekend of March, we set up at our treasured friends, Dennis and Linda Cathcart's property, Tropiflora Nursery in Sarasota. A great 3 day show (and close Road trip........go for it !), our friend, Ginger, will hold the fort at the St. Pete Market.

All for now, I am huffin and puffin enough about our schedule in the next few weeks, and we got more great stuff coming, so stay tuned for pics and post about our goings-on !