Very nice assortment of unusual plants! We have the same taste, Karyn! When I first started out in collecting house plants, I always went for the exotic. I had over 400 plants and would create a indoor spring garden show- looked like landscaping in our huge living room! That was before children, of course! I love the Desert Roses, and the Cleodendrum is so delicate! Nice haul!

I've always been drawn to tropicals, especially the less common varieties but I can't stand having plants in my house. I only keep them inside when absolutely necessary.

I didn't need all those plants but some of them I just couldn't pass up becuse the owner gave me such good prices. The plants from Gardino's are definitely the less common ones but there's a nursery near my Mom's that I discovered last winter and the owner was there when I went last week. The caudiciform ficus was only $10. The same size goes for over 10x that amount here. The Thai euphrbia is in a 10" pot and he charged me $8. The alocasia is in an 8" pot and was a whopping $6. Everything I got from him was really inexpensive and he even gave me a Hoya carnosa in a 15" hanging basket as a gift. I already have that hoya but didn't say anything because he was being so nice and I didn't want to hurt his feelings. We were chatting and I told him that I'd love to move to FL because I hate the cold. He offered me a job on the spot. lol I think he was surprised that I was knew most of what he had in stock.

I might also be able to get plants from Gardino's when ever I want with no shipping charges. I schlepped Bruce there with me and he was talking to Sid about growing a couple varieties of sedum and Irish moss in quantity for him. One of the shipping companies that he used for S. FL pick up's goes right by Gardino's on Thursdays. I can just have them add what I want to the shops order. The shipping charges can be ridiculous, almost as much as the plant order at times. I also don't have to worry about temps because the trucks are climate controlled.

Speaking of ridiculous shipping charges when we were at Gardino's they were packing an order that was going express mail to Alaska!!!! It was only a few plants and the S&H was crazy. Regina said she tried to talk the customer out of placing the order and that she wouldn't guarantee it but they insisted. Temps were something like -40 F where it was going.

Looks like you had a Wonderful time!!! ;0)

You've got a conspiracy going on, Karyn!!!!

Bet you had lots of fun with your plant shopping :-)

Take me with you to Florida. We've had a very warm winter so far and I'm already sick of the cold. I envy you your shopping trip.

KimKa

Except for a few super cold days when I got back we've had a very mild winter.....so far. I'm just outside of Washington, DC and temps have been in the 50's-60's most days. Our usual high this time of year is about 40. If we were in the mid 60's during the winter I wouldn't mind it so much but I much prefer 75 or higher. I get away as often as possible during the winter. It was easier when my youngest was in preschool. Now that he's in 1st grade I can't pull him out whenever the mood strikes me. I'm actually pulling all 3 kids out of school next week to go to the Cayman Islands. Bad me. lol

I think all the warm weather we've had (I live near Karyn) has made it worse for me on the few cold days/nights we've had. It snowed last night although there was no real accumulation except on the grass. If we are going to have to have cold enough weather for snow, I want a blizzard (doing my best 4 year old imitation here). I'm turning into a real cold weather wimp.

Karyn, I love the Caymans--both Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac--as I'm a scuba diver. If you haven't been to Grand Cayman before, remember to duck as you leave the airport. The airliners take off right over the road leaving the airport and the plane wheels almost brush your car roof. There's actually (or at least there was) a railroad crossing type gate that comes down to stop cars as a plane takes off. The airport at Grand Cayman is named for the first person to crash there and his name is ensribed on the roof of the customs grass shack (again or used to be; I haven't been there since their last biig storm).

Wish I could ride along in your suitase.

The older I get the more I hate the cold. I honestly don't think that I've enjoyed cold weather since I was a kid. Even back then the only cold weather activity I did was sledding and ice skating. No snow skiing, just water skis.

I've never been to the Cayman Islands but it looked nice and I wanted to go somewhere new that wasn't a long flight. I'd love to scuba dive but am too chicken. DH and I used to vacation in Belize a lot and everyone there dives. All I have the nerve to do is snorkel.

I'm not saying a word about the airport to DH. He has a terrible fear of flying and even took classes to help him get over it. They didn't work so we just rely on tranquilizers. It's just a matter of timimg the sedative effect because he's a foot taller and weighs almost 100 lb more then me and I can't hold him up!

I've been to a few dicey airports and on a few less then air worthy looking planes. When we would go to Belize we had to take a puddle jumper to Ambergris Cayo. Since it was usually just DH, the pilot and I, they would put bags of rocks under my seat to even out the weight. lol

Karyn, talk about improvising! Putting bags of rocks under your seat to even out the weight -- too funny (or scary)! I flight when I have to, but am nervous during take off.