In what has become a Key West tradition, Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden will be holding an exotic palm and tropical plant sale this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 12 and 13. Local and visiting gardeners will have a chance to buy from the collection of world-renowned palm and rain forest expert, Jeff Searle.
The hours of the events will be 9-5 on Saturday and 9-4 on Sunday. Members of the Secret Garden will have an opportunity to review the Searle collection 4-5:30, today, Friday, Feb. 11.
Admission is $6 for adults and children. Members have free entry. The Garden is located at 1 Free School Lane in the 500 block of Simonton Street.
In addition to the plant sale, horticuylturist David McLean from Broward Community college will be conducting tours of the garden. Nancy describes the noted horticulturist as a captivating lecturer who can comunicate the allure of tropical plants to themost hardened avoider of gardens adn at the same time provide new insights to the experienced plant lover.
Penny Sansolito, co-owner with her sister of the Fort Lauderdale catering company, Two Ugly Sisters, will be catering the event again, emphasizing the delicious culinary uses of the palm.
Palm fanciers are known as the most fanatical of gardeners— the keenest of whom can justly be called "Palmaholics." There is something seductive about the palm, evoking the south seas or a shimmering oasis. The palm sale will have something for the novice, who hasn't yet succumbed to palm fever, as well as the true palmaholic who will be able to feed his or her lust for new and exotic species.
Jeff Searle will be offering rare palms from Australia, Borneo, Costa Rica, New Caledonia, New Guinea and Thailand plus select sycads, aroids and new exotic Thai cordylines. Info: 294-0015.