epiphyte ISSUE Volume 39 Number 2
May–August 2012
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Board of Trustees Dr. Laurey Stryker Chair Christopher N. Romine 1st Vice Chair Cathy Layton 2nd Vice Chair Wilson M. Jones Secretary Stephen van C. Wilberding Treasurer Nora Johnson Immediate Past Chair
Stephen Hazeltine Thomas B. Luzier, Esq. Alice Rau Sandy Rederer Michael Saunders Emily Walsh Arthur M. Wood, Jr. Carlyle Luer, MD Trustee Emeritus Allison Archbold Associates President (ex-Officio) Contributors
Executive Office Thomas Buchter Chief Executive Officer Botany Bruce K. Holst Director of Botany Antonio Toscano de Brito, Ph.D. Research Botanist Development Ann Logan Chief Development Officer Emily Lane Development Associate – Major Gifts Cynthia Dwyer Development Associate and Database Manager Dan Johnson Private Events Associate Education Jeannie Perales Director of Education Marilynn Shelley Manager of Community Classes and Exhibits
Finance Bill Lewis Chief Financial Officer Horticulture Mike McLaughlin Director of Horticulture Jay Parker Gardens Horticulturist Addie Worth Collections Horticulturist Marketing Grace Carlson Interim Marketing Advisor/ Editor of Tropical Dispatch Barbara Kaminsky-Stern Executive Assistant/Editor’s Assistant Retail Amy Sullivan Welcome Center and The Garden Shop Manager
Mission Statement “To further the understanding and appreciation of plant life, with emphasis on epiphytes, and to provide enjoyment to all who visit the Gardens.” Vision Statement Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is the leader in the study, conservation, and display of epiphytes and their canopy habitats. Our collection of epiphytes is the best in the world. Our visitors see beautiful horticultural displays and learn from our educational programs. They take away with them a better understanding and greater appreciation of the natural world and the challenges it faces. Program Sponsors Selby Gardens programs are sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and are paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenue. The Tropical Dispatch is a publication of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Please send address changes to Membership, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 811 South Palm Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34236. E-mail membership@selby.org. Telephone: (941) 366-5731, ext. 231. Visit Selby Gardens at www.selby.org 2
A Message from the CEO
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often conclude my discussions with gardeners about their success/failure cultivating plants by saying, “plants are tougher than humans.” Successful gardeners learn that fact early. One of the most highly specialized yet toughest plants are epiphytes. They can be found in a variety of conditions—from rainforests to near arid environments; in tropical and temperate locations. The easiest way to experience epiphyte diversity is by visiting our living collection at Selby Gardens. Along with orchids and bromeliads (which comprise the majority of our collection), there are ferns, anthuriums and other genera in the ever-changing garden and conservatory displays. Epiphytes make excellent plants in the garden or home. In the conservatory visitors may observe them thriving on sections of branches. At Selby Gardens they can be seen growing on rocks! Staff has been experimenting with tillandsias and recently created EpiChimes that are suspended in the banyan trees outside Selby House. This is one way to use epiphytes to create sculpture in the garden without soil! The articles in this issue of Tropical Dispatch present the vital role Selby Gardens plays in the successful balance of botany and horticulture using interpretation, display and research to further the world’s plant knowledge. Addie’s article Get the Facts on Wax gives insight into plants’ adaptability. Enjoy Bruce’s article on Conservation of Rare Orchids and Ferns in Everglades National Park. It showcases how gardens like ours support plant conservation. By creating botanical inventories of preserved lands, it helps to inform land resource planning and management. Additional support is evidenced when we grow plants from seed and spores collected in the wild which helps restore plant populations in areas where they have become depleted. At this time, I would like to thank Diane Creasy for her faithful service to Selby Gardens as director of marketing and introduce Grace Carlson as our interim marketing advisor. Diane’s capable leadership helped us further develop Selby’s brand reputation. She recently left the Gardens to accept a private sector marketing post in the area and we wish her all the best. Grace and her staff at Carlson Studio Marketing have stepped in to assist while we undertake a search for a new marketing professional to help the Gardens continue to grow. Grace is a Sarasota native and longstanding friend of the Gardens and we appreciate the local expertise and professionalism she brings to us. Cordially,
Thomas Buchter, CEO Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Cover: A large, naturally occurring mature plant of the mule-ear orchid (Trichocentrum undulatum) growing in southern Everglades National Park. Photo by Bruce Holst. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Conservation of Rare Orchids and Ferns in Everglades National Park Bruce K. Holst, Director of Botany
The Tropical Dispatch May–August 2012
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The mule-eared orchid, Trichocentrum undulatum, growing epiphytically on buttonwood, Conocarpus erectus, in Everglades National Park. george gann
verglades National Park is home to approximately 50 species of epiphytic plants, including orchids, ferns, bromeliads, and peperomias. One of the most beautiful and threatened of them is the mule-ear orchid (Trichocentrum undulatum). In 2008, it was estimated that approximately 500 plants remained in the continental United States, all in southern Everglades National Park. Historically, the species enjoyed a wider distribution in southern Florida. Reasons for its decline include changes in water levels in the Park and poaching, as well as the presence of a fly whose larvae mine the young flower stalk causing collapse. It is not known to what extent the fly’s damage is a natural occurrence or not; the fly may be rarer than the orchid! In 2005, Selby Botanical Gardens was invited to partner with the Institute of Regional Conservation in Miami and Everglades National Park in an effort to help augment populations of the mule-ear orchid and other rare plants in the park. Our role was specifically to help collect, propagate, and eventually reintroduce rare species back into the park. In the intervening years, and with the help of Selby Gardens’ horticulturists and a multitude of volunteers, some thousands of plants of the mule-ear orchid and four other rare orchids and ferns were grown from spore or seed to young plants. None of this an easy task; we learned a lot about collecting and cultivating these rare plants, and marveled at their slow growth rate, some growing as slowly as ¼" per year. After several tests, our first major outplanting took place in July 2011. We planted approximately 180 mule-ear orchids and 20 individuals of the terrestrial fern known as the fragrant maidenhair (Adiantum melanoleucum). We also learned just how bad Everglade mosquitoes could be. Biologists are a hardy lot and scarcely a word of complaint was heard; after all, if you opened your mouth for too long, several unwanted guests would find their way inside! Since it was not possible to provide supplemental irrigation, we chose July to coincide with the summer continued on next page
Bruce Holst mounting a mule-eared orchid onto the branch of a live oak, Quercus virginiana, in Everglades National Park.
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Volunteer David Troxell is fogged with insect repellent during the July, 2011 outplanting event.
Next, it was on to the ferns, into an area that requires a short, but fairly treacherous hike over limestone rock to reach the planting site. As usual, I was last in line since one must take advantage of the many photographic opportunities, and as I
approached the planting site, I was ecstatic to hear “I can’t believe it… some plants have survived!!” And yes, there were four of twenty plants not only surviving, but looking fairly content, like they just might make it through three more months of the
Looking down from the 30-ft extension ladder that proved invaluable in reaching the higher branches of the tropical hardwood hammock.
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Trays of young mule-ear orchid awaiting outplanting.
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rains. After placing the plants out, we felt optimistic about the mule-ear orchid’s survival, with its fleshy leaves capable of storing water during dry spells, but held out less hope for the fragrant maidenhair with no water storage capacity. In mid-February 2012, some seven months after they were “set free,” it was time to check on the plants. We assembled some of the original team and new volunteers and set out for the park, some of us camping in the now nearly mosquitofree park. We enjoyed a campfire and discussed what we might find the next day. Our first stop was the tropical hardwood hammock where the orchids were placed from near ground-level to 30 ft high in arching, moss- and fern-covered branches. We went tree by tree counting the number of survivors and checking for root growth. At the end of the morning, the tally showed that nearly 50% of the plants had survived (an excellent number at this time), with some of the plants putting out new growth and clearly adapting well to their new homes.
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Conservation of Rare Orchids and Ferns continued from previous page
Seven months after outplanting, a healthy mule-ear orchid (center) sits among a variety of epiphytic plants. The red color of the leaves is natural during the drier parts of the year. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
dry season. If they do survive, we will have increased the population of this species in the Park by 200% since only two plants have been found in recent times. All in all, it was a wonderful trip, and more successful than we could have imagined. It is premature to declare victory; that will come when the plants reach reproductive stage and truly become productive members of plant society. Our next “Walk-in-the-Park” will be again in July to possibly plant out more mule-ear orchids and fragrant maidenhair, as well as another extremely rare fern that grows on the sides of deep solution holes, the holly vine fern (Lomariopsis kunzeana). Of this latter species, only eight individuals,
all measuring less than 1 cm long, are currently known from the Park. Thanks to many years of effort by Selby Gardens’ expert fern grower Pattie Clendenin, we now have two dozen of these plants grown to “multi-centimeter” size. This is quite an accomplishment for a fern that, to our knowledge, has not been successfully grown to this level in cultivation, ever.
Please join Bruce Holst, Selby Gardens’ Director of Botany, on May 23 at noon in the Great Room by the Bay for a fascinating photo journey of a recent botany research expedition and inventory on Roraima-tepui, Venezula’s Lost World table mountains.
Staff and volunteers outplanting the fragrant maidenhair fern (Adiantum melanoleucum) in the Park. The Tropical Dispatch May–August 2012
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A broader view of the tropical hardwood hammock, where the mule-ear orchid is being reintroduced.
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New growth on a mule-ear orchid is a very good sign that the plant is becoming established.
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Acknowledgments. We wish to thank the many Botany and Horticulture volunteers that assisted us in this patience-inducing work; George Gann and a number of dedicated biologists from the Institute for Regional Conservation; Jimi Sadle, Botanist of Everglades National Park;
Jennifer Posely from the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden; and Valerie Pence of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens for sharing fern spores and plants with us.
Bruce Holst checks out a possible site for the outplanting of the holly vine fern (Lomariopsis kunzeana) in July of 2012.
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Tropical Biodiversity – Do we really want to know it? Dr. Antonio Toscano de Brito, Research Botanist Luiz F. Varella
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Pabstiella dryadum (Schltr.) Luer: A dwarf epiphytic orchid endemic to the endangered Atlantic forest of Southeast Brazil.
orchid flora (ca. 100). Most interesting, the majority of these species are tiny epiphytes! My current collaboration with Dr. Luer has further revealed other new species that are now being illustrated and described. Although the amount of new species being discovered is staggering, more significant is the dearth of taxonomists who are able to name the species that have been collected and await naming. I had once heard someone say that “taxonomists” are in the verge of extinction. I cannot find a better way of describing the problem, which has been recently recognized by the United Luiz F. Varella
The number of new plant species currently described is amazing, especially in diverse plant families such as the orchids. Hundreds of new species of orchids are described every year and this pace is thought to continue as long as there are forests to be explored and botanists to recognize and describe the novelties. In the latest December issue of Harvard Papers in Botany, Dr. Carlyle Luer (senior curator at the Missouri Botanical Garden) and I described 24 new orchid species from the endangered Atlantic coastal forests of southeast Brazil. In that same issue of Harvard Papers, Dr. Luer and collaborators also described and illustrated an additional 58 new orchid species from other parts of tropical South America, such as Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador. These two articles together describe 82 new orchid species, almost the size of the entire United States’ Luiz F. Varella
recent article by Camilo Mora (Dalhousie University, Canada; see footnote) and collaborators, stressed that knowing how many species inhabit our planet is among the most fundamental, and yet elusive questions in science. Despite almost 250 years of taxonomic classification and over 1.2 million species already catalogued, the results presented in Mora’s article suggest that some 86% of existing species on Earth, and 91% of species in the ocean, still await description. Closing this huge knowledge gap requires a renewed interest in exploration and taxonomy, the science of identifying and naming organisms and then organizing them into systems of classification. It is estimated that there are still about 80,000 plant species to be discovered and described; I would say that the largest majority are to be found in the tropical rain forests, particularly those of Central and South America. Tragically, the alarming possibility is that many species might disappear before we have a chance to study or even scientifically describe them. This possibility goes beyond a simple desire to document biodiversity. Just like many of the then unknown species of past centuries, many of the present undescribed species might have important benefits for humanity. For instance, who might have imagined that an obscure herb endemic to Madagascar, Catharanthus roseus, the ‘rosy periwinkle’ or ‘Madagascar periwinkle’ would yield an efficient treatment for childhood leukemia?
Octomeria sp.: The Brazilian Atlantic forests are extremely rich in epiphytes, especially orchids of the genus Octomeria. These plants are usually small, but may form rather dense clumps.
Acianthera saurocephala (Lodd.) Pridgeon & M.W. Chase: An endemic epiphytic orchid of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.
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Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
A. Toscano de Brito and R. Singer
Phymatidium aquinoi Schltr.: Phymatidium orchids are twig epiphytes essentially Brazilian in distribution. They develop extremely rapidly and flower within 3-4 months. Some of them have been reported to occur on leaves of bushes and trees. Luiz F. Varella
Footnotes:(http://www.plosbiology.org/article/ info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001127)
Madisonia kerri (Braga) Luer: The plants of the monospecific orchid genus Madisonia are tiny, usually long-repent, found in the Amazon basin, in the jungles of Brazil, Peru and Venezuela. The Tropical Dispatch May–August 2012
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Phymatidium aquinoi Schltr: Close-up of flowers. gustavo romero
Acianthera saurocephala (Lodd.) Pridgeon & M.W. Chase: Close up of the small but flamboyant flowers.
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Nations as the “impediment to biodiversity conservation.” In a few words: There are millions of species still undescribed and there are far too few taxonomists to do the job. As stated by Mora et al., previous studies suggest that the bulk of species that remain to be discovered are likely to be small-ranged and perhaps concentrated in hotspots like the Atlantic forests of Southeast Brazil, the high mountains in South America, and other less explored parts of the world. I’ve also read that the majority of new species yet to be described are small body-sized and cryptic in nature. Orchids are more diverse in the mountains of the tropics, and I believe it is safe to say that at least 70% of all epiphytic orchids in those mountains are small-sized plants, some indeed very, very tiny (as can be seen in the accompanying photographs). This means that many more new orchid species are expected to be found in places such as the Atlantic forests of southeast Brazil. Are we really concerned with tropical plant diversity? Given the severity of the taxonomic crisis when botanists have little time for taxonomic research and field work, I remain pessimistic: “No, it does not seem that we do.”
Madisonia kerri (Braga) Luer : The elongate peduncle bears a successively fewflowered raceme.
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Epi-What?? Jay Parker, Gardens Horticulturist Mike McLaughlin, Director of Horticulture
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Earth Chime is planted with green and brown-speckled Neoregelia. These plants were chosen because they symbolize the lush green of the vanishing rainforests and other imperiled natural habitats that 8
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pi-Chime! With the success of last year’s Plant and Garden Festival interactive art installation, the Tillandsia Tapestry, we decided to invite the public to participate in another innovative project using live epiphytes. But this year, we felt like making some noise. And so, the Epi-Chime concept was born. To acquire materials and plants that would be both cost effective and withstand the elements, Senior Gardens Horticulturist Lisa Wade and I made countless trips to nurseries, craft and hardware stores. A team of dedicated volunteers helped to construct four small chimes and one larger chime from a series of grapevine wreaths, stainless steel cable, and epiphytes that could thrive attached to a wind chime. A large wind chime was stripped of its tubing and each Epi-Chime received a single tube. A circular striker was fashioned from re-claimed PVC pipe and engineered to hang around the tube, instead of in the center of several tubes. The majority of the construction took place during the Plant and Garden Festival so the public could participate and see the project come to life. What exactly is an Epi-Chime? We consider it a unique and inspiring fusion of horticulture and art. The hanging grapevine sculptures were fabricated and then adorned with epiphytic plants chosen to represent the ancient elements: earth, wind, water and fire. A fifth sculpture represents the Universal spirit, created from a harmonious blend of the materials used in the four elemental sculptures. The five chimes hang as a single installation in the banyans by the Selby house and greet visitors as they walk beneath our trademark majestic trees. Below are the explanations and plant list for each represented element:
Selby Gardens strives to understand, protect and conserve. Fire Chime is planted with red Neoregelia and Pseudorhipsalis. These plants were chosen to resemble flames. This symbolizes the burning passion with which the people of Selby Gardens endeavor to grow, study, and teach about plants, and shed light on the fascinating field of botany. Water Chime is planted with blue Tillandsia and cascading Rhipsalis and Dischidia. These plants were chosen to symbolize the fluid element that makes life possible. Water is essential to all plant life, and Selby Gardens is dedicated to conserving this precious resource in our operations as well as protecting our local water resources. Wind Chime is planted with silver colored Tillandsia species. Commonly referred to as “air plants,� these epiphytic bromeliads can extract the moisture they need from humid tropical breezes, the same winds that carry their parasol equipped seeds to new host trees. These plants were chosen to resemble fluffy clouds that bring changing weather. Selby Gardens helps others to understand the effects of climate change on plants and our natural environment. Spirit Chime is planted with material from all of the elements, interwoven into the rich and intricate tapestry of life. Spirit connects all living and non-living things in a perpetual cycle of energy. Visitors and generous supporters of Selby Gardens feed the staff and volunteers with the resources they need to conduct their important work, and Selby Gardens in turn nourishes the public by opening their eyes to the extreme beauty and importance of the magnificent plants that inhabit planet Earth.
Fire Epi-chime Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Get the Facts on Wax Addie Worth, Collections Horticulturist
collection, reproduction, and tolerance of high or low light levels. Perched on the top of the tree branches, upper canopy epiphytes are exposed to constant high light and wind which can desiccate leaves and roots. One plant family that evolved some of the most efficient adaptations for preventing excessive water loss is the pineapple family (Bromeliaceae). Some bromeliad leaves can appear bluish silver and scaly. These scales are actually water-imbibing leaf appendages called trichomes. They are specialized structures that increase the surface area by which a bromeliad can absorb even the smallest amount of atmospheric moisture. In contrast to the function of trichomes that absorb water, bromeliads produce epicuticular wax in order to retain the moisture within its tissues. It is as though they were given an egg wash, dipped in flour, and are ready to be thrown in the deep fryer. This whitish powder that coats both the top and bottom surfaces of the leaf is epicuticular wax. An especially showy member of our living collection, Aechmea fulgens var. discolor clearly exhibits a thick coating of wax on its leaf surfaces.
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Brocchinia reducta
Another rather fascinating function of wax is to aid certain bromeliads in carnivory. One such bromeliad is Catopsis berteroniana. Not strictly carnivorous, this species grows high up on its host and cannot collect much leaf litter, and so relies on flying insects to prey upon. Insects moving through a canopy use skylight to orient themselves and avoid obstructions. The wax coated foliage reflects sunlight and deceives the unknowing insect into thinking that the coast is clear. After colliding with a shoot, the insect plunges into the bromeliad’s fluid filled tank. The same wax that tricked the insect into this predicament also prevents it from being able to climb out to safety. The slippery, loose powder prevents any escape, and after a watery death, tank-dwelling microbes release the insect’s nutrients to the plant through decomposition. Wax is also particularly recognizable on the leaves of terrestrial bromeliad Brocchinia reducta. This species is native to moist sand savannahs and bogs in Southern Venezuela and Guyana. Growing in nutrient poor soils, this bromeliad also supplements its diet by employing wax as a means of insect entrapment. You can view these and many other plant species in the Gardens and Conservatory. Support us by visiting and marveling at the botanical phenomenon that you now know as epicuticular wax.
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Aechmea fulgens var. discolor
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n my previous position as Gardens Horticulturist, I was conspicuously clad in a white long-sleeved shirt, widebrimmed hat, and sunglasses. Many people said I was ready for a safari. This uniform was my physical adaptation to shield my skin and eyes from the damaging rays of the Florida sun. Still, no level of protection could stop me from sweating and losing water. We are not nearly as drought tolerant as some of the plant species we cultivate. Like people, plants adapt to their environment. Many plants produce epicuticular wax to protect leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds from losing water. The prefix epi- means ‘upon.’ The suffix cuticular refers to the cuticle which is a multilayered structure that coats the epidermis and restricts the passage of water and gases into and out of the plant. Thus the term epicuticular wax refers to a wax produced upon the surface of a leaf. This wax can be seen on the leaves of the silver Bismarck palm (Bismarckia nobilis), the century plant (Agave americana), and also on the skin of grapes and plums. This glaucous coating is made up of complex mixtures of extremely water-repellent lipids. Its primary function is to reduce water loss through the epidermis. This hydrophobic surface can also potentially obstruct pathogens and particulates from entering the plant’s tissues. Wax is commercially harvested from plants like the carnuba wax palm (Copernicia prunifera) and wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera). Once processed, these natural waxes are used in foods, cosmetics, candles, car and furniture wax, and even as a coating on dental floss. Epiphytes thrive in their soilless environment by utilizing unique adaptations for anchorage, water storage, nutrient
Catopsis berteroniana The Tropical Dispatch May–August 2012
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Selby Gardens Welcomes Students Jeannie Perales, Director of Education j. perales
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e are very grateful to the individuals, organizations, and foundations that help make Selby Gardens accessible to students who may not otherwise be able to visit. Because the price of admission and transportation can be prohibitive to many schools, one of our goals this year was to provide positive experiences for disadvantaged children— especially those attending Title I schools. At least 60% of students enrolled in Title I schools qualify for free or reduced lunch. We were attracted to partner with Bayshore Elementary, a Title I school in Manatee County, because of their motto, “Bayshore: A Global Garden Where Every Child Grows.” In August, we hosted their back-to-school professional day for teachers. In January, the school brought in award-winning children’s book author, Edith Pattou to conduct a writer’s workshop for their 4th graders. In spite of some rain, the kids enjoyed bundling up in ponchos to explore the Gardens and write about their experience with Ms. Pattou. In 2011, more than 18,000 school children from Sarasota and Manatee
School children love hands-on learning at Selby!
counties visited the Embracing Our Difference exhibit at nearby Bayfront Park. Selby’s programming, “Embracing our BioDifferences,” connected to the theme of the exhibit, and we hosted 524 Title One students last year. We look forward to the opportunity to reach even more students this spring during the annual exhibit. Gardens supporters, The Koski Family Foundation and the Patricia
Rederer Memorial Fund, have once again supported our scholastic programs. Their annual contributions enable us to develop programs, reach students and work closely with teachers and curriculum designers to provide the best-possible programming. With their help, we are able to underwrite admission for many underserved local students. The Patterson Foundation, Education Foundation, and the Science & Environment Council have been instrumental in supporting and improving our programs and offerings as well. Their involvement provides the resources we need to make deeper connections with area students and teachers. None of this would be possible without our dedicated school program guides led by volunteer extraordinaire, Sue King. Our school guides delight in sharing their knowledge about and passion for plants. It is with great appreciation that we acknowledge all parties involved in making Selby’s scholastic programs strong and meaningful. For more information, visit www.selby.org/learning/schools.
Selby Gardens Associates Plan 2013
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he Marie Selby Gardens Associates will wrap up another successful year at their Annual Meeting on May 21. The luncheon will feature a floral design demonstration by popular Ikebana Master Gil Lee, and attendees will get a sneak preview of their upcoming 201213 season. Next year’s highlights include a bonsai demonstration, a discussion on the health effects of chocolate, a workshop on arranging supermarket bouquets, and the popular Wine Dine & Pine fundraiser. The Associates was founded in 1980 to support Selby Gardens through fundraising, volunteerism, and ambassadorship. During this past program year, the Associates raised nearly $20,000 for Selby Gardens. In addition, the group offered a class on creating a living Tillandsia sculpture. Speakers included Dr. Arlene Bobonich, discussing the medicinal effects of lavender, and Dr. Antonio Toscano de Brito, Botanist and Orchidologist, educating us on his work on research grants at the Gardens.
Sylvia Barber, Helen Blair, Norma Ewing, Kathleen Ewing at 2012 Lavender Luncheon
Thank you to the Associates for all that they contribute to the Gardens! Reserve your seat for the Annual Meeting ($20 includes lunch) by May 15 via email to
associates@selby.org, call Carmen at (941) 346-2299, or mail your check to Selby Associates, 811 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota, FL, 34236. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Chairman’s Circle Exceeds All Expectations
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n May, 2011, Selby Gardens of our greenhouses, herbarium, reached out to its most and molecular lab to preferred ardent supporters and treatment at Tropical Fourth of asked them to put their dollars July, Members Day, and Lights in where their hearts were: with Bloom. The Chairman’s Circle will these beautiful Gardens and celebrate its successful inaugural our mission of conservation, year with an exclusive dinner at education, research and display. Michael’s Wine Cellar featuring As of late March, Selby Gardens’ a lecture by Selby Botanist Bruce new Chairman’s Circle has 42 Holst, newly returned from a research expedition to Venezuela’s members who give a minimum Billy Gamble, Stephen Wilberding, Terri Hansen and Christopher Romine storied Roraima-tepui. of $2,500 annually. The Selby Gardens Associates were the first to show Chairman’s Circle supporters receive Interested in learning more about their support by signing on at the highest unique access to the Gardens’ most the Chairman’s Circle? Call Ann Chairman’s Circle level with a $20,000 compelling programs and facilities, Logan, (941) 366-5731 x 266 or email gift, and others quickly followed suit. ranging from behind-the-scenes tours alogan@selby.org.
May Happenings in the Garden
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elby Gardens friends and fans eagerly anticipate two annual spring events – the Garden Music Series and Mother’s Day Brunch. This year, the programming for both popular events did not disappoint. The Garden Music Series kicked off on April 8th and continued through Mother’s Day with a diverse variety of local musical
talent and performing arts groups. Crowds enjoyed magnificent spring temperatures under the Banyans on the Great Lawn every Sunday from 1 – 3 pm. The offerings included a classical music ensemble featuring guitar, flute and viola, Trio Voila; Moving Ethos (in collaboration with area musicians) – an innovative dance company; Cabal World Music – a rhythmdriven ensemble influenced global musical styles; The Venturas – one of the most popular Garden Music Series performers; Big T and The Tornadoes – a hard-driving Chicago style R & B band and O Som Do Jazz – a group who captured the grace, energy and spirit of 1960s Brazilian Bossa Nova and Samba-jazz. The Tropical Dispatch May–August 2012
Thanks to the generous underwriting of SNN6 and Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenue, more than 4,000 members and guests benefitted from the 2012 Music Series. Celebrating its 7th anniversary, Mother’s Day in the Gardens gives local moms a delightful venue to indulge in an incredible display of natural wonders while enjoying a culinary feast prepared by Michaels On East. This year during brunch, guests were treated to a soothing performance of classical and jazz guitar amid a breathtaking bay front view. The Music Series continued at 1 pm as guests joined the Gardens for the smooth Brazilian jazz performance of O Som Do. 11
THIRTY-FIRST ANNUAL ORCHID BALL
An Evening atVersailles cliff roles
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Orchid Ball Chair Kristiana Serbin and Co-chair Sheryl Vieira
Penny Shuff, Ann Logan and Mindy Rollins
Orchid Ball support the Gardens’ work in conservation, botanical research, education and horticultural display. cliff roles
Serbin, and Co-chair Sheryl Vieira for pulling off another amazing evening. Thanks as well to sponsors Sarasota Magazine, Wayne and Mindy Rollins, David Lee Holland and Saks Fifth Avenue, Serbin Printing/ Mail-It, The Observer Group and SNN6 for their generous support. Proceeds from the cliff roles
rchid Ball 2012 may have been one of our most extraordinary! Guests in lavish Marie Antoinette-inspired costumes and bijous danced and dined in a tent decorated á la Versailles, filled with the opulence of Louis XVI’s court. Entertainment included dancers in elaborate 18th century costume and the smooth sounds of the DeLeon Orchestra. Dinner, catered by Michael’s On East, was a decadent French-inspired feast. Michael Klauber conducted a spirited live auction. Among the items up for bid were one-of-a-kind pieces by New York Jewelry Designer David Lee Holland; a week-long penthouse stay at the Grand Panama Beach Resort; a dinner for ten in the Payne Mansion; and a variety of stunning orchid arrangements. Thanks to our fabulous committee and its Chair, Kristiana
Laurey and Charles Stryker, Jean Weidner, Al Goldstein
Matt Scragg, Britney Serbin, Buffy and Steve Smith, Kara Schlick-Trask and Dane Trask
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Heartwarming Results Gardens’ Supporters Set New Record during 36-Hour Giving Challenge
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n March 27 and 28, Selby Gardens’ generous donors rallied to raise more than $70,000 to support their beloved Gardens’ mission of conservation, education, research, and beautiful displays during the 36-Hour Giving Challenge, a new communitybased fundraising initiative. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens was one of 109 area charitable organizations to participate in the challenge and compete for more than half a million dollars in matching funds. Thanks to the generosity of friends and fans of Selby Gardens, we were able to raise an additional $6,750 in incentive prizes. Community-wide the initiative successfully helped raise more than $2.4 million for local charities. Gifts from $25 up to $1,000 qualified for a 1:1 match by a coalition of foundations
including the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the Manatee Community Foundation, and the Patterson Foundation up to $500,000. As a thank you for making a minimum
Summer Membership Benefits
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ardens Members — Don’t forget to take advantage of the free reciprocal admission to nearby attractions. A full list of local reciprocal attractions as well as American Horticultural Society reciprocals (more than 200 nationwide) is accessible on the Membership Benefits page at www.selby.org. Simply go to Get Involved and click on Membership Central, then Benefits.
contribution of $25, Gardens donors were invited to a special “Sunrise at Selby” event on the Great Lawn. The Gardens opened at 7 a.m., the earliest opening in its history, and greeted more than two dozen “early birds.” Attendees enjoyed sipping coffee while watching the Gardens awake to a spectacular spring morning which included a tai chi class and early morning stroll. “I’ve wanted to do this for years,” noted one of the pre-dawn guests. “A sunrise walk at Selby Gardens is such a special treat and it felt even better because I was able to double my gift to the Gardens.” Thank you for ensuring that Selby Gardens has the funding to help make Sarasota and Planet Earth a better place to live.
Please contact participating organizations prior to your visit for specific details. May: Historic Spanish Point Florida Holocaust Museum
June: G-Wiz the Science Museum
July: The Pier Aquarium August: Great Explorations MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry) Gardens members are also eligible for a one-year subscription to Better Homes & Gardens with a new Gardens membership or renewal.
A Budding Friendship Jeannie Perales, Director of Education
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Families are engaged in discovery at the Gardens.
The Tropical Dispatch May–August 2012
e are pleased to announce our budding friendship with Forty Carrots Family Center. We look forward to working with their preschool and parent education programs for shared resources and building synergy. Guided by the belief that the family is the foundation of our society, Forty Carrots Family Center is a nonprofit organization located in Sarasota dedicated to strengthening families through educational programs for parents, children, and professionals in the field. This summer, Selby Gardens is teaming with Forty Carrots popular Partners in Play by offering two Garden-
themed programs: Rainforest, June 5-27 and Down by the Bay, July 10-Aug. 1. Visit www.FortyCarrots.com for details. With offerings like The Little Sprouts’ Club, Kids’ Corner and Plant Hunts (that families can turn in for a prize at the Welcome Center), Selby Gardens supports meaningful family interactions by providing a great place for everyone to spend the day. Unplug your kids and watch them grow! 13
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ecently, Selby Gardens supporters contributed a record amount to the Gardens’ end-of-year appeal, more than doubling those of prior years. Your gifts to the Gardens were especially important in treating our iconic banyan trees, which were losing foliage due to a ficus whitefly infestation. We’re happy to report that the banyans are being monitored closely. Our horticulturists determined that the optimal time to administer treatment is June—if you notice during a visit that the trees are roped off, don’t worry; the treatment requires that we temporarily keep visitors away from the trunks for their own safety. Thanks to your generosity, the Gardens’ education, horticulture, and research programs are flourishing, and you may look forward to seeing improvements in the banyans’ leaf cover soon.
cynthia dwyer
cynthia dwyer
The Banyans are Beautiful because of You!!
Horticulture staff experiment with injection techniques.
Ficus whitefly infestation causes defoliation.
Leaving Your Legacy Is Easy
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llison Archbold was new to town and looking for a place to meet people and feel like she was doing something good for her community. She began by volunteering at Selby Gardens’ popular holiday lights celebration, Lights in Bloom – and quickly fell in love with this amazing bayfront oasis. Allison joined the Marie Selby Gardens Associates because it was another way for
Interested in leaving your own Selby Gardens legacy? You might be surprised at the many creative and easy ways to do so. Our new Marie Selby Legacy Society website has great information and tools for potential members. Go to www.selby.org, click on “Get Involved,” choose “Ways of Giving” and go to the Planned Giving tab on the far left.
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Allison Archbold
her to become involved at the Gardens that did not conflict with her busy work schedule. She actively supported Associates fundraisers, helped to plan meetings, acted
as a hostess at luncheons and quickly came to the notice of Associates leadership. Last year, the organization’s members elected her President, and she has made a tremendous mark on this active group of Selby Gardens fans and supporters. Last fall, Allison decided to leave a more permanent mark on the Gardens by designating Selby as a beneficiary of one of her life insurance policies. “I am a wills, trusts and estates attorney, so I could have revised my own estate planning documents to include Selby, but it was much easier to complete the life insurance beneficiary designation form. It only took me a few minutes, but I know in the long term that those few minutes will be at least as valuable to the Gardens as the time I donate now.” A former Marine, Allison believes strongly in supporting her country and the things she cares most about. “Joining the Marie Selby Legacy Society was a real feel-good decision for me.” Interested in finding out more? Call Ann Logan, (941) 366-5731 x 266, email alogan@selby.org, or visit our website. Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Tropical 4th Of July – Selby Gardens Style! in downtown Sarasota. Activities leading up the main event include music by reggae band, Impulse, children’s activities, BBQ with beer, wine, and other beverages available for purchase. Adults (age 12 and up) $20; members $17; children 11 and under enter free. As this is a Selby Gardens fundraiser, no passes, coupons or reciprocals. cliff roles
cliff roles
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ou won’t want to miss the festive explosion of color on Sarasota’s bayfront beginning at 6 pm. This annual all-American tradition of fireworks, live music and refreshments is fun for all ages! Blankets / chairs welcome; no coolers, please. Tickets will be available for sale beginning June 14 at www.Selby.org or at the Welcome Center, 900 S. Palm Avenue
Thank you, Selby Gardens Volunteers
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elby Gardens recognized its volunteers with a lovely A complete list of volunteer awards is posted on the Volunteer page at www.selby.org al fresco dinner under the banyans, catered by Mattison’s on April 18. The event, themed “Selby Gardens Volunteers President’s Call to Service Award Plant the Seeds of Success,” took place during National Volunteer (More than 4,000 hours of lifetime service) Week; volunteers with at least 25 hours of service during 2011 Lou Colombo Zelma Neef were the Gardens’ invited guests. As CEO Tom Buchter expressed, “We are extraordinarily grateful for all that you do. We simply President’s Gold Award (500 or more hours of service in 2011) couldn’t run Selby Gardens without you.” Richard Dietrich Jean Glynn Dan Reskow Tom Emerich Karen LaBonte Pep Ruddiman More than 100 volunteers received the President’s Volunteer Jim Ferri Jane Paulishak Service Award, a national recognition, and two were recognized for achieving more than 4,000 lifetime service hours. Others were Group Gold Award recognized for reaching milestones such as 10, 15, 20, or 25 years Ikebana International, Marie Selby Sho Fu Bonsai of volunteer service. During 2011, 632 volunteers contributed Sarasota Chapter Gardens Associates Society more than 50,000 hours with a value of more than $1 million. 25 Year Pin Selby Gardens’ volunteers assist with a wide range of tasks, from Eleanor Watson gardening and maintenance to acting as tour and school guides, admissions and membership representatives, data entry assistants, 20 Year Pin and trustees responsible for guiding the institution’s success. Nicole Duke Bob LaRoe Joan Wilson h. romero
Barbara Feinberg Janet LaRoe 15 Year Pin
Mary Caro Lou Colombo
Jo Davis Ginny O’Doherty
10 Year Pin Frederic Bigio Marty Brown Richard Cardozo
Billie Hultin, Karen LaBonte and Diane DeMont at the annual Volunteer Recognition. The Tropical Dispatch May–August 2012
Carol Collier Kay Hale Barbara Hansen
Nancy Rutledge Sue Safford
Sally Lynch Barbara McDaniel Wes Rouse
Our next volunteer orientation and training will be held Saturday, June 11 in the Great Room at 1 pm (*Note: this reflects a change in schedule from May 19) 15
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 509 Manasota, Florida
811 South Palm Avenue Sarasota, Florida 34236
www.selby.org
Rock Flower Paper Refined tabletop at its best . . . The Rock Flower Paper line featuring styles to fit any taste and décor, is now available in The Garden Shop. This Papaver Orientale tray is part of the new botanical collection. Made with European standard earth-friendly MDF, this 15" by 15" tray is both heat and moisture resistant. What really sets this tray apart is the high-quality, glass-like gloss and original art by Maine artist Linda Funk. Matching hard placemats and coasters are also available. An instant spring pick up for your home!
Extraordinary Space for an Extraordinary Event Say “I DO” in a tropical bayfront setting here at Selby Gardens and celebrate surrounded by nature’s beauty. Come and see what we have to offer for weddings and private events. Please see our new wedding brochure online under Private Events at www.selby.org and elegala.com. Michael Charles Photography
Photography by larson
The Garden Shop. For further information please call 941-366-5731, ext 242. Store hours are 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, seven days a week. Admission not required.