April 8th is Zoo Lovers Day

Succulent leaf unfurling

Who doesn't love the zoo every day of the year?

You may have seen all the beautiful tropical plants at the Waukesha Floral greenhouses and guessed that we do not grow most of these ourselves.  In fact, most of the plants are grown in the fields and greenhouses of southern Florida and trucked up to Wisconsin.  The trucks need to be heated during the winter and cooled somewhat in the summertime.  These conditions are conducive to hitchhikers, such as this gecko.  They enjoy darting around in the greenhouse and scaring us occasionally.  Fortunately, we have never sent one along with any of our plants.

We did receive a very large (14"?) green lizard attached to a palm plant one year.  He was boxed and taken to the exotic animal store in town.  They were pleased to give him a new home, and we were pleased to say goodbye!

I escaped Florida