Just a couple of shots of palms in my garden

[Miccles]

Hi all,

This weekend marks the end of summer down here (not that Autumn or "fall" is a bad time of year). So I thought I would take the opportunity to take a few random shots around the backyard....as an ode to summer. Hope you enjoy.

Regards

Michael.

Guihaia Argyrata.... growing strongly and has 2 small suckers.

[Miccles]

Dypsis baronii

[Miccles]

Chamaedorea Hooperiana

[Miccles]

my smaller Euterpe Edulis. This was burnt back to a spear during the awful heatwave 12 months ago......really toughened it up - since then it has taken direct sun without a problem.

[Miccles]

Sorry... non-palm shot.... but nice colour anyway.

Mandevilla "Crimson Fantasy"...a good grower here year-round. Brightens up the fences !

[Miccles]

Syagrus Coronata....bought in Darwin over a year ago, bare-rooted and flown back to Melbourne....I bet it didn't see that coming !! It sulked for quite a while, but seems to have come good now.

Leaves have shortened right up since it's been down here....that seems normal for palms that have been initially grown in the tropics and then brought down to a temperate climate.

[Miccles]

Dictyosperma Album

Again...purchased in Darwin and bare-rooted. Is a hard grow down here (brown tips very easily)...needs a very protected spot....growing steadily for me.

Edited February 27, 2010 by Miccles

[Miccles]

Caryota species.... labelled as "Himalayana". Is there such a recognised species ?

Anyhow - it looks different to my other C.Himalayana, and very different to my C.Ochlandra......

All I know is that it's a good grower here, reasonably quick now it's in the ground (for the last 5 months) and I love the leaves.

[Miccles]

For comparison... my "other" Caryota Himalayana....

Any ideas ??

[Miccles]

My Caryota Mitis. Have had this one for a while, and actually planted it in the front yard 2 years ago. The location was far too exposed, and winter left it looking yellow and ragged. So I re-potted it and nursed it back to health in my sheltered pergola. Now that it's bigger, I have planted it in the back yard in a very protected location. Will be very interesting to see how it fares long-term.

Hyophorbe Indica behind it to the right....protected and growing quickly.

[Miccles]

My Mule palm.....this has been an awesome grow for me... has tripled in size in the last 8 months. The twist in the leaves is very graceful.

[Miccles]

Butia Capitata. This was grown from seed by an old German guy who lives about 2 miles from me. The parent tree is in his front yard, and is stunning. He has a little sign "palms for sale" on his front gate...so I called in one day. He had about 20 "offspring" for sale...ranging from 2 strap-leaf seedlings, right up to about 50 litre pot size. I enquired about the largest one........... he replied "is $50 ok with you?"...

I said it was ok with me.

It has been in the ground for just over a year and has grown steadily. Is a lovely glaucous green.

Edited February 27, 2010 by Miccles

[Miccles]

Sabal Causiarum. Driven down from Brisbane (1000 miles) last September. Has spent the majority of summer adjusting to the different climate down here, but has opened a new leaf and pushing another spear fairly quickly. I am excited about having this monster in my yard.

The only Sabals available in Melbourne are S.Minor (and S.Palmetto at one nursery I know of), so it's great to have another variety growing here.

[Miccles]

A new culm on my bamboo "Oldhamii". I only discovered this today...and was amazed at it's diameter. Until now, all other culms had been about 1/2 inch ...

Bamboo will play an important role in my garden, forming a dense, effective wind barrier from the cold southerlies we get here in winter. I have several different species in the yard, all have grown impressively over summer.

[Miccles]

The largest Orianopsis Appendiculata I have. Yes, it IS slow, but there are definately slower palms around (at least for me). Loves moisture and shade, and has greened right up since being planted out in November.

[Miccles]

Archontophoenix Maxima. Has really loved being planted out, and loves swampy conditions. That's hard to achieve with my sandy soil, but I have ammended it pretty heavily, which has proved beneficial. This one is really getting fat now.

[Miccles]

Rhopalostylis Sapida. Can easily be baked out in our summer sun unless protected....(hence the queen palms for canopy). Each time an old leaf base is removed, I see a dash of yellow for about 3 weeks.

[ariscott]

Hey Michael... it starts to look good there....

You have been busy this summer. Good idea about those bamboos... mine has grown so fast, you wouldn't recognise them anymore. You might have to try more tropical species now... Go on, be adventurous...

Regards, Ari

[Miccles]

Linospadix Monostachya. Growing really well for me....wish I had more of them.....there's a real grace to this Aussie native.

[Miccles]

Trithrinax Acanthocoma. This one has been in the ground approx 2 years and has doubled in size in that time...definately gaining more speed now. Tough palm.

[Miccles]

Hey Michael... it starts to look good there....

You have been busy this summer. Good idea about those bamboos... mine has grown so fast, you wouldn't recognise them anymore. You might have to try more tropical species now... Go on, be adventurous...

Regards, Ari

Thanks Ari. Yes, it really has taken a lot of effort this Spring/Summer, but like most of us on here, it's been a labour of love. Still not finished yet... have pathways to do, mulching and installation of a spa in the pergola !

Then it's up to the palms/bamboo to grow and create a very different style of yard for Melbourne !

Regards

Michael

[Miccles]

Dypsis Pembana. Another one that was brought down from Brisbane. It's a bit of a risk, but has been planted in quite a sheltered spot (as far as cold winter winds go). Burnt initially when exposed to our harsh southern summer sun, but quickly adjusted. The test will be how it handles winter. I dont get frost here, but how will it handle 4 months of night after night ranging from typically 3C to 12C as a minimum ??

Time will tell - I hope it makes it...a really pretty palm in my opinion.

Edited February 27, 2010 by Miccles

[Miccles]

My little Brahea Nitida. This little guy HATED being in a pot, sickly yellow and was about 1 week from death when I planted him in the ground in desperation. The results can be seen here, a nice healthy green colour.

Always wanted one of these, and would have been real upset if this one had died on me.

My large, recovering Pritchardia Hillebrandii is directly behind it.

[Miccles]

Well, that's it guys & girls. Hope you enjoyed.

Thanks

Michael.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Michael

You have acheieved so much in your garden in a few short yrs . A great variety of palms that would not normally be seen in Melbourne .

please show us your Hedyscepe and parajubaea for a before and after comparison.

[Ken Johnson]

I love garden pix and these are interesting. Nice mix of species. Other side of the world!

Thanks.

[freakypalmguy]

Very nice Michael.

[Shon]

Very nice garden. I don't remember seeing it before. Like the layout and species. That Oraniopsis is especially nice. Mine just went pinnate, yours is huge in comparison.

[Walter John]

Great report Michael, nice species collection there.

[Miccles]

Michael

You have acheieved so much in your garden in a few short yrs . A great variety of palms that would not normally be seen in Melbourne .

please show us your Hedyscepe and parajubaea for a before and after comparison.

Thanks for your replies everybody.

As you'd know Troy, it's just so hard to source any slightly different palms down here. I'm sure it would be even more difficult for you, than it is for me. That's where we've been lucky enough to be able to source seeds or seedlings from kind people on here. For people who's palm choices are limited via conventional nurseries in their location, it's just fantastic to have people on here who are willing to send you something "different".

Ok..... here's my Parajubaea Torallyi (before & after shots). Was planted in November 2007.

Before: December 2007.

[Miccles]

After: taken today....26 months later.

Edited February 27, 2010 by Miccles

[Miccles]

Close-up of "trunkal" region......

[Miccles]

Dypsis Decaryi that I'd grown in a pot for years and planted out last week. No "red triangles" around these parts, so standard will have to do. Even standards are not that easy to come by around here.

To the right is my strangely varigated C.Humilis. (It continues to display this funky varigation on every leaf, and I have no doubt it is a permanent feature.)

Edited February 27, 2010 by Miccles

[Miccles]

Close-up of the weird, radial varigation on the C.Humilis.

I've shown this one before, but hope it's worth another look.

Edited February 27, 2010 by Miccles

[Zeeth]

Close-up of the weird, radial varigation on the C.Humilis.

I've shown this one before, but hope it's worth another look.

Woah!

[Miccles]

General front-yard shot. The front yard was created in October 2007. The back yard was done in September 2009.

[Miccles]

My Sabal Palmetto.

This was bought 3 yrs ago - a sad,neglected thing at a local nursery. It was in a small bag (which it had hopelessly outgrown) and pushed up against a fence underneath larger overhanging trees. Consequently, it had stretched over in one direction, looking for light. You can see the effect on the lower fronds.

Once planted, it did nothing for 12-15 months...just sat there. Then it suddenly decided to spring back to life. New growth is "normal", and the palm has a bit of a glaucous sheen to it - which I really love.

[Miccles]

Here's two of my Hedyscepe's.

The first one is standard...the second one is a picture of "fat Tony".

[Miccles]

And here's "fat Tony"....(apologies to any fat Tony's who are offended by being compared to a palm).

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Thanks Michael for taking the time to publish the palms i wanted to view. The parajubaea has really taken off mine is the same as the "before" pic.Down here Parajubaea and Hedyscepe seem to do most of their growing in the cooler months March-May ,late July - November.

I have a Sabal palmetto and a Sabal Minor ,they are the slowest growers i have down here ,even the Leppidorachis is faster.