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proper placement of palms in a home landscape.....................


trioderob

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I have noticed many times living here in southern cal that palms are incorrectly placed in the landscape.

the #1 issue I see is that very poor judgement is used with regard to where and how many palms should be planted.

(now I understand that for many here the palms and number collected are of more importance with design considerations being a distant second - you may want to consider skipping this thread)

for those interested - i present this key drawing:

16832.jpg

you will notice that the trees "frame" the house.

they solidify the house to the surrounding landscape

the key here is that the trees (palms in our case ) project in diagonals from the corners of the house.

the largest palms should be BEHIND the house

notice also how the taller palm is in the southern corner to provide shade.

there should be NO palms directly in front of the house blocking the view od the house from the street as this makes the home look SMALLER than it really is.

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No rules

  • Upvote 2

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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Rob, could you show pics of your front yard so we can get a better idea.

Some of my favorite landscaping I’ve seen do have palms and other plants blocking the house from the street.

Edited by Palm crazy
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for sure you can make it look bad if you do the wrong things.

if not - everyone would be great artist, fashion designer, sculptor, etc............

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Rob, could you show pics of your front yard so we can get a better idea, so far I’m not buying this at all.

which part dont you buy ?

in a way Matty is right about there being no "rules" - just like there is no rule to making a great movie or song.

but on the other hand you cant just throw out random notes with random time pattens and have it sound like music.

Edited by trioderob
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There are three aspects I can think of in palm placement. First architectural, second improving livability of the interior and exterior spaces including heat and brightness protection along with privacy, and third palm placement for being able to generate the most beautiful of a certain species. With livability considerations, I don't want to block southern sun with too much shade, its not hot sun, its the winter sun that warms things up and its not that intense. Winter sun is good for your serotonin levels, as days are shorter and in socal they are even cloudy. The most harsh sun is the northwest sun, late day summer sun, the sun that heats your house to its hottest exterior temp near the end of each summer day. If you live in Arizona, west and northwest sun are the worst. In florida it is the same west and northwest sun are the most desirable to shade the living spaces from.. So the west part of the yard will be the hottest as well, those palms will be better off as heat tolerant ones. this also means that the east side is the best for more tender species. And I agree, a frank Lloyd wright designed house shouldn't be blocked from the street. But smooth column palm trunks don't block all that much if there are just a few and they look like architectural statements.

Edited by sonoranfans

Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

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These are great suggestions for cookie cutter houses and for advice on how to keep the value of your home up for the lowest common denominator.

You're assuming everyone has a cookie cutter house and everyone cares only about how other people value their homes. My house isn't even visible from the street because I live on a hillside. But if it was a cookie cutter home, I wouldn't mind it being buried Ralph Velez style. And I value the palms more than I give a crap about how other people value my house. When palm collectors move, they do like Geoff Stein recently did - you just have a digging party and the palms go to be replaced by boring, cookie cutter vegetation for the average lowest common denominator buyer.

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You have gone right into what my earlier post was about. Great info.

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. 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 any other damages

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Home landscape design rules for palm nuts are:

1. Plant palms

2. There are no other rules.

  • Upvote 1

Happy Gardening

Cheers,

Wal

Queensland, Australia.

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DSC_0705_HDR_.jpg

021_Toll_Saviero_5_9_10_11_920.jpg

if you aint sure what to do - stick them in the diagonal corners

works like a champ

do not block the view of the front door or the path leading to the door

Edited by trioderob
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The basic "rules" as presented are very general, and very old-school. They don't allow for much imagination or creativity, but they exist for good reason. Many people have no connection to gardening, and no interest, and they need that sort of skeletal "how-to" information. Those people want a decent-looking landscape, but they don't want to "get involved". Do it, done, mow-blow-go, and get on with the rest of their life. Fair enough.

However... B) PalmTalk is home to some very talented and creative professional and amateur landscapers. I'd love to see some street views that express delight with plants and nature, because palm-thrilled gardeners have got them, and they are to die for! :)

As Tom and Axel point out, houses are not uniform the world over. I have one house with palms at the corners, all of 30 feet from the front door. Yes, it looks neat and tidy. I have another house where I look forward to the day when the palms in the front 120 feet of the lot completely obscure the house from the street view, a desireable privacy trait in that neighborhood. Location, siting, lot size, terrain, slope, natural features, and local flavor all play into the landscape choices.

Great subject!

  • Upvote 1

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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Rob, could you show pics of your front yard so we can get a better idea, so far I’m not buying this at all.

which part dont you buy ?

in a way Matty is right about there being no "rules" - just like there is no rule to making a great movie or song.

but on the other hand you cant just throw out random notes with random time pattens and have it sound like music.

Some of my favorite palm gardens I’ve seen have lots of palms and plants in front of the house! It just depends on how it was designed.

I think it depends on what people like for themselves. Take me for example, I don’t really want to see all my neighbors house across the street so I’ve plants small trees and palms to block them out.

I do know where you’re coming from and it a good rule for most, but I think it depends on the persons personal choice. That’s all.

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021_Toll_Saviero_5_9_10_11_920.jpg

if you aint sure what to do - stick them in the diagonal corners

works like a champ

do not block the view of the front door or the path leading to the door

lazy_sleeping_smiley_greeting_cards-rc4a

Wal is right:

1) Plant Palms

2) Refer to rule #1

  • Upvote 1
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Jeez, over-analysis of what's supposed to be a relaxing hobby. Plant any palm wherever you please if it makes you happy. I know some gardens where landscape architects have bounties on their heads if they're caught within a mile.

  • Upvote 1

 

 

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Here some examples of front yard landscaping for people that like a little more privacy.

garden-landscape-makeover-paradise-patch-beauty-after-0312-l.jpg

garden-landscape-makeover-paradise-patch-grass-sedum-pavers-0312-l.jpg

garden-landscape-makeover-paradise-patch-after-0312-l.jpg

And then there’s people like me who are plant collectors, this is what my front yard would look like if I was in SoCal.

There a home somewhere behind this garden.

Morro_Bay_Succulent_Hillside_2.jpg

Edited by Palm crazy
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Actually, I have a bunch of rules:

  • House should not be visible from the street, grow big fat giant palms in front.
  • Plant as many palms as possible to maximize bio-diversity and to create a micro-climate
  • Plant lots of overhead canopy palms and grow smaller palms underneath
  • Plant bold giants
  • Keep your bismarckia away from other palms
  • have a greenhouse
  • have a nursery area where to keep potted palms
  • Bring in lots and lots of rocks
  • Make sure palms are accessible for urination feeding
  • Grow thorny palms on the fence line with unfriendly neighbors
  • Upvote 1
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Plant as many palms as possible so that all the neighbors complain about the 'jungle' down the street.

  • Upvote 1

Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

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Jeez, over-analysis of what's supposed to be a relaxing hobby. Plant any palm wherever you please if it makes you happy. I know some gardens where landscape architects have bounties on their heads if they're caught within a mile.

this does not make sense.

do we appreciate the music of a hack the same a Mozart ?

is Rambo 3 a important cinematic masterpiece ?

is your child really as important to the history of modern art as Picasso ?

same with landscaping - there are people who are landscape artists - they just don't throw things into the ground in a hap hazard way. there must be some keys to not only planting palms - but doing it right.

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Jim Denz, forgot him name on this forum didn't follow those rules, from the pictures he has posted on the forum the front of his house is OUTSTANDING.

Jupiter FL

in the Zone formally known as 10A

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Jeez, over-analysis of what's supposed to be a relaxing hobby. Plant any palm wherever you please if it makes you happy. I know some gardens where landscape architects have bounties on their heads if they're caught within a mile.

this does not make sense.

do we appreciate the music of a hack the same a Mozart ?

is Rambo 3 a important cinematic masterpiece ?

is your child really as important to the history of modern art as Picasso ?

same with landscaping - there are people who are landscape artists - they just don't throw things into the ground in a hap hazard way. there must be some keys to not only planting palms - but doing it right.

are you trying to say that you know how to plant our gardens better than we do? :indifferent:

the "prince of snarkness."

 

still "warning-free."

 

san diego,california,left coast.

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not saying that at all.

these articles I quote were not penned by me.

this is the recommendations of the pros - all i did was start a thread about THEIR comments.

its funny but EVERY article I have read with was written by a landscape pro - someone who does this for a living -all shared the same basic guidelines.

"Framing"

Trees planted for shade should also serve other functions. One of these might be framing. When a house is properly framed, it appears longer and more settled to the site. On small properties there may be room for only one additional large tree to serve this function, while on large lots or on rural sites, two or many trees may be used. At least two trees should be used if possible.

http://extension.missouri.edu/p/g6900

Edited by trioderob
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what about what you said in the comments I just quoted?

I think its good to break the rules. you brought up Picasso--the art establishment laughed at him for putting peoples eyes on the same side of their face at first.

the "prince of snarkness."

 

still "warning-free."

 

san diego,california,left coast.

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Paul-

you are correct maybe i am full of #$%^ it but I can tell you even the Chinese were talking about this 1000's of years ago

these are not MY rules - DUDE.

If the tree is right in front of the main/front door, this is considered
challenging feng shui, because it is through the front door that the
house absorbs Chi,
or energy nourishment. Having a blockage in front of the door will
create a blockage in feng shui energy absorption, which might in time
reflect in respiratory problems for people living in the house.

Edited by trioderob
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you said it "doesn't make sense" so I am assuming that is your opinion.

the "prince of snarkness."

 

still "warning-free."

 

san diego,california,left coast.

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You wanna go for this look. Not my opinion, just the rules.

post-126-0-44964100-1379710561_thumb.jpg

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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Jeez, over-analysis of what's supposed to be a relaxing hobby. Plant any palm wherever you please if it makes you happy. I know some gardens where landscape architects have bounties on their heads if they're caught within a mile.

this does not make sense.

do we appreciate the music of a hack the same a Mozart ?

is Rambo 3 a important cinematic masterpiece ?

is your child really as important to the history of modern art as Picasso ?

same with landscaping - there are people who are landscape artists - they just don't throw things into the ground in a hap hazard way. there must be some keys to not only planting palms - but doing it right.

I don't have or like kids so the point is moot.

 

 

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Guilty as charged! Even though we were fairly familar with the tenants of landsape design, we did not have enough information about the palms we were planting. (We usually knew the height but not the crown width or the speed of growth) We were also by restricted by the availablity of dig able holes. Many of our palms are planted too close Boy do I wish we could start over!.

Having said that, I also agree with some of the posters who believe that not every landscaping rule applies to the layout of every property or the needs of the owner. Kim made a good point about planting palms for privacy. Sometimes there is less available land in front of, behind, or on one of the sides of a piece of property making the perfect plan impossible.

Lee

Lee

Located at 1500' elevation in Kona on the west side of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Average annual rainfall is about 60"; temperature around 80 degrees.

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Whoa, don's shoot the messenger. These are guidelines and considerations, not rules. No one said you could not be unique or different. You don't HAVE to do anything, except if you have an HOA and they make you by court order. And even then you can elect to move to a place where you have the freedom to do as you please.

Even the most famous historical garden designers had different visions, sometimes wildly different. Every one get to paint his own canvas, that is your right, but like paintings, some gardens are just easier to look at than others. And even those with few viewers may indeed have their cult followings.

I had people call my garden a tropcial paradise, others call it a monstrosity.

And i have long accepted that I am a Plantsman, not a Landscaper. I first plant a plant where it wants to be by its cultural requirements. Then I try to weave a design around it. Sometimes I do, sometimes I have a monstrosity. :winkie:

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. 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 any other damages

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Len, I see a designer's eye at work on that one for sure.

In my post I sometimes express "my" opinion. Warning, it may differ from "your" opinion. If so, please do not feel insulted, just state your own if you wish. 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 any other damages

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