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6 acres of land and about 2.5 acres is taken by the garden. The garden is about 30 years old. Iam currently expanding the garden and renovating it along with doing the understory.

That's crazy, there must be some real money in it to go to that effort?

Very envious of your gardens Richard. How big is your property if you don’t mind me asking?

Here's an updated pic! Also to the OP: I'm not the best with Attalea, but it looks more like A. butyracea to me.

I checked my photo archive and only have one photo of one! Here's a Chamaedorea hooperiana growing not too far from you at SFBG.

With winter practically over the garden faired well. A very mild winter to say the least.

You take on the responsibility of a pet, and it’s for that pets entire life. They’re family members alright!

The taitungensis putting out an end of winter flush.

The good old lepidozamia peroffskyana about to drop seeds.

Little licuala triphylla with a few seeds, iguanura wallachiana var major seedling. And a nice Sabal mauritiformis.

Spring has sprung and it’s time to start potting up what’s been germinating over winter. A lot of licuala in this batch . I do know when it comes to Licualas dont mix them up keep them tagged and separated. Because as seedlings and juvenile plants they are practically impossible to identify.

Pinanga declinata east of Kon Tum

Pinanga Kontumensis east of Kon Tum

Lanonia gialaiensis east of Kon Tum

Bonjour, je suis dans le sud de la France, j'ai des Phoenix dactylifera en jeune plant.

Cool. I don’t know what those spines are. The fruit in these pindo seeds was impressive. They are everywhere in every apartment complex here in Charleston. Also my friend just gave me way too many Washingtonia seeds.

Did some research, wow there is alot of rare zone 9b palms Holy

One of the few "Chambeyronia" I still have left after Feb. 2026. Hoping it picks up some speed as it is dreadfully slow.

I've got a few Brahea aculeata outside that I started from seed. My hope is this one will grow here. The order I got from RPS in 2025 took about 1 month after sowing to sprout. My labels provide a lot of information so I don't have to try to remember 😁

They look great!!! I have some Copernicia Baileyana, Livistona Alfredii, Cuban Hat Palm, Hyphaene Thebaica, Hyphaene Coriacea, Phoenix Reclinata and some Brahea Armada popping up!! I will post some pics shortly!! Your yard looks fantastic!!

My Brahea edulis - this is growing really well here: The Brahea armata at Lake Wire:

We have thousands planted in municipal parks, near highways in medians and shoulders, and throughout nature preserves. Within weeks of maturing, the plants will be stripped bare of every berry by poachers. A few of us that have mature specimens on our property have had to chase poachers off private property.

While I've probably spent a small fortune on various species of palms, my favorite thing to do is grow seeds from local palms that have survived the various freezes in our history. The palms that have survived January 2008, January 2010, December 2010, January 2018, January 2022, December 2022, and February 2026 are at the top of my list. It saves money and you get to see the entire lifecycle of the plant. You also know for sure at least one of the parents. Sometimes just taking a handful of seeds and doing a direct sow no an "X marks the spot" on your landscape map yields some interesting results at no cost and with no stress.

At this point, roughly 3in of rain this month. Overall growth hasn't been bad, but that long dry spell didn't help the drought in the area. We'll see if August runs through the tape and manages to turn in a respectable total, or decides to just tread water. As @SubTropicRay mentioned, it's not often a drought persists at elevated levels through a rainy season. We're still having flashbacks of 2023 every time it hits 100oF with no rain.

That’s the one dont give your day job, that’s one reason I still have my job, and one that is working with plants is even better. I just wish there was more hobby growers around, it’s fun going on trip to get plants you don’t have and the joy of not knowing what you will get in a knew plant for the garden. Iam happy having my hobby collection and working just for the man so to speak, I don’t see my hobby stressing me out like the boss at work does over his business. Not only that my hobby doesn’t make me work all day and it’s at my own pace that’s enjoyable. My job pays the bills and as you say puts food on the table, my hobby gives me joy and happiness and I know which one I would prefer, give me pslms any day, a good day plant shopping is better than a good day’s work anytime! Richard