r9901 GOLDSTEIN:THE RETREAT

Principes. 34(i). 1qq0. pp. I I 20

New Era ljshered in at the Retreat

LnoNIA,nrGornsrux 8101 S.W. 72ndAaenue, #313-W, Miami, FL 33143

The Retreat, I I acres of Bahamian wall that surroundsthe property datesfrom woodlandeast of Nassau,is a specialgar- about 1780, and two rockJinedwells from den that International Palm Society mem- the period are still readily identifiable, bers have come to know in bits and pieces thoughno longerin use.The mostly-wooden over the last 33 years. An article and house is actually a composite of several photoshave appearedin Principes (I:48, pods, the oldesta formal dining room (Fig. 1957 and I I:139, 1967),and photosof, l) datingfrom the 1860's, whenthe prop- and references to palms on the property erty belongedto the British Colonial Sec- are found in McCurrach's Pahns of the retary. However,just behindthe houseis World. For over half a century, with love, part ofan outdoorkitchen (Fig. 2) thought ingenuity, determination,and goodhumor, to have beenbuilt 25 or 30 years earlier. Arthur and Margaret (Wumpsie) Langlois Atop the houseis a red shingledroof whose personally collected and assembled an restoration earlier this decadewas funded impressivegroup, of palms, many of which in part by a donation from the South FIor- have become the best specimensof their ida Chapter of The Palm Society. kind in North America.But in the 1970's, Margaret Langlois was a second-gen- illness turned the couple's attention away eration Bahamian, but apparently had no from their hobby, and the garden began special interest in palms before meeting to decline. When Wumpsie Langlois died Arthur, a native of the British Channel in 1985, eight years after Arthur, a fas- Islands, who had probably become cinating era ended. enchantedwith the as a young man But this article does not focus on loss. in England.The couplebought The Retreat Onihe contrary, it bearsgood news:The after deemingit suitablefor growing palms, Retreat is on the way back. In I9B5 the and gradually a hobby became a consum- property becamethe headquartersof The ing passion. Certainly the greatest early BahamasNational Trust, and Prince Philip boostto their collectingzealcamein 1934, of Great Britain traveled to Nassau for when Arthur, a civil servant, was trans- ceremoniesto dedicatethe change in gov- ferred to palm-rich Trinidad to help install ernance(Fig. 7). However,to fully appre- a fresh-water system. Many attractive ciate the value of what is happening now specieswere collectedand crated up for and what is being preserved,it is perhaps shipment to Nassauwhen the Trinidadian best to review a bit of The Retreat's past. assignmentended. When Arthur and Wumpsie Langlois The Langlois' first of many trips exclu- boughta homesteadin 1925, shortly before sively to collect and photograph palms was their marriage,the property already had an expedition to British Honduras (Belize) a long history. As far back as the era of in 194I. Arthur and Wumpsie not only the American Revolution, it was part of a attained their objective-finding Reln- land grant known as The Retreat Estate, hardtia latisecta-btt also succeededin most likely settled by Loyalists who came introducingSchippia concolor into culti- to the Bahamas from the mainland. The vation. One of the Shippia seedlingsthat PRINCIPES lVoL. 34

1. Formal dining room, oldest pod of the Langlois house, is separated from living quarters by wood-screened breezeway./breakfastroom at left in background. 2. Outdoor stove, circa 1835, stands complete with well-used kettle at rear of dining room. Behind it to the left is cover to one of the cisterns installed by the Langloisesto capture rainfall from roof of the main house. 3. Beautiful interfoliar white flowers constitute one of the attractive feitures of concolor, a slow-growingmember of the subtribe Thrinacinae (tribe Corypheae, sub-family ).4. Young SynechantAzs occupies one of smallest solution holes in coppice. Surrounding leaf litter proves invaluable in enriching soil. they brought back (Fig. 3) is now 18 feet Areca 208, an orange-crownshafted tall and thriving in the coppice, or woods, beauty, became known for a time as Areca even though it had no trunk until 1963 langloisiana, though later research estab- and Wumpsie once called it the slowest lished that it had already been described growing of any palm in the garden. and named Areca uestiaria. But Shake- Other rare palmscame to the Langloises speare's pronouncemenl on roses is no less through their friendship with Dr. David accurate for fine palms, and the Langloig' Fairchild. In fact, following Fairchild's Areca oestiaria now stands as the finest famed ChengHo expeditionto the Far East example of its kind in North America. in 1940, they were the only non-institu- Following their success in British Hon- tional recipients-aside from sponsorAnn duras, Wumpsie and Arthur undertook Archbold-of seedcollected during the six- another quarter century of collecting trips month trip. One of the seed acquisitions, with characteristic enthusiasm and more r9901 GOLDSTEIN:THE RETREAT

5. Rare Pelagodoxa henryana, abaxial surfacesbacklighted by sun, is native to one island in Marquesasgroup 700 miles north of Tahiti. Spent inflorescence is visible in lower right corner of photo. 6. Shaft of sunlight reaches upper level of Green Hell to illulninate imposing teeth of Myrialepis paradoxa, a rattan widespreadin Southeast Asia. than a little bit of daring. To finance their consciousdeparture from the typical prac- travels, they often rented their home to tice of hobbyists,they soughtto emphasize winter vacationersand stayedin the garage genera,rather than species,in their col- apartment on their property. Few indi- lecting. The Retreat, at its peak, was home viduals today realize the significant niche to about 95 genera, or nearly half those that they occupiedin broadeningboth hob- known to botanists. byists' and scientists' awarenessof palms None of the foregoing information should at mid-century. For asidefrom augmenting leave the impression that the hard work their collection, the Langloisesincreased ended once plants or seedswere brought the general store of palm knowledge-at to The Retreat. While New Providence a time when there was no Palm Society- Island is blessed with temperatures that by forwarding many specimensto Dr. Max seldomdip below50'F (I0'C), its mod- Burret in Berlin and Drs. Libertv Hvde erate 46.4-inch (1,I79-mm) average Bailey and Hal Moore at Cornelltlr aaai- annual rainfall is rapidly lost from the thin tion to their respectivecollections and her- soil overlyingdense limestone caprock. The baria. And as their own palms reached result is an inhospitable environment for fruiting age, the Langloises provided a many palms, and the problem is exacer- sourceof seedto Fairchild Tropical Garden bated by great variability in rainfall from and The Palm Society Seed Bank. In a year to year. Early plantings in the scant I4 PRINCIPES IVoL.34

7. Monument dedicatedby Prince Philip occupiesposition oppositefront of house. Behind lower wall are leaves of Heterospathe elata, which has become naturalized in coppice.

soil on the front third of The Retreat additions to the garden. But others, much grounds brought mostly disappointment, deeper or longer, were chosen to hold a especially with the more demanding palms. favorite palm, such as Pelagodoxa hen- 'What made the Langlois garden a suc- ryana (Fig. 5), or a group of several species. cess was the fortuitous existence on the Nevertheless, despite the apparent desir- back part of the property of sinkholes, ability of any sinkhole, the Langloises were depressions etched slowly by the action of very particular in their choices of which rainwater dissolving patches of softer lime- to use. If, after thorough examination, they stone. The sinks, also known as solution felt that roots of nearby trees would com- holes, provided a healthier environment for pete with the exotic palms, they would exotic rain forest palms by catching rainfall leave the hole unplanted and look for some- and leaf litter, and the Langloises also had thing more suitable. The most special hole, loads of soil brought in to improve them. an erstwhile chicken coop excavated by To augment the meager dry-season rain- Arthur, boasts a shallow pool and even a fall, Arthur eventually installed a fairly paradoxical name, Green Hell. The descent extensive system of irrigation pipes around into the depths by narrow stone steps the grounds to tap cisterns constructed reveals ferns, heliconias, and more palms, next to the house. but only the devilishly-armed and fittingly- The Langloises utilized all sorts of sink- named rattan, Myrialepis paradoxa (syn. holes. Some accommodate a single small M. scortechinii) (Fig.6), appears capable , such as a Synechanthus (Fig. a) of inflicting everlasting agony. Creen Hell, that apparently was one of Wumpsie's last intended to simulate Amazonian forest. later r9901 GOLDSTEIN:THE RETREAT l5

l -.t

B. Pavilion dedicated to Godfrey Higgs occupies area between main house, visible in background, and garage apartnent. 9. Stanley Kiern adrninisters foliar spray to palms bordering front porch of home. Virtually all the rare palms on the property received a trace element application the same day. lo PRINCIPES [Vor. 34

10. Surroundedby a flowering red ginger, Alpinia purpurata, Phoenicophorium borsigianzm, from Seychelles, residesin sinkhole apparently enlarged to a rectangular shape. The palm is probably a replacement in the same spot for the specimenpictured on p. 238 of Palms oJ the World. ll. umbraculifera, entering final stagesof fruiting in June 1987, still bears 2,000 or more maturing round seeds.Once spent, infiorescencewould collapse against trunk. A nearby second batch has grown much more slowly and i:tf":J*:YJ;1ffi;;lffi: served as prototype for the Rare Plant have succeeded;the three plantswe have House at Fairchild Tropical Garden. out are green,healthy and vigorousgrow- Another aspect of the Langlois' predi- ers. They thrill me every time I look at lection for palms is the systematicaccu- them becausethey stand for more than a mulation by Wumpsie of information about plant established.They are a reward for them. One group of documentsconsists of perseverance,for doggedpersistency, and 'holding meticulous notes tracing the source and for out to the last man'." developmentof every palm introduced to A second set of documents,now in the The Retreat.To raisea diversityofgenera possessionof FairchildTropical Garden,is wasno simpletask; the dearth of reference of broaderscope. It consistsof 20 folders material meant that palm culture was a jammed with information intended to pro- self-taught subject for the Langloises. vide the substanceof a great tome which Wumosie's notes clearlv reflect the ohi- Arthur hoped to write. Wumpsie evidently Iorophy undergirding their approach to maintaineda sharp eye for photos showing "Try palm growing: try again," she wrote identifiable palms, wherever they might "This in NovemberI943. truly appliedto appear; hence the folders are replete with the Bentinckia. And today, we can say we items clipped from National Geographic leeOl COLDSTEIN:THE RETREAT

12. Seeds sown in spring l9B7 from Langlois Corypha had produced many healthy seedlings at Palm Society nursery at Dade County Metrozoo by October. Not unexpectedly, the key to good germination was consistently warm temperatures day and night.

and other periodicals. Arthur himself was the Langloisesdecided to produce a smaller a deft photographer, and the materials work, Supplement to Palms of the World. include his photos not only of palms Even after Arthur's stroke in 1974 diverted encountered in native habitats in the course attention from their palm collection, the of the Langlois' travels, but also pictures couple continued to assemble the Supple- of photos they found while examining rec- ment, completing the draft shortly before ords at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Arthur's death in 1977. And present throughout the documents are With advancing years, W'umpsie took typewritten commentaries by Wumpsie in steps to insure the preservation of the palm which she pulled together the fragments collection and insulate The Retreat from of knowledge acquired from here and there. development pressures. In 1977 she sold The comments are always informative and the land to Bahamian businessman Jack sometimes brimming with praise for a Hayward, who then deeded it to The Baha- favorite palm. Of Syagrus amara (syn. mas National Trust. Trust member Oris Rhyticocos amara), for example, Wump- Russell, then Permanent Secretary to the "The sie proclaimed, cautious gardener Ministry of Agriculture, was a catalyst in would be careful not to plant it in the close effecting the transaction. Modeled on leg- vicinity of any coconut tree as its brilliant islation in Great Britain, The Trust is a greenness would make one think that his non-governmental entity created in 1959 poor old coconut was ill." by the Bahamian Parliament to preserve As time passed, the likelihood of getting historic properties and manage marine and the great tome into print diminished, and terrestrial wildlife in the islands. It now PRINCIPES [Vor. 34

navigating roots and rocks with the aplomb that only six decades of familiarity can produce. Upon Margaret Langlois'death in July 1985, the latest chapter in the history of The Retreat began to take shape. Most significantly, The BahamasNational Trust movedits headquartersfrom rented space in downtown Nassauto the garage apart- ment on Retreatgrounds. On October I8, 1985, Prince Philip, Royal Patron of The Trust, dedicated a monument (Fig. 7) marking the openingof The Retreat to the public. Since that time, significant changes have taken placeon the property. Though a termite-riddenportion of the home has beenremoved, a largepavilion (Fig. 8) just behindthe housewas constructed and ded- icated in May of l9B7 to the memory of The Hon. Godfrey Higgs, a founding mem- ber and the first presidentof The Trust. An active group of guides has been orga- nized and trained by Linda Thompson to 13. Borassodendron machadonis,staminate inflo- lead informative tours of the garden. Also, rescence with exserted flowers. plans are afoot to construct an additional cisternto assuagethe chronicwater short- age. And an illustrious deed awaits any administersover 238,000 acies of prop- local group which might wish to increase erty. Shortly after transfer of the estate, color on the groundsby renovatinga vine The Retreat Council passed a resolution arbor situated on a cleared area in the declaringthe property inalienable,thereby middle of the coppice. guaranteeingpreservation of the palm gar- The coppiceitself has seensome steady den in perpetuity. The Retreat Garden changes,coordinated by a special palm Committee was later created to facilitate subcommitteeled until 1989 by Sara Bar- goal. Barbara Pyfrom. that 'Wumpsie's delmeierand presentlyby But the sale did not end In May of 1986, Stanley Kiem, former influence on The Retreat. Perhaps stung superintendentof Fairchild Tropical Gar- by an indelicate remark about the condi- den and longtime friend of the Langloises, tion of some of the collection, she set out donated his time to examine the coppice to make her entire homesteadmore orderly, and devisea comprehensiveplan for pre- even if that meant occasionallynegotiating servingthe palm collectionwithout exceed- a rickety ladderto patch holesin the roof ing monetary resources.Among the first ofthe house.In late l9B3 shegranted the accomplishments under Kiem's r€cofiI; South Florida Chapter of The Palm Society mendations was the institution in the fall permissionfor a visit in March I984. The of 1986 of a fertilizationprogram for the thought that so many peoplewanted to see palms. Until that time, none had been fed The Retreat invigorated Wumpsie, and with anything stronger than manure. In despitea recentserious health setback, she addition, a groundskeeperhired with Trust led a tour of the coppicewith great relish, funds has made noticeable progress in 19901 COLDSTEIN:THE RETREAT I9

14. Margaret and Arthur Langlois. Photo by Don Evans.

eliminatingthe Sanseuieriathat had spread tion, he began mapping planted holes in throughout the property, hindering views. order to improve record keeping and sim- In Juneof 1987, Kiem returnedto The plify identification. Retreat. In less than three days, he and Finally, Kiem took soil cores from sev- thg author prepared metal identification eral planted holes around the grounds for tags and holders for most of the palms on analysis.The corescontained a heavy clay- the property, and there was time to affix like material that seemedto indicate that many of them with concrete to positions whatever moisture got into the holeswould near each plant. (Eventually a number of not quickly percolateout. Subsequenttest- the more significantpalms will be identified ing revealed a soil devoid of phosphorus by durable anodizedaluminum markers to and potassium,but fairly high in nitrogen. be donated by the South Florida Chapter The nitrogen and water-retention levels and inscribed with legends prepared by may explain the apparent vigor of many The Retreat Garden Committee.) of the palms despite years of less than Using equipment lent by a local land- optimum attention. In fact, even the seem- scapingcompany, Kiem was able to reach ingly hostile front portion of The Retreat almost every palm to administer the first hasproven remarkablykind to many palms. foliar trace element application that any For instance, Heterospathe elata and had ever received (Fig. 9). He also utilized Ptychosperma elegans have becomenat- colored plastic ribbons to differentiate the uralized in the areao demonstrating the palmsaccording to moisturerequirements, ability to thrive in the rock without the so that rainfall collected in the cisterns need for special planting holes. could be distributed judiciously. In addi- These days a trip through the coppice 20 PRINCIPES [Vor. 34 reveals all sorts of palm delights at nearly where forests shrink hourly and plants and every turn: Phoenicophorium borsi- animals disappearwith frightful speedand gianurn (Fig. t0), displaying leavesuntat- lamentablefinality, what The Retreat sym- tered by Caribbean winds; a tiny Areca, bolizestranscends mere physical rr€osur€: contrasting green leaflets with striking deep ments. The value and significanceof what red petioles; Borassodendron macha- has been achieved by the Langloisesand donis (ttg. I 3), bearingspectacular orange their successorsas stewards of the land inflorescencesdotted with yellow flowers. are probably best definedin remarks made Because Margaret and Arthur Langlois by Prince Philip at the dedication of the (Fig. l ) wereprivate people,The Retreat garden: "I perhaps has always been less well known think every community needssome- locally than in the world of palm fanciers. one to be its conscienceabout what is going Consequently,the greater is the credit due to happen in the future. . . . You can't those Bahamians whose judgment and solve global problems, but you can solve foresight have assuredthe preservation of your local problems, and if you do it well, the treasure that is The Retreat. It is, to it will be an example to people in the rest be sure. no vast reserve" but in a world of the world."

NOTE Corypha Seed Project

In September 1985 a planted at The Retreat from seed collected in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1940 by friends of the Langloises began flowering. The South Florida Chapter's 1987 Project to distribute seedsfrom this specimen (Fig. 11) proved successfulbeyond expectations. With shipment of the last quantity of ripe seed in October 1987, the Chapter had distributed over 5,900 seeds,and viability proved to be very good (Fig. I 2). The project raised over $ 1,200 for The Retreat Garden Committee of The BahamasNational Trust to use for upkeep of the property.

LETTERS PALMBRIEF

Dear Dr. Uhl: CoconutsArrive On page 154 of Principes (July l9B9) PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP)-This winter the palms in the photograph of the Fulton playground of the wealthy is famous for Housein Rockport are referred to as its towering palm trees, but it once was a mexicana. They are Washingtonia f.lif- barren offshore sand spot with no vege- era, tation. In my place across the road from the Then, in 1878, a Spanishship loaded Fulton House are some large Sabal mex- with coconutsand wine went aground and icana including one more than fifty feet broke up. The coconutsthat floated ashore tall which may be the largest of this variety took root, sprouted and grew into palm in Texas, trees that transformed the landscape. Attracted by the palms, climate and iso- DrNNrs O'CoNNon lated beaches, a few wealthy Northern One O'ConnorPlaza, Suite I100 familiesbuilt winter homeshere at the turn Victoria, TX 7 7 90I-6549 of the century. Now, Palm Beach has lux- ury hotels, expensive shops and restau- rants and still attracts the rich and famous. -From Hawaii Tribune Herald article sent Eds' note: for more on this see p. 51. in by KrN BeruKS,Pahoa, HI.