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My Garden in Pyrgos...


Kostas

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[...]

I had not looked here in a while and it looks like you are having overall good success!

No more further comments needed. :) Kostas ... my compliment to your thread, unbelievable. It seems to be one of the most interesting themes in this subforum. :greenthumb: And your palms in greece are a dream, really. Wish you much luck and success in anything you do an plan.

Great reports, indeed.

Thank you for being us a part of your backyard and feeling like holidays.

Love, Verena

Member of the ultimate Lytocaryum fan society :)

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  • 2 months later...

Thank you very much for your wonderfull comments Verena! smilie.gif

I am very happy you enjoy my thread and like my garden smilie.gif

I think its time for an update,although photo-less unfortunately this time as it rained all weekend 3 weekends ago,when i went to Pyrgos.

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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This was the first winter for the majority of my plantings and unfortunately i had losses....Some of them being very deary palms and others unable to replace at such sizecrying.gif But my biggest loss was my newly acquired Beccariophoenix sp. ''Windows'' and my Oenocarpus bataua.I am very sad i lost thesecrying.gif

Here is a list of all my losses in this very mild but also very cool and rainny winter we had:

1 Beccariophoenix sp. ''Windows''

1 Hyophorbe indica (Red)

2 Licuala peltata var. sumawongii(the only explaination would be that they werent L. peltata var. sumawongii but maybe L. grandis. Our minimum was -1C or maybe slightly colder so i dont see the reason i lost these...They are all brown and crispy...

2 Oenocarpus bataua

2 Loxococccus rupicola(one was just about to make it but......it diedcrying.gif )

3 Solfia samoensis(in pots)

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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This my sad list...crying.gif Some of them i will try again,some not. I will plant more Hyophorbe indica(Red) as although 1 died,2 other i also have(1 in pot,another in the ground)did fine and are not damaged at all. Probably that one died from too much rain and not too well draining soil...I will retry Loxococcus rupicola in a very protected spot this time once my canopy fills well and see what my luck is. I will also certainly replant Beccariophoenix sp. ''Windows'',probably at smaller size as i cant afford the shipping to get another one. This one looked great just after unpacking but then it started decline rapidly. When i planted it in the ground it was already very sad looking with blackish leafs and brownish tint on most to all....The spear looked ok but it seems it was just dyingcrying.gif I think what did this is not my winter but the stay in its box for a month or maybe a little more due to customs problems. It seems it may had exhausted its reserves ad was too far goneunsure.gif I hope the next one has better luck...

I will also try Oenocarpus bataua once more when i find it availiable. I lost it this time but maybe in a better protected place with more sun,it could do well...

I am not trying this Licuala species again though. I am pissed these died and this time i will be planting my favourite Licuala species when i have them:Licuala ramsayi. No Licuala beats this one! drool.gif

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Fortunately though,most of my palms and plants in general did ok and survived undamaged smilie.gif Some pleasant surprizes for me were my 2 leaf Roystonea oleracea,my tiny Heterospathe glauca,my sole Prestoea acuminata var. montanahappy0045.gif ,my Normanbya normanbyi(not that much of a surprize but very good to see smilie.gif ) and my Borassodendron machadonis(just spotted)happy0045.gif All others are fine too,they just werent surprizes...

I will take photos and show you when i am back form my Florida holidays!

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Costas,

Where did you get the Oenocarpus bataua?, or any Oenocarpus for that matter :)

I hope you have luck with the Licuala ramsayi, they are slow but they are tuff once established. :)

Bruce

Innisfail - NQ AUS - 3600mm of rain a year average or around 144inches if you prefer - Temp Range 9c to 43c

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Hi Loweysmilie.gif

Some time ago RPS carried Oenocarpus bataua seeds and i got a small packet. They pop up fine but they hated the cool weather of wintersad.gif

Thanks,i know that L. ramsayi is very slow unfortunately...I hope they live well for me and get a few meters of trunk in my lifetime....unsure.gif

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Kostas, here is one of mine that I grew from seed, it is about eight years old and the trunk to the left is Oenocarpus Sppost-3764-12694213687602_thumb.jpg

post-3764-12694214010395_thumb.jpg

post-3764-12694214305476_thumb.jpg

Bruce

Innisfail - NQ AUS - 3600mm of rain a year average or around 144inches if you prefer - Temp Range 9c to 43c

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You got lots of good results! The list of losses is short.

I don't think an Oenocarpus can live in the Mediterranean. I don't even think they can live here outdoors!

Carlo

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Hi Kostas, how you going?

Just re-looked over this thread. Awesome stuff. Your place is going to look amazing soon, and its going to be so much fun to watch.

Stoked to hear about the hardiness of your North Queensland plants.

Aren't Licuala ramsayi just magnificent - my favourite species too! Below is a photo of some growing in my backyard - how old do you think the 'bendy' one is?

DSC03976.jpg

Kurt

Living the dream in the Rainforest - Average annual rainfall over 4000 mm a year!!!

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Gia sou Kosta,

pos pame, olla kalla?

Nice to read from you again. It looks like your garden is doing well, all in all. Maybe your losses have nothing to do with the weather conditions. As you mentioned you have had an extraordinary warm (and wet) winter and the long duration of the transport has a much greater influence. It happend to me two times yet, that the plants looked well or maybe just a little weak when they arrived and then rapidly died. And that's why I don't like the palms to be shipped. But I know that in Greece you almost don't have another chance, because nurseries only trade the common indoor palms, like howea forsteriana or dypsis lutescens... maybe plants from egypt don't take so long to get to greece!?

Greetings from Germany

P.S.: I'm waiting for some pics from your garden :winkie:

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Hi Kostas!

I like to see your garden and your enthousiasm!! Also your courage!:)

Do you have any Brahea species? I think Beccariophoenix alfredii will grow very well for you!

Carambeí, 2nd tableland of the State Paraná , south Brazil.

Alt:1030m. Native palms: Queen, B. eriospatha, B. microspadix, Allagoptera leucocalyx , A.campestris, Geonoma schottiana, Trithrinax acanthocoma. Subtr. climate, some frosty nights. No dry season. August: driest month. Rain:1700mm

 

I am seeking for cold hardy palms!

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  • 1 month later...

Thank you very much all of you for your replys!!!!smilie.gif Its great to see so many of you replied,i am sorry for taking me so long to reply but i was on vacations from March 26 to April 12 In Florida and i missed themunsure.gif

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Lowey,

Thank you very much for the photos! You have a wonderfull Licuala ramsayi there! Its looking awesome and the growth has been very good for only 8years from seed!drool.gif Your Oenocarpus rocks too,i have seen photos of it at another thread of yours and it put serious thoughts in my mind about moving....blink.giflaugh.gifdrool.gif I just love Oenocarpus bataua!

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Thank you very much for the encouragement Carlo!smilie.gif

I wish Oenocarpus did well here,O. bataua is an awesome species and supposedly hardy to -2C but i didnt take into account if it has any mean temprature requirementsunsure.gif I will retry if i can and do my best to have one survive....It was really easy and hardy all summer that i didnt worried much about them but when temprature was close to 10C for days...they started dieing back for no reason. You should try this species if you find it,i would say that given the fact that Cocos nucifera can be grown in the Canaries(from what i have heard at leastunsure.gif ),this one should also do well. It doesnt need high humidity nessesarilly but it enjoys water!smilie.gif

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Hi Kurt!

Thank you very much for the picture of Licuala ramsayi at your place! They are trully awesome and seen at their full potential!drool.gif They are trully magnificent,no other Licuala can make such a breathtaking canopy and have so perfectly circular,symmetrical looking huge leafsdrool.gif I would say the bendy one is easily 100 to 200years oldmrlooney.gif

I am very happy you think my place is going to look like something soon! smilie.gif

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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I am very happy about the hardiness of my N. Queensland plants too and extreemely happy to say that my Castanospermum australe is evergreen and not deciduous as i have heard others aresmilie.gif My Normanbya normanbyi is stalled from winter though,it hardly grew a cm from the last time i saw it about 2 months agounsure.gif I hope that when 30C days arrive,that will change maybe...

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Geia sou Janni!Mia xara,esy;

Thank you very much for your comments! I think the Beccariophoenix's death has nothing to do with the weather,exactly as you said, and died just because of remaining in a box too long...As you also said,living in Greece,i have to order most palms from abroad and so i have done that big deallaugh.gif Fortunately i didnt have much problems with that and i actually had great experience with shipped palms and other plants. I find that palms and ferns dont mind much being shipped,especially if they are not barerooted,and they acclimate again relatively easily and reliably(except for some very touchy New Caledonian species which need extra care). With barerooting,its another matter and takes some time and a little extra care before good growth resumes.

Shipping time almost never exceeds a week for palms coming from anywhere in the globe so distance is not much of a problem. The Beccariophoenix was just really unfortunate as although it came to Greece in just 5 days,there were some problems with the customs that took a whole month to resolve. This did it insad.gif

Aloha from Greece Janni!smilie.gif The pictures you are waiting for are just a few posts belowwink-1.gif

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Hi Alberto!

Thank you very much for your kind comments! I am glad you like it!smilie.gif

I dont have any Brahea species planned to be planted in this garden but i do am growing up some Brahea armata from seeds Randy sent me(Thanks a lot Randy!!!smilie.gif ). You are very right that Beccariophoenix alfredii would do very well for me! I am growing 7 of them ,all from seed,with 5 of them being more than a year old and the other 2 a few months old and they all have done great for me! They saw -3C the previous winter without getting any damage at all and they have withstood pretty much anything:underwatering,overwatering,60C peak tempratures for a couple of months,germinating in the bag they were shipped in and growing their first leaf in there in total darkness,then tearing their bag with that and drying out(the last 2 ones) and generally pretty much anything you can imagine! These are trully winner palms for my climate and i suspect they must eb as hardy as Parajubaea cocoides which i am also growing for a few years now(a favourite!smilie.gif ). I wont be planting these in Pyrgos though,i want to grow the B. sp. ''Windows'' there as i think my climate allows that. I will leave the Beccariophoenix alfredii i have for my main garden that will probably be in a somewhat less favourable climate than Pyrgos but still much better than Melissia,where i am currently growing these...

And now...its time for an update!smilie.gif

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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I went to Pyrgos last weekend and ended up doing some major weed clean up work...The weeds were 1,20m tall all over my garden and tighly packed the one with the other. There were some climbing weeds too that tied all these weeds together and made them a huge mass that was terribly difficult to remove and to find the small palms in...In fact it was even difficult to find the bigger plants in too!blink.gif It took half a day and many scratches from the weeds but they were finally all removed and the palms under them alive and just a little beaten up,others from dryness and others from constant wettness of their leafs during the rains. I think they are all gonna survive though,hopefully. The ones i said are gonners,are definately gonners i think,most have a deep hole where the spear was already,and no green so there is mostly no hope for them. I was however extreemely pleased to see my straight trunked Dicksonia producing some croziers again! This one was severly stressed from not beeing watered for 15days last fall due the the watering controller getting unplugged during my absence...So it was standing there,taking half day sun and drying out big deal. The croziers i had seen it was about to put out in the fall were black and completely dried out and the leafs were very sad looking with few green on them but still alive. After that misfortune,it remained in this sad state all winter and did not produce a single frond while my leaning trunk Dicksonia was producing fronds all this time(this one too withstood the same missfortune but was half shaded by my Grevillea robusta and only got sun for maybe 3 hours in total and no full noon sun.This one didnt show much inconvenience although it wasnt totally happy with that happening). So,i feared that the growing point had died on my straight trunk Dicksonia due to water being unable to reach that high up in the rhizome during the drought. The beaten up leafs remained alive but no new leafs all this time. I was feeling asshamed such an old fern died on me so you can imagine how relieved and happy i felt seeing 4 croziers just starting to poke out of the openingdrool.gif I placed shadecloth above it and will be protecting it from full summer sun this time till the Grevillea robusta and nearby palms grow enough to shade it. I am considering moving it to a better location also but only after it grows some rows of leafs and starts looking decent again.I dont want it exhaust its reserves. Its gonna be pretty heavy too so i am having second third and fourth thoughts on thatlaugh.gif

Anyway,back to the update again,i layed down pine bark mulch over the entire garden and made a path of stone tiles through the garden. That is mostly so i can have people only walk there and not risk them stepping on any of my plants when getting in the garden or when i ask my Aunt to do something for me related to my garden, while i am away. It looks decent too i think and when the mulch changes color and becomes ''dirty'' with branches,leafs,fruits,etc mixed it,it should look pretty natural toosmilie.gif Now it looks too fake for my taste but its for good and that look will change in not too much time! I ran out of money buying all this mulch and stepping stones and so i had to leave the mulching of the patios for the next time.

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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I fixed some irrigations problems i had and retunned the whole irrigation system for summer. I am going to have a pressure pump installed too,probably next time i am there,to help the irrigation with the pressure as its very low in Pyrgos and the higher parts of the house are reached by water only by the less used,more pressurized zones.

I also planted my first banana in Pyrgos: an Ensete ventricosum,gift of FM Basilios at the first Greek PRA we had the week before! He grew them from seed and gave me 2 about 70-90cm tall Ensete ventricosum he had surplus to make room for more palms(Thanks a lot Basilios!!!!smilie.gif ) The other one was also transported to Pyrgos but was left in its pot in a place receiving full sun till next time when i hope to find a planting place for it too. I am very excited with their speed of growth and got to love them within less than a week that i kept them in Melissia. The full noon sun i gave them brought out some very vimbrant midrib and edge neon purple colors and made for a growth of almost 1 leaf per week,wow!drool.gif

Well,thats most all i did last weekend in Pyrgos and i was feeling really tired after these 2 days of intense work! Wish i had this garden closer to me and could work more often of it,a little less at a time and sit back and enjoy a little more...smilie.gif

Now comes the more interesting part,PHOTOS!!!!!!smilie.gif

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Callistemon laevis in full bloomsmilie.gif

IMG_2022a.jpg

A view from the veranda towards the garden,with the Mangolia grandiflora and female Cycas revoluta framing the entrance

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Male Cycas revoluta and my 1,5years old from seed Washingtonia robusta(Sonora)

IMG_2024a.jpg

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Washingtonia robusta(Sonora) and Howea fosteriana. The place just under the Washingtonia was continuously getting flooded for a good month or 2 before i came and fixed it 2 months ago. This made for a really soggy and decomposing soil from just above the Howea and under...Fortunately it withstood that just fine without even showing any unhappiness and now the soil is mostly fixed after it dried out a little and got some good new soil above it. The Howea is even opening a good sized(for its size) spearsmilie.gif

IMG_2025a.jpg

My Trachycarpus fortunei have filled somewhat and are flowering profussely now!(last year i had no seed set and i think they must be of the same sex unfortunatelysad.gif I will be buying a third one of the opposite sex when i can)

IMG_2026a.jpg

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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The Blechnum magellanicum below them is flushingdrool.gif

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My second 1,5year old from seed Washingtonia robusta(Sonora). This one isnt as happy as the other as it has some ant tended mealy bugs on it...Forgot to clean them while i was there and now i cant wait t go again and do just that! I hate mealy bugs!

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Phyllostachis nigra growing new culms!

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''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Leaning trunk Dicksonia antarctica growing new leafssmilie.gif

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My Grevillea robusta has started looking like a tree already!

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A photo of the view just after passing behind the Grevillea robusta and straight trunked Dicksonia antarctica,following the pathway(i dont intend to keep the pathway passing behind the Grevillea forever,i plan to have it terminated a little after the wooden frame you see laid on the ground as i want to plant a Howea behind the Grevillea and try a Orania palindan planted close to the building too so its a prime planting space i dont want be waisted for a pathway...My bigger Acanthophoenix rubra is the palm with the one leaf and the opening spear visible in the shot

IMG_2032a.jpg

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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The view looking back from the same spot to the Grevillea robusta and straight trunked Dicksonia antarctica

IMG_2033a.jpg

My newly planted Ensete ventricosumdrool.gif

IMG_2034a.jpg

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Following the pathway right arround the corner,we stumble upon this beautifull Cibotium glaucum putting out new leafsdrool.gif

IMG_2035a.jpg

Looking towards the front of the garden where Cyathea medullaris clearly dominates the place!drool.gif Castanospermum australe can be seen to the right of it.

IMG_2036a.jpg

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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From the front of the garden looking towards the back. My smaller Acanthophoenix rubra is barely visible while Dioon spinulossum and Ceroxylon amazonicum can be seen in front of the wall facing us

IMG_2037a.jpg

My bigger Archontophoenix alexandrae is still growing that beautyfully colored leaf it was growing at the last update and amazingly enough,it still retains some color on it!drool.gif

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Looking towards the garden from the outside. My bigger Archontophoenix alexanrdae is the closest visible palm in this shot and my smaller Acanthophoenix rubra the second visible palm closest to us.

IMG_2039a.jpg

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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A good view of the pathway and the front part of the gardensmilie.gif

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My smaller Archontophoenix alexandrae in front of the veranda is growing well toosmilie.gif

IMG_2041a.jpg

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Kostas!

Your garden is great!

Hmm. Be careful where you put that Grevillea robusta. You know they can get really big, like 30 meters tall, with about a meter-thick trunk?

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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Dang, you get up EARLY in the morning!

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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Thank you very much Dave!smilie.gif I am glad you like it!

Yes,i am aware of that and really hope it gets that big or bigger soon!!!drool.gif I chose it over Eucalyptus because it supposedly grows a much thinner trunk that Eucalyptus when mature. From what i read on a site about cultivating Grevillea robusta for telephone poles,at 30m it has a about 38cm thick trunk which is little given that height and the diametre of Eucalyptus trees at much lower heights...Plus,that building is non important and i will be glad to make wall adjustments if things start getting too crowdedlaugh.gifsmilie.gif

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Regarding the sleep thing,i havent even slept yetlaugh.gifmrlooney.gif I am here completing the update before i get to sleepbiggrin.gif

A view of the left patio with the flowering Callistemon laevis,Strelitzia reginae and a Cymbidium hybrid(due for removal when a replacement pure species plant is found)

IMG_2043a.jpg

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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My Syagrus romanzoffiana is finally growing its first partly divided leaf,woohoodrool.gif

IMG_2042a.jpg

And last but not least,my Bismarckia nobilis(Silver) which withstood the winter rains fine!smilie.gif Didnt grow much but that should change when high tempratures come!

IMG_2044a.jpg

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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That was all for this time. The photos were taken by my mother again as i didnt even have the time to sit down a little and relax while the sun was up...Lots of work had to be done in little time...

I hope you enjoyed it!smilie.gif

Till next time...

Happy growing to you all!!!!smilie.gif

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Hi Kostas, nice pics!!!

How old is the Grevillea Robusta???

Ciao

Giovanni

Noci (BA) Italia

350m a.s.l.

Zone 8b

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Hi Ampli!smilie.gif

I am glad you liked them!

My Grevillea robusta is just 1,5years old from a 1,80m tall greenhouse grown sapling with no side branches but an intact apex. It grows really fast!!!!drool.gif

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Wooow; It's very fast.

I thought it grow slowly; so I'm wrong!!!

Ciao

Giovanni

Noci (BA) Italia

350m a.s.l.

Zone 8b

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Yeah,its actually a very fast tree,one of the fastest arround as it has the potential to grow 1-3m in height per year!!!drool.gifIt grows through winter for me too,just slower than the rest of the seasons...

''To try,is to risk failure.......To not try,is to guarantee it''

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Wonderful garden Kostas, it's been a lot of fun watching it's progess! I always look forward to your updates

Susan

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