Native Plant Industry Retreat a fine time in Sanibel
Inside the Bailey Home: one of the break-out groups working on challenges the industry needs to overcome.
Thirty people joined FANN and our newly launched Native Plant Horticulture Foundation in Sanibel Friday, Dec. 9, for the first ever Native Plant Industry Retreat. In addition to FANN leaders and members, our group included Lisa Roberts, Florida Wildflower Foundation Executive Director, Professor Sandy Wilson and grad student Allison Bechtloff from the University of Florida, and Dick Workman, Coastplan Consulting and Southwest Florida native plant legend. We were also really happy to see members bring their spouses and children. Super thanks to our wonderful host, the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation and all the staff at the Native Landscapes & Garden Center, for their help and hospitality. Special thanks to Jenny Evans for coordinating so many details and cheerfully taking on more and more as the event exploded. Thanks also to Roger Triplett, Green Seasons Nursery and Bruce Turley, Wilcox Nursery & Landscape, for graciously underwriting some of the costs associated with hosting this event.
It gets cold in Sanibel! Attendees had to bundle up for 57 degree morning weather.
on the extensive conservation education, outreach and preservation work that
Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) does. The nursery has rebranded itself as the SCCF Native Landscapes & Garden Center and significantly upgraded its appearance and offerings from its original hide-away location on the island. The new location at the Bailey Homestead is much more accessible and fun to visit.
SCCF’s great nursery tables, with round edges and mix-and-match ability, were the envy of many. Jenny says the investment is worth it!
SCCF’s new garden shop is housed inside the Bailey Homestead’s old “honey house,” where honey was produced for sale by the Bailey family.
SCCF has a variety of demonstration plantings including hammocks, dunes and this more ornamental entry to the homestead, featuring Sea Lavender, Coastal Amboria, Muhlygrass and more.
After coffee and touring with Jenny, we gathered inside for a presentation on B
usiness Transition Planning by Eric Gall of Edison Avenue. The program was recorded on FANN’s cellphone using FacebookLive and can be viewed at FANN’s
Facebook page (
click videos). Why plan for business transition? To maximize return to you on your considerable investment in your business. One of the points Eric made was that every business owner should have an advisory board, including your accountant, banker, lawyer, financial planner, and business broker – and they should all meet and talk at least occasionally. Following Eric was
Rudy Vrugtman, Florida Gulf Coast University Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Rudy explained how the national and state SBDC works and provides free resources to small businesses, in particular consultants who are there for you as long as you need them. These consultants are paid by the SBDC, not you. Rudy’s presentation was also livestreamed and is available at FANN’s Facebook page.
The setting inside the SCCF Native Landscapes & Garden Center shop is warm and and genuinely appealing, thanks to creative and environmentally sensitive talents of Jenny and her team. Photo by SCCF.
At lunch, Terry Godts led the Annual Membership Meeting, recapping several but not all of FANN’s many programs, and invited Tom Heitzman to discuss the howtodoFlorida film project and Roger Triplett to discuss the GrowNative! workshops initiative. Jerry Fritz then ran the election of our 2017 board, welcoming three new members: Jess Sabin of Aquatic Plants of Florida, Mike Sobba of Martin County Farms and Janine Griffiths of Green Thumb. Roger Triplett of Green Seasons Nursery stepped up to the President’s role and chaired his first board meeting the very next day.
Jay Madigan, Executive Director of the
Lake Cane Restoration Society, facilitated an afternoon Mission-Vision-Action workshop for the new Native Plant Horticulture Foundation. After this hard work, most of us headed to Cip’s Place for dinner and then a smaller group capped the night off at the Jacaranda Bar, the late spot for Sanibel. Board members and Show Team members met the following Saturday morning to do their business.
Facilitator Jay Madigan supports Chris Holly in trying to make the group prioritize one of its many lists.
