Jim in Los Altos 2,322 Report post Posted August 17, 2014 WOW, Thank you for sharing pics of your lovely garden. May I ask which species is the variegated ground cover on pic 1056? a Crinum? I must say that your garden is a source of inspiration for what I try to do in Doranakanda after I read Made Wijaya years ago. But I'll have to wait for some years before seeing trunks on my palms. Phillipe, I think you are referring to the variegated stap-leafed plants beneath the big Howea palm. If so, they're Agapanthus 'summer gold'. They're popular plants but hard to often hard to find. Sometimes, for my clients, I substitute Agapanthus 'Tinkerbell' with its green striped white leaves. There's a neat video of Made Wijaya's design philosophy on YouTube. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ando.wsu 57 Report post Posted August 17, 2014 I sure wish I could get my Arizona yard to look like this. Thanks for the inspiration! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dalmatiansoap 383 Report post Posted August 17, 2014 WOW! #motivation Absolute stunning Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben in Norcal 2,001 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Jim, I keep looking back at these photos as I continue my constant planning...great NorCal inspiration! I too need to pick your brains on companion plants at some stage. Ben, pick away! By the way, I'm shipping you a ton of Archontophoenix seedlings tomorrow. Hope they do well for you. Woohoo! Thanks Jim. Looking forward to nurturing your babies! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hilo Jason 3,120 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 WOW!!!!!! Very motivational! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hammer 650 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Jim, what do you use as ground covers? Thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,322 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Jim, what do you use as ground covers? Thanks. Adam, If it's the gray colored ground cover you are referring to, it's Dicondra 'silver falls'. The tiny leafed trimmed plants are wire vine. It's unfortunately really invasive and I spend lots of time yanking it out of the aloe and palms and trimming it by the street. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
doranakandawatta 2,817 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 Jim, Do you use Dianella as ground covers too? They are easy in Doranakanda garden but our climate is not the same. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
samirbouag 113 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 woooooooooooow congrats your garden is awesome!! it's so beautiful, you are so lucky to have that kind of climate, your garden is a real tropical paradise! bravo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
realarch 4,432 Report post Posted August 18, 2014 What can I say that hasn't already been said except that if I were looking for landscape design work and advice, you'd be the first one I'd call. By looking at photos of your space, how could one think otherwise. Great job! Tim 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,322 Report post Posted August 20, 2014 Jim, Do you use Dianella as ground covers too? They are easy in Doranakanda garden but our climate is not the same. Dianella is quite common in nurseries here. I use it occasionally. There are many forms and species. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,322 Report post Posted August 20, 2014 woooooooooooow congrats your garden is awesome!! it's so beautiful, you are so lucky to have that kind of climate, your garden is a real tropical paradise! bravo Thank you Sam! My climate is good but there are definitely times when I'm a little nervous during the winter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,322 Report post Posted August 20, 2014 What can I say that hasn't already been said except that if I were looking for landscape design work and advice, you'd be the first one I'd call. By looking at photos of your space, how could one think otherwise. Great job! Tim Thanks Tim. I'm definitely hooked on this palm hobby thing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tropicdoc 286 Report post Posted August 21, 2014 Keith, just let me know when you are ready to go! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kylecawazafla 930 Report post Posted August 27, 2014 wow!!! Such amazing plants!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sabal Steve 819 Report post Posted August 29, 2014 Very nice place jim. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,322 Report post Posted August 29, 2014 wow!!! Such amazing plants!! Kyle, Thanks. Many of these plants are totally foreign to most people around here. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,322 Report post Posted August 29, 2014 Very nice place jim. Thanks, Steve. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeevesjank 1 Report post Posted September 17, 2014 Sorry for bumping a relatively old thread. But damn, that is a fantastic garden, hard to believe that's in norcal! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moose 1,465 Report post Posted November 3, 2014 Sorry for bumping a relatively old thread. But damn, that is a fantastic garden, hard to believe that's in norcal! Don't apologize for your bump. Incredible tropical looking garden in the northern California area. Most impressive! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
redant 1,047 Report post Posted November 4, 2014 I have said it before and am forced to say it again, spectacular! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff 267 Report post Posted November 4, 2014 That is indeed one of the most beautiful palm gardens I have seen in California… gotta see it in person someday! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ghar41 201 Report post Posted November 5, 2014 So many things amaze me about your garden Jim. How do you keep it watered so perfectly? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,322 Report post Posted November 5, 2014 Thanks all again for your gracious compliments! Glenn, most of my landscape is on automatically timed spray heads with a couple of small areas on timed soaker hose that come on twice a week. I occasionally go out and hand water by hose the thirstier palms and plants since they're planted in beds with some less thirsty palms. For instance, Roystonea, Archontophoenix, Wodyetia, Foxy Lady, Clinostigma, etc. get extra occasional dowsings. My yard's not that big and I enjoy the nurturing aspect of it so it's easy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Palms4Steve 208 Report post Posted November 5, 2014 Very impressive garden.I love the Chamaedorea elatior too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ghar41 201 Report post Posted November 14, 2014 I knew this already but it has been confirmed again. I'm not moving next door to Jim anytime soon. http://www.cnbc.com/id/102179051#. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alicehunter2000 704 Report post Posted November 14, 2014 Geez.......Florida city's are a bargain! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben in Norcal 2,001 Report post Posted November 15, 2014 The 10 most expensive are almost exclusively in the Bay Area! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Josh-O 2,720 Report post Posted November 15, 2014 Jim, like everyone has already stated you have a very nice garden.Job well done When did you plant out the Lemeurophonix hallexii and M. Dar? keep us posted on how they fair through the winter Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,322 Report post Posted November 15, 2014 Jim, like everyone has already stated you have a very nice garden.Job well done When did you plant out the Lemeurophonix hallexii and M. Dar? keep us posted on how they fair through the winter This will be their first winter here in the ground. It's a TOTAL experiment but as of today, they are all still actively growing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,322 Report post Posted November 15, 2014 I knew this already but it has been confirmed again. I'm not moving next door to Jim anytime soon. http://www.cnbc.com/id/102179051#. Glenn, a delapidated one story fixer upper, built in 1963, a couple of doors down from me just sold for $2.2 mil. There's tons of foreign money pouring into my area and who knows where it will end up. I'm putting together a landscape contract for a man a few miles from me who is a billionaire investor from China. Crazy stuff. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Josh-O 2,720 Report post Posted November 15, 2014 L. chinensis looks so tropical, just liking them more and more. Sometimes I think we get so caught up with all the exotic stuff and overlook the more common palms. Will be studying these pics more. You're so right. I think L. chinensis are incredibly beautiful and use them liberally in my jobs when I can get them. I agree with Alicehunter, very over looked palm that looks tropical Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adam from Oz 12 Report post Posted January 2, 2015 Bloody H3LL, James! You've made a magnificent garden. Have been engrossed for quite some time. You have so much crammed into a not-so-huge space. It has that frisson of Bali. Checked out your website! Do you make Antipodean quotes? Time for some anti-hypertensives. I feel some emoticons coming on... Cheers, Adam Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alicehunter2000 704 Report post Posted January 3, 2015 Bump Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tassie_Troy1971 1,062 Report post Posted January 3, 2015 Jim just had another look though your pictures and the garden looks unbelievable ! The only thing i would change if it was my yard would be taking out the big phoenix reclinata in the front yard and replacing with mature Howea forsteriana for softer foliage look . Amazing what you can grow up there . cheers Troy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peachy 291 Report post Posted January 3, 2015 Every time I see photos of Jim's glorious garden, then look at my yard, I want to move to a 50th floor condo and just impress people with my watercolour collection Peachy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,322 Report post Posted January 4, 2015 Jim just had another look though your pictures and the garden looks unbelievable ! The only thing i would change if it was my yard would be taking out the big phoenix reclinata in the front yard and replacing with mature Howea forsteriana for softer foliage look . Amazing what you can grow up there . cheers Troy Thanks Troy for the compliment. It's taken fourteen years for that P. reclinata X roebelenii to finally be tall enough to walk under. I planted it as a one gallon plant. I have fourteen Howea forsteriana throughout my yard so, as much as I love them, that's it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,322 Report post Posted January 4, 2015 Thanks Adam and Peachy for the nice compliments. Peachy, I want to see more pictures of your palms and garden. It's been too long! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sunnie 3 Report post Posted January 4, 2015 Wow, I just love it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Josh-O 2,720 Report post Posted January 5, 2015 Again, great looking garden Jim!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites