From: "Betsy Feuerstein" <ecuador10 at comcast.net> on 2010.09.21 at 18:43:12(21483)
Just thought I would take a couple of minutes to tell about
the Miami Show. This show was smaller than in the past due to many reasons from
the economy to some of our very most dedicated South Florida members
transitioning to that next place. Tricia Frank and Julius Boos were so very
much missed in so many ways. I am sure those who set the show up found that out
in more ways than I can begin to express. Tricia did so many things for IAS
that most of us truly did not realize. She was a founding member way back when
and has been active ever since. Her association with Fairchild Gardens made all
so much easier, but who knew the what and where of things, was not with us.
Scott Hyndman and Ron Weeks and so many others did so much for our show this
year and they had to start from scratch to take those next steps to make the
show happen. Of course, Julius was missed as our auctioneer and that cheerful
face to talk aroids with. Dr Tom (Croat) was there a great deal of the time to
do the talking and explaining and the arguing with. Plus Tom brought some
interesting plants with him that were put on the sales tables. The banquet I
heard was delightful and good and there were many to thank for that effort. I heard
the food was delicious. I missed the banquet this year but I heard many say it
was a wonderful program and that all had a grand time as usual.
There were some wonderful plants for sale with our loyal
vendors. Ecuagenera brought huge plants for sale and Ree Gardens had their
usual fabulous stuff along with Home and his amorphophallus rhizomes. There
were others there including Carol from Palm Hammock Estates with their usual
neat plants. If you are ever in Miami, do make it a point of going to Palm
Hammock. It is a beautiful place that one can wander and drool and have a
wonderful several hours. If you can resist buying, you will have had a great
time. Of course, that will not happen. While I am at it, we all want to wish
Tim Anderson, the dreamer behind Palm Hammock, a speedy and successful
recovery from his current health challenges. Get home quick Tim and I look
forward to seeing you my next visit to Miami, as usual. Ree Gardens is a
fantastic place to make an appointment to go see if in Miami. Steve and Marie
are gracious plant loving folk. They have some gorgeous unusual plants that you
will want to see and you will want.
The members table was loaded with some fantastic plants too.
Many of the new caladium varieties out of Thailand were there thanks to Silver
Krome Nursery. Those things are really pretty. Denis Rotelante and his son were
there much of the time to answer questions. Denis is a new granddad and I am
afraid his love may have passed from aroids to grandson who by the way is
adorable. Denis is a great Granddad!!! Fortunately there is a son to carry on
the family tradition in aroids. IAS has so much to thank Denis for over the
years from the organization logistics to the making sure we have beautiful
plants for the members plant table. There were plants brought in by many of our
members for us to purchase and enjoy in the future. Many thanks to them also.
There were other vendors there who brought in beautiful plants for us to drool
over and then to finally give in and just buy them. Barry from over near Tampa
and Bruce McAlpin from further south both brought in some neat plants for the
member’s table. Thanks guys!!! Some are still to be unpacked from
my suitcases and put into my greenhouse up here in Tennessee.
Many of our old friends who have come for years, were not
there this year. Hopefully they will come again next year and contribute their
charm and presence to this really nice occasion. There were many faces that I
missed from the past years. Start saving your pennies now so that next year you
can come. Nonetheless, you were missed this year. Our California entourage was
limited this year. Always good to see them because they have added so much to
our organization from being officers to our Aroid-l. We could not operate
without them. Albert Huntington was there doing his usual quiet efficient job
of getting things done. Many thanks Albert for making the trek to the show.
There were other south Florida members there to add to the show. Don
Bittel brought in a huge Philodendron Santa Leopoldina/Spiritu Sancti for
the display. It is gorgeous to say the least. He bought his plant from the auction
several years ago and has certainly done a fantastic job of growing it. Thanks
Don for hauling that monster all the way down to the show for all to see. Those
of you who missed the show, really missed something special. This was a piece
of the Bettye Waterbury contribution years ago to be propagated each year to
help support the organization so in the end, we have to thank Bettye also.
Lester Kallus did his usual wonderful job of taking photos
and then putting them out there for all to see, some wishing they were there
and others, remembering the good times and memories of the beautiful plants and
aroid friends we saw. Thanks Lester!
Steve Lucas from Arkansas was there again this year greeting
folks and getting and giving advice. Steve has done a great deal to get IAS
back on the move again for which we all appreciate. Thanks Steve. Hope your
trip home was uneventful.
Tom Moore and Reggie Whitehead were there from Miami. Always
a joy to see them. Tom is one of those members who helps with the checkout
table job. Thanks Tom. There were others who helped here too and forgive me if
I am not able to remember who was there.
Brian Williams, from Kentucky was there with his new
bride to be. Good to see him back with us this year. Congratulations …..
I know I have forgotten some of the vendors and the members
who were there and who did so much to make the show a good one. Please forgive
me. Feel free to fill in the slots if you were there and can add to the details.
I, for one, will appreciate your contributions.
Show may have been smaller, but I can say, it was wonderful
to see everyone. I think we all had a good time. Thanks goes to so many to put
on a show of this size. As was said, next year, all will have a better handle
on what has to be done having done the show without our beloved Tricia this
year.
One small
addenda: Please members, start plants to put in the auction soon
so that come next year, you can bring them to the show. We needed unusual
auction plants this year and I know all of you can start a plant or two to send
or to bring to the show. It does not have to be the rarest of plants. It can
just be something you love and would like to share. We have always had so many
plants, we did not know how to get them all auctioned off, but this year,
something happened and we had few plants. A great deal of our operational
expenses of putting on the show and IAS publications has come from auction
revenues. We have to do better come 2011 and in the future. And then, always
remember, the member’s sales table can always use plants to sell. Starting
thinking, start planning, and start potting………………
this is for all of us in IAS. I have gotten from the auction and from the
member’s table some of the very neatest plants I have. They were there
because a member was kind enough to propagate his treasures and get them to the
show for others to purchase and then to enjoy. This is our way of sharing…………….
Please, do your part come next year.
I know others can add to this effort, please do.
My sincerest thanks to all those who worked so hard to make
this show so very nice, those I have mentioned and those I have apologetically forgotten
to include,
Betsy
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