Monthly Archives: May 2023

Spring 2023 Updates

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Preparing for the Summer

At Sanlan, we are getting ready for the Florida summer which brings hot temperatures and tropical storms. Our ground keeping crew has been working hard trimming trees and doing ground maintenance work including pressure washing pads and landscaping.  Other maintenance projects include painting buildings and markings throughout the property. The maintenance department is also taking care of golf carts as well as all other vehicles used by the maintenance team. The slower times allow our crew to catch up with all maintenance needs in preparation for the next busy season.

Tree trimming around the campground.

Painting curbs, speedbumps and fire hydrants.

All golf carts and utility vehicles are getting some TLC from our mechanic.

Nature News

Junior, the Great Blue Heron, flew the coop last week. He still visits the nest from time-to-time in hopes to get a free meal.

Wildlife like this Eastern Cottontail rabbit are taking advantage of few empty lots.

Few hummingbirds have been spotted at the Butterfly Garden this year. Here's a Ruby-throated female on the Purple Firespike.

Meet Donna House - The Garden Keeper

Ever wondered who holds the fort when the rest of the butterfly garden crew is up north. Meet Donna House, the garden is her baby during the summer months.  She takes care of planting, prunning, weeding and doing all the chores to ensure all plants survive the harsh Florida summer. If you stop by the garden today, you will find an assortment of beautiful blooms that attract all kinds of insects and birds. From sharpshooters to milkweed bugs and butterflies, they are all at home around the garden.  Hummingbirds are visiting the blooms and so are huge swallowtail and monarch butterflies. The pipevine has few flowers bringing in the pipevine swallowtail butterflies while the passion vines are attracting the gulf fritillaries and the zebra heliconians. The garden is a great place to relax and enjoy the gifts of nature.

Sharpshooter (Oncometopia nigricans)

A green anole, one of our native lizards.

Milkweed Bug (Oncopeltus fasciatus)

A monarch butterfly on milkweed.

Donna House at work in the Sanlan's Bird & Wildlife Sanctuary Butterfly Garden.

The butterfly garden provides host and nectaring plants to butterflies like gulf fritillaries, clouded sulphurs and monarchs.

What's blooming in the Butterfly Garden?

Turks-Cap (Hibiscus)
Mexican Sunflower
Starry-Rosinweed
Snapdragon
Red-Shrimp Plant
Purple Firestick
Mexican Heather
Peregrina
Golden Dewdrops
Tickseed (Coreopsis Sp.)
Candycorn Plant
Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias)
Butterfly Bush
Pink Dwarf Mexican Petunia (Ruellia)
Ramgoat-dashlong
Zinnia
Dutchaman's Pipe Vine
Beeblossom

Sanlan Golf News

More families, like the Matthews', are coming to the driving range to test their skills. The location and affordability of the range is inviting to anyone wanting to try the sport for the first time. A new program for wounded veterans is in the works thanks to PGA professional Ty Andersen. The program will facilitate golf instruction to veterans and active duty personnel right here at our driving range.

Unusual Visitors

The RV office ladies received some unusual visitors that were on their way to an educational program. The scaly visitors were received with awe, wonder and fear. Laura ensured the girls it was safe to handle these reptiles. The animals are part of a collection of educational animals used by a local group to educate people about the importance of reptiles.

Laura, holding a blue-tongue skink from Australia, convinces Chloe to touch the reptile.

Few minutes later and Chloe was ready to try picking up a ball python, an African species.