05 August 2019

Cedar Key resident Eileen Senecal owns a huge staghorn fern. As she is moving back to the island from the Rosewood area, she preferred to take the staghorn with her. The perfect place, of course, would be the community Garden on Second Street.

Fulsome conversations with Marina Hardware’s Mike and local architect Frank Offerle preceded the building of the structure from which the plant would eventually hang.  

Phase one involved Mandy Offerle and Joe Hand digging the four-foot holes in which to place the two twelve-foot-long six by sixes beveled beforehand by Joe. The poles were cemented in place. Joe’s sister, her husband, and son helped put the two heavy posts in place.

Phase two involved Joe and Mandy, with the help of some sturdy scaffolding and Norm Hodge, the elder, placing the cross piece in place. Then the cross piece was bolted into place; the two diagonal supports were also bolted.

The next phase involved removing the staghorn from its initial resting place under an oak in Rosewood to the Garden. With the help of Russ Colson and Eileen Senecal, the plant was raised and pushed onto the Offerle’s Frontier and driven to Cedar Key. It was then transferred to the back platform of the Colson golf cart and driven inside the Garden.  

The last phase involved transfer from the golf cart to the structure. Backing up the golf cart that allowed less than an inch clearance to the garden beds was a function of Colson’s maneuvering expertise. A final ratcheting upward placed the staghorn at the appropriate height.

About Staghorns: Staghorn ferns are members of the Polypodiaceae plant family and to the genus Platycerium. They are tropical plants native to the Philippines, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Australia, Madagascar, Africa, and America.

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