8er-moni 15 Report post Posted August 26, 2009 (edited) Thank you to your mother an you - again - I've answered too early :D Edited August 26, 2009 by 8er-moni Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted August 26, 2009 My mother and i thank you very much Moni,you are welcome! Answering early in not bad... And some bonus pictures of some of the beautyfull,big Washingtonia robusta i see on my way to Pyrgos... The most beautyfull groove Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted August 26, 2009 Hope you enjoyed these as well,i enjoyed very much taking them and wish i can take a similar picture of my house someday in the future,with huge Washingtonia robusta and other palms above everything else Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8er-moni 15 Report post Posted August 26, 2009 :lol: I enjoy these new picturs - an I wish you the same fast growing for your plants/palmtrees ectl. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John in Andalucia 621 Report post Posted August 26, 2009 The Roystonea oleracea will look amazing in years to come, Kostas. This is a palm I want to cultivate. I hope you have it planted in a prominent position! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted August 26, 2009 Thank you very much Moni! I hope that John! Its is in an easily viewed area but i wouldnt call it a prominent position unfortunately...Its in a 75cm wide patio.... But i have planted it off centre,towards my property so that when its trunk gets close to the brick lining of the patio,i will widen its area so that it grows unbothered I chose a Bismarckia for the most prominent position in my garden Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Exotic Life 107 Report post Posted August 26, 2009 Great Pictures. Somehow the sky, houses, gardens, palms everything showing it's nice and warm over there and give a nice feeling over here. I'm really curious about the garden in a few years. I've seen growth rates before from Southern Europe planted palm trees like the Washingtonia, that's unbelievble. Athens does have mild winters right? Because I see sometimes snow on pictures in the more inland area's from Greece? Don't have any problems with the bushfires over there around Athens? Robbin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted August 26, 2009 Thanks Robbin! Indeed,south Greece is glowing and showing even from its sky how beautyfull and hot the weather is! The Washingtonia you see in my pictures is just now closing a year of life,i germinated it in early September and has sky rocketed since spring came! All of mine have divided their leaves already and are growing very fast! I hope it becomes a big palm soon! Syagrus romanzoffiana show crazy growth too once we get 35+C with lots of cm of leaf growth in a day as seedlings,imagine grown speciemens But still,i am zealous of tropical places with yearround growing seasons and who are able to grow Iriartea and other stilt root palms which are some of my favourite palms i doubt i can grow long term...(i will still try them though ) My garden is in Pyrgos,Peloponissos and not in Melissia,Athens. Athens is a big city and has from very mild winters at the town center and the coast where it never gets below -4C even in the worst winters,with annually getting to -1C to -2C at most,to sever winters in the north Athens,where Melissia are located,with annually getting arround -3C and in extreem cases even down to -6C(same as you ).Snow is annual but lasts 1-2 weeks at most in this area of Athens while the town center and the coast gets very little snow and this only in the most severe winters,every 4 years or more. Still,temprature does not fall much on the coast or town center,there are huge Araucaria and a Avocado tree,undamaged to it should have never fallen below -4C and i guess maybe -3C is the most it has ever fallen... I plan on moving in the recent future to Pyrgos for life or if i am unable to do this,to the mildest coast of Athens Other than that i hate seeing our Pine forests burnt,i didnt have any other problem with the fires this year,they didnt come near any of my properties. But unfortunately huge Pines are burned and takes 25years to start seeing a beautyfull forest again They are not bushfires at all,they are Pine forest fires for the most part Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Exotic Life 107 Report post Posted August 27, 2009 Lol... always looking to other people what they can grow and we don't, however I think we should be proud about or own gardens and what we can grow, every garden has got his own charmes. The Washingtonia is growing unbelievble fast over here, couple weeks ago it was growing almost one leaf a week, they simply love our dutch summers. In the end of this year I will post some growing rates about this palm. I'm sure it needs only a few years in Southern Europe before you can walk under your own Washingtonia. I like Syagrus romanzoffiana very much. I also tried this one in my own garden and placed a few years ago in the garden. The good palm survived the winters over here with protection but don't grow that much during our summers. I Dug it out last year, and it's now in a container. I purchased that one from southern France, so I'm now try to germinate some seeds from different places to try again with one that has growing up over here, however I don't get them germinated somehow. That brings my story to the temperatures. In normal winters from the last few years the most of the night that it's freezing don't go below -3C and when it does it's getting rarely below -5 to -6. Our climate is not stable enough it can be freezing one night -5C and the next night it can be +5, we have days in winter that the temperature reached only to 2 or 3C but we have also have days with 14-15C but most of the times when that happens it's windy and rain. That's a big difference to you, if it's freezing over there daytemperatures are always higher then ours and you have loads of sunshine in winter to. That's just the thing what palms doing well or don't over here. Let's say our climate knows more extremes. Winter 2006-2007 I had only 7 nights with light frost with the lowest from -2.8C even my banana where keeping there leafes that winter. Last winter was horrible and the coldest ever since I started with growing exotics! I get a couple night with -7 and -8 and also one time -10C!! Another fact why the winter killed lots of plants was because the cold period with also low day temperatures was almost for 3 weeks! This year would be different, because we had a good and warm summer with plenty of sunshine the closest water to me is around the 25-26C now and the North Sea around the 20C. This keeping me not that cold in winter... However, I'm looking forward to see some pictures again from your yard. Robbin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Janni 4 Report post Posted September 7, 2009 Hi Kosta, nice to see some pics from your garden again. I guess in only a few years every neighbour will be so jealous of your garden and perhaps imitate your garden. so you are a real pioneer in tropical gardening in greece (after maurice on rhodes of course!). keep on planting (and pics uploading)!! greetings btw: @ maurice: why don't you start a thread with pics of your garden. it would indeed be very interesting to see another tropical palm garden in greece;) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 14, 2009 Thank you very much both of you for your replys Robbin, Yeah,we cant help it i guess! Of course i am sure we are proud of our own gardens as they are a fruit of our own labor I am happy to hear they grow that fast for you! They have been growing very fast for me too here,i dont know how many leafs per month though as they are always growing a new leaf and so i havent bothered to count! I hope that Robbin! I will tell you when mine reaches a height i can wak under it without trimming any leaf and then we will know the actual years it takes for one to reach that stage here Currently my Washingtonia robusta(Sonora) are 1year old from seed Syagrus romanzoffiana surpize with their cold hardiness! Mine took -6C(in Melissia) as a 30cm palm without any damage and was pleasantly surprized from that! They do however need lots of heat to grow fast,only above 30-35C they really speed up and stand to their name as fast growing palms! With lower tempratures they grow little unfortunately...However,they still survive fine and will eventually become big so dont loose hope for yours! Plant it in the garden again in a place that doesnt bother you or take the space of another palm that would grow faster and just wait for it,it will grow eventually! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 14, 2009 I wish you to do get a germinator! I grew mine from seeds collected locally too from a Syagrus romanzoffiana(with a very beautyfull trunk ) but i only got 3 germinators out of 20+ seeds from this tree...Seven had seen very cold weather before i picked them from the ground and from these my Syagrus comes from,the rest 14+ were collected another year and gave 2 germinators in total(which dried out before i noticed that they germinated due to a leak of the tupperware they were in ) The rest never germinated despite rehydration and warm tempratures. So i think it will be difficult to get a germinator from local seeds grown up there...I hope you do find the good seed though! You are right about this different in climate,we only have a few days with freezing and below tempratures in total all winter and day tempratures are always + or at the worst case 0C.And that is in Melissia,i checked the temprature history of Pyrgos and in the last 20years,the only winter with subfreezing tempratures was that of 2007-2008 where a lowest of -3,6C was recorded one night. All other nights of this and all the other winters were in the +C I am gonna try Iriartea!!!! Last winter was quite mild over here but with LOTS of rain...It was rainning all the time! Thats a real rarity for Athens!!!! For Pyrgos its normal though but rained even more than normal,in other words,everything was soaking wet all winter in Pyrgos and most of the time in Melissia too! In Melissia it got to 0C to -2C or -3C,a normal winter in other words but with less days of cold weather. I heard on TV and now from you you unfortunately took a big hit in winter up there and some established palms died I hope it doesnt happen again anywhere soon...Warm water bodies make quite a difference surely Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 14, 2009 Hi Janni, Thank you I hope my neighbors do imitate my garden at some point,although there is no source for most of my palms in Pyrgos or anywhere near(only in Crete and Rhodes some are starting to appear in nurseries,like Archonotphoenix and a few others)but if they at least plant Howea fosteriana,everything will look much more tropical in years to come! Probably the only source for the rest of my palms with be my own palms when they flower and seed... Thank you! Of course Maurice and a few others in Crete and some other warm places of Greece are pioneers in tropical gardens in Greece before me! I am telling him that too,his garden has started maturing nicely!!! My parents went last weekend in Pyrgos and did me a photo walkthough of the garden Here it is for you to enjoy too! This walkthough starts from the rightmost patio of the veranda and ends up at the same area again after seeing all the patios and garden Starting with...Archontophoenix alexandrae! Howea fosteriana(going right from Archontophoenix) Syagrus romanzoffiana and Howea fosteriana Bismarckia nobilis(Silver) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 14, 2009 Yucca elephantipes(?) Male Cycas revoluta Washingtonia robusta(Sonora) Smaller Howea fosteriana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 14, 2009 Skipping the Trachycarpus,we see this Oenocarpus bataua... Ceratozamia miquelliana with new,acclimated leaf waiting to be planted on the spot Second Washingtonia robusta(Sonora) Loxococcus rupicola Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 14, 2009 Hyophorbe indica(Southern) Normanbya normanbyi Roystonea oleracea Ceroxylon amazonicum starting to grow well Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 14, 2009 Caryota maxima(Himalaya) emerging from the ground! Grevillea robusta and Dicksonia antarctica Second Oenocarpus bataua Kerriodoxa elegans Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 14, 2009 Livistona rotundifolia recoring...I hope it makes it... Second Hyophorbe indica(Southern) Borassodendron machadonis Licuala peltata var. sumawongii Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 14, 2009 Unfolding leaf shot Potted Ceroxylon amazonicum at my potted palm stash,waiting for a place to be planted My potted palm stash...All are waiting for planting spots to be found and are acclimating on the meantime... My smaller potted Ceroxylon amazonicum going pinnate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 14, 2009 Ceratozamia miquelliana with leaves in bad shape due to very strong winds in Melissia where i was keeping it. It is residing there for some time now and i am waiting for a new leaf to plant it... Second Livistona rotundifolia not looking any good...Probably a gonner but i really wish it makes it...It withstood -2C undamaged But something made its spear die during the summer and i pulled spear but hasnt produced any new one the months after the incident And the leafs start to not look too good any more... Second Licuala peltata var. sumawongii recovering from a clogged dripper... Castanospermum australe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 14, 2009 Second Ceroxylon amazonicum Dioon spinulossum Acanthophoenix rubra growing fast but not putting out very small leafs Second Kerriodoxa elegans Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 14, 2009 Second Dioon spinulossum Second Archontophoenix alexandrae with a big new leaf,about 60cm in length now but the height of the palm is even more! Overall shot of the garden from the veranda That was it! I hope you liked it!!! There will be lots of new plantings at the begining of October when i will go myself in Pyrgos and many plant orders(mainly ferns but some big palms also!) will arrive Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iamjv 80 Report post Posted September 16, 2009 The garden is coming along nicely.... I like the hardscape you've incorporated. Once these palms start getting some size, there will very tropical feel to this garden. Well done. Jv Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fiji jim 87 Report post Posted September 16, 2009 Great work Kostas, You have done a beautiful job on the hard-scape and the greenery is starting to fill in also. You certainly are adventurous with some of the species you are growing so far from their usual conditions. Good luck. Best advice would be for the tropicals to water and mulch heavily. You will have a jungle there some day. Jim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Corrosion 2 Report post Posted September 16, 2009 Hey Kostas! How old is your king palm? Grown from seed? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted September 26, 2009 Thank you very much all of you for your comments! Hi Jv, Thank you! I am glad you like it and think so! Now if only they grow somewhat... Hi Jim, Thank you very much! Some of my first planted palms have started filling indeed and growth is faster now too! Hehe,unfortunately i do am adventurous with some of my planting(i say unfortunately because i would like to be in the tropics and not be adventurous with them ) but as my annual lows are in the +C and only once in 20years down to -3,6C(record low of Pyrgos,completely defoliated all the Citrus trees growing in Pyrgos but only partially the ones in my property),i hope they will survive the occasional dip as many do in Orlando I will even be trying an Areca,a Cyrtostachys,Iriartea,Socratea and of course,Cocos nucifera! I expect them all dead with the exception of Cocos nucifera which to be honest consider a sure long term grow for Pyrgos,but its worth trying as i have some very protected spots where there should never be any dip below 0C due to heat radiation from a wall,soil and due to the eventual heavy canopy i will have We'll see... Thank you very much for your wish and advise! I will keep it in mind! Unfortunately i have been unable to find mulch till now(other than Pine bark which i dont want to use as i dont like the look)but i let all fallen leafs and thin twigs and branches on the ground so hopefully i will in time have thich free mulch on the soil...I will keep looking for mulch to buy though as it will take a few years for thick mulch to gather on the ground... Thats exactly what i hope for Jim!!! And the plantings will continue shortly with a big fern import i will receive in 1-2weeks,a large Beccariophoenix sp. ''Windows'' and 2 Coccothrinax alexandrii var. alexandrii + some palms of my own.Working my way to my own jungle! Hi Corrosion, Unfortunately i didnt grow my Archontophoenix alexandrae from seed,i bought them earlier this year, in February,as 60cm tall shade grown palms,and have been in the ground since then. I dont know how many years old they might be but i would guess at least 2-3years old when i bought them. I grew an A. alexandrae from seed some years back and it wasnt fast for me during its first years. I then lost it as 20cm tall palm to probably some kind of rot(the spear shrinked remaining green and was papery and dead and then brown ) so this time i decided to skip the slow stage on this palm and have something grow fast and big in my garden to have something to look at till the rest of my palms gain some size on them...I like to grow from seed but i bought many of the not so rare palms ready for this garden and left only the rarest ones to grow from seed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
basilios 11 Report post Posted October 30, 2009 Hey Kosta Congratulations for your garden, it looks good and will definitely look great within a few years. However, reading about your plans to try to grow purely tropical palms in Pyrgos, I'd like to point out that even if many parts of Greece enjoy very mild winters, we still have a major problem concerning the cultivation of tropical palms : between mid-October and late March our weather simply is not warm enough to keep most tropical palm species alive. For a period of almost 6 months every year it may not be extremely cold, but it never gets warm either, since daytime temperatures almost never rise above 16-18C (around 60-63F) and especially during January and February most of the days stay at about 13-15C (55-59F). So, it's difficult, if not impossible, to grow coconuts or palms from the Amazon Basin which really need steady daytime temps above 22-25C (71-77F) to stay alive...it's not the freezing cold that will kill them but the lack of warmth for an extended period of time. At around 38N we are, unfortunatelly, too north on the map and too cool for the trully tropical palms. Still, some marginal palms may grow well given the right microclimate. I really hope you succeed and I'm very interested to know how your palms will get through this winter. Good luck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Janni 4 Report post Posted October 30, 2009 Hi basili, welcome to the forum. I'm happy to see one more greek in this forum. are you growing palms too? you may be right, that some of kosta's palms are too adventurous for the greek climate. but you have to consider, that if you look at south spain or south italy, you see a huge variety of tropical palms grown there. Have a look at this : http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?sh...52&hl=spain This is a botanical garden at the south tip of spain. winter temperatures are similar to those in greece - especially on crete or rhodes. (in fact crete and rhodes have much better climate conditions for tropical plants than south spain!) In one other forum of the european palm society I found one topic with pics of Zakyntho. there was a pic of an adonidia merrillii planted in a garden... so you see there is a great potential for tropical plants in greece. you just have to try it out! Greetings Janni Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
basilios 11 Report post Posted October 30, 2009 Hi Janni Thanks for your welcome and for the link. That was a very nice garden indeed. I'm not very familiar with the specific conditions in Malaga, but generally speaking the southern part of Spain is a tad warmer than most of Greece and they often enjoy high temps of around 20-22C even mid-winter, something totally uncommon in Greece. Also, even though I couldn't ID some of the palms of the pics, most of the ones I could ID are what I call "marginal palms", palms from tropical and subtropical regions that have proved to be tolerant of meditarranean conditions (kings, bismarckias, syagrus, livistonas, roystoneas, raveneas, dypsis etc). These palms can indeed grow in some parts of Greece (and I'm still wondering why local sellers never offer them). My observation has to do with some totally tropical (not only in their origin but in their needs, too) palms that Kostas may want to try, like Cocos, Iriartea, Socratea etc. that, as far as I know, can't even grow in Southern California, which is A LOT warmer than Greece (for instance, while we are already entering the 15-19C temp zone, they still have around 30-32C over there!) and they regularly get temps up to even 25-26C during winter. That said, there are certain regions in Greece, such as the southest tip of Peloponnese, Rhodes and the coastal parts of Crete, that the climate is mild enough to try more adventurous stuff, although I doubt a coconut could really grow even there, for more than one or two years anyway (which is the same that I think of an adonidia growing outdoors in Zakynthos - it may survive for some time but repetitive cool winters I think will devastate it). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
8er-moni 15 Report post Posted October 30, 2009 Hi Kostas, I am late, because I was in Egypt as you showed the fotos Congratulation - this ist well done - and hard work :drool: By th way - my Castanospermum australe in the pot is bigger than yours :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Janni 4 Report post Posted October 31, 2009 Hi basili, yes you are entirely right about the really tropical palms (cocos etc...). for those plams it's too long too cool in the med climate. but I think there's a little more you can grow, than most people think. e.g. the adonidia merrillii on zakyntho looks like it's growing there for more than one year - at least - because it looks very well established. all I want to say is: let's be a bit more optimistic unfortunately I don't live in greece, but maybe sometime I'll obtain a nice property there and then I'd try everything... greetings from sunny germany Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
basilios 11 Report post Posted October 31, 2009 Hi basili, yes you are entirely right about the really tropical palms (cocos etc...). for those plams it's too long too cool in the med climate. but I think there's a little more you can grow, than most people think. e.g. the adonidia merrillii on zakyntho looks like it's growing there for more than one year - at least - because it looks very well established. all I want to say is: let's be a bit more optimistic unfortunately I don't live in greece, but maybe sometime I'll obtain a nice property there and then I'd try everything... greetings from sunny germany Janni, of course there are a lot of palm options for southern Greece's climate (because central and northern Greece is another story...) and as I said, in places like Crete or Rhodes you can grow practically everything except the ultra tropical stuff. Still, an adonidia outdoors in Zakynthos (today it was just 16C at noon over there, and it's still autumn...) I believe it's a long, long shot. But I agree that one should experiment and see what happens. And once again, I think that local dealers should offer more variety than the typical canaries, washingtonias, trachycarpus, chamaerops, queen palms and robelinii. Nevertheless, from time to time you can run into "novelty stuff", like last year when I purchased a great looking areca triandra. Also about a month ago I bought myself from a dealer just around the block a gorgeous adonidia, about 2 m. / 6 ft. tall. Of course both palms will stay indoors till a least March... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted November 3, 2009 Hi Basili! Thank you very much for your kind words,i am glad you like my garden! Pyrgos is so much different than Athens and many other places of Greece,it has a climate of its own. Its very humid yearround and always in the top 5 warmest cities of Athens,most of the times the No1 warmest city The daily tempratures in Pyrgos still exceed 20C with ease everyday and it rains very often along with high tempratures! So Pyrgos doesnt have max. tempratures below 20C for more than 3 months i guess,maybe less. So with this in mind and the fact that the annual lows are although close to 0C,in the +C,i hope that i will be able to grow the more cool climate tolerant Panama Tall coconuts no problem in Pyrgos Now for the Iriartea and Socratea,that another story...Its true that this is a very adventurous grow and i am not sure i will succeed on that but because i love these two genera so much,i will give them a try anyway in the best possible place in my garden and see...After all,if they dont grow there,they cant grow anywhere in Pyrgos...I have the perfect spot for these palms,under canopy and in a yearround easy to stay moist place so that their stilt roots will have adequate humidity and between 2 walls that will keep them wind free and warm in the coldest days I am very positive it may in fact be successfull I am very anxious to see how some of my questionables do this winter too! Hopefully it will be another mild winter in Pyrgos as my palms arent all well acclimated and established yet and they probably wouldnt all survive a severe winter already... About Adonidia merrilii growing in Zakynthos,it is very likely as Zakynthos has many completely and always frost free places.I have friends that live in Cephalonia,a neighbouring island, and the temprature has never ever dropped below 0C at the north facing,most exposed place of their garden.Annual lows are most of the time arround 4C! So growing tropical plants there is easy,except that the ground in extreemely rocky and has just a meter of soil above solid rock on many places. This along with high tempratures and lack of rain for a good period of time,are the only problems to growing a trully tropical garden there in some places.Other places are more humid and have more soil and should be better suited to tropical gardening without watering too much. Its very true,the variety here in palms is minimal unfortunately so we have to either buy from abroad or grow from seed and wait... Nurserymen here are not willing to try species they dont know for outside,at least palm-wise...But on the other hand,people here are not willing to buy expensive plants either... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted November 3, 2009 Hi Moni! Thank you very much for your kind comments! Your Egypt photos were great,thank you very much for sharing! It looks like you had a great time there again! Indeed,you got a great looking and quite big Castanospermum! I was admiring it in your photos as you have it very well grown and beautyfull! Mine is starting to catch up as you will see in my latest photos! Hi Janni! Good to hear from you again! I agree with you,we cant know for sure untill we try something,especially with palms that can withstand the aboslut lows we can get... Wish you to get a property and move here the soonest possible To update on my garden,i went to Pyrgos last weekend after a relatively long absence(3weeks) to take care of a pallet waiting for me...Due to this pallet,i had lots of work to do but i still managed to plant 2 more palms in my garden,a Loxococcus rupicola and another Acanthophoenix rubra,this one even bigger than my other one! Lets see how some of my palms have grown and the new additions to my garden This time,we start the tour from the back of the old bakery building.Here is what we now see entering the garden on the back,a lovely Loxococcus rupicola! After having entered and gone to about the middle of the back of the building,looking back where we started we see the Grevillea robusta which has grown very well,more than a meter from when i bought it less than a year ago! The picture is not the best unfortunately... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted November 3, 2009 Looking just in front of us,we see this beauty,an Acanthophoenix rubra! This is the one i just planted! Walking ahead,we find this Licuala peltata var. suwongii opening its 3rd acclimated leaf Continuing left,on our right hand is the container ranch...Oh wait,there is a planted plant among it! What is this yellowing colored thing in there? A Cibotium glaucum!!!!!!! As you can see,i am slowly planting the place where i keep my container ranch too and hopefully there will be no container ranch in my garden in a couple of years or sooner...It really spoils the look of a forest type garden to see pots in it.... Looking toward the veranda,we see this...Cyathea medullaris!!!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted November 3, 2009 Having gone to the Magnolia and looking back to the Cyathea The leafs are huge and will only get bigger!!! One of my 2 Archonthophoenix alexandrae having grown one more leaf in the 3 weeks i was away,he is fast! My second Archontophoenix alexandrae at the patio in front of the veranda...One more leaf for this one too! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted November 3, 2009 My Syagrus romanzoffiana in the same patio but arround the corner...Its quite tall now and i am looking forward to its first divided leaf!!! Another patio at the other side of the stairs you saw in the previous picture...The Cymbidium hybrid has grown flower buds... My Bismarckia nobilis putting out its third leaf from seed My Trachycarpus fortunei...They have filled nicely from when i bought them and one of them is opening a huge fan! Looking forward to them growing a full crown! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
basilios 11 Report post Posted November 3, 2009 Hi Moni! Thank you very much for your kind comments! Your Egypt photos were great,thank you very much for sharing! It looks like you had a great time there again! Indeed,you got a great looking and quite big Castanospermum! I was admiring it in your photos as you have it very well grown and beautyfull! Mine is starting to catch up as you will see in my latest photos! Hi Janni! Good to hear from you again! I agree with you,we cant know for sure untill we try something,especially with palms that can withstand the aboslut lows we can get... Wish you to get a property and move here the soonest possible To update on my garden,i went to Pyrgos last weekend after a relatively long absence(3weeks) to take care of a pallet waiting for me...Due to this pallet,i had lots of work to do but i still managed to plant 2 more palms in my garden,a Loxococcus rupicola and another Acanthophoenix rubra,this one even bigger than my other one! Lets see how some of my palms have grown and the new additions to my garden This time,we start the tour from the back of the old bakery building.Here is what we now see entering the garden on the back,a lovely Loxococcus rupicola! After having entered and gone to about the middle of the back of the building,looking back where we started we see the Grevillea robusta which has grown very well,more than a meter from when i bought it less than a year ago! The picture is not the best unfortunately... My friend Kosta, indeed there are a lot of frostless areas in Greece, but this alone doesn't make them suitable for palms of highly tropical needs. I don't doubt the ability of most palms to survive Pyrgos' low temperatures but I think it's more than probable that in the long term the most tropical ones won't stand 3-5 months of cool temperatures per year. As I said, Southern California is the best example of the limits mediterranean climates have in terms of tropical palm growing and, mind you, they stay almost year-round at, or above, 20-22C at daytime. As far as I know, even in the southest tip of California, bordering Mexico, adonidias cannot grow outdoors and surely there is no part of Greece warmer than that. I don't think they could even survive in Cyprus, which has possibly the best climate in all Mediterranean sea... Still, I am very intrigued by your efforts and I'd love to see all your palms surviving this winter! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kostas 154 Report post Posted November 3, 2009 Hi Basili! As most of my palms will be seeing their first winter in Pyrgos,i dont have any educated answer to that. I just find it hard to believe that something will die due to lack of yearround heat,although i have read experiences of people where this has happened.I just have never experienced it and dont know for sure what the palm shows in this case. So i can only say that this remains to be seen...Currently,i dont have any heat needing palms that will die due to lack of heat but i do have some with low absolut low temp. tolerances like supposedly the Borassodendron,Roystonea oleracea and Loxococcus. So i am only worried about those this year...The ultra tropical stuff will be planted in the following years,as i get them(Cocos) and after the rest of my plants grow somewhat to offer more protection for the stilt root ones(Iriartea,Socratea). I too look forward to everythig surviving,preferably completely unprotected... Dont you think something else changed too at this patio though? See this rosete of leafs under the Trachycarpus? Aint it pretty? Its a Blechnum magellanicum,my favourite of the Blechnum! Lets see it from close! That was it for now...And just one more bonus picture of me with my Cyathea medullaris...Couldnt resist! Till next time.... Happy growing! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
basilios 11 Report post Posted November 3, 2009 Wow Kosta, your ferns look great! Where did you find the blechnum one??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
