peachy 291 Report post Posted January 5, 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! There is no garden anymore Jim. 2.5 years without rain, even the 18 year old Alexander Palms died. Add to that, a garden company I hired to trim the plants around the house before it was repainted, took to everything with a bloody chainsaw within a 2 metre radius of the house. The only survivors are the big queens, some native Livistonias, my awful Phoenix reclinata and the Bismarkia, oh and a few Golden Canes and the Royal. I am not physically strong enough to start again, specially with the difficult clay soil and extreme climate so I am going to wait until I can move back to Melbourne. I have bought a place in the inner city down there, but it will be about 15 years before I can afford to live in it. Till that wondrous day eventuates, I am just going to try and learn as much as I can about the theoretical side of Palms and Cycads etc. Peachy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,352 Report post Posted January 6, 2015 Oh Peachy, I feel for you. You can't trust almost anyone near beloved plants! You can't rely on Mother Nature often either. She disappoints on a regular basis it seems. Enjoy those palms you have. Sometimes less is more. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike in Nelson 6 Report post Posted January 6, 2015 Somehow I missed the original posting of this thread. Very pleased it was bumped, as Jim's garden is a fine display of what can be achieved. Nice to hear from you again Peachy. You've gone from floods to drought it seems? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben in Norcal 2,069 Report post Posted April 25, 2015 This one is always worth a bump. Jim, what is the blue bamboo? Is it Bambusa chungii? And do you remember where you got it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
foxtail 329 Report post Posted April 25, 2015 Jim you are an artist Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,352 Report post Posted April 26, 2015 This one is always worth a bump. Jim, what is the blue bamboo? Is it Bambusa chungii? And do you remember where you got it? Ben, It's Fargesia nitida 'blue fountain' and everyone seems to love it the minute they see it. It needs partial shade and lots of water, particularly when it gets hot or it will shed tons of leaves. It's a fast grower and a clumper so no need for a root barrier. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,352 Report post Posted April 26, 2015 Jim you are an artist Thank you, Angel! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben in Norcal 2,069 Report post Posted April 26, 2015 This one is always worth a bump. Jim, what is the blue bamboo? Is it Bambusa chungii? And do you remember where you got it? Ben, It's Fargesia nitida 'blue fountain' and everyone seems to love it the minute they see it. It needs partial shade and lots of water, particularly when it gets hot or it will shed tons of leaves. It's a fast grower and a clumper so no need for a root barrier. Thanks Jim. I got a Himalayacalamus hookerianus at Flora Grubb yesterday, and ordered both Bambusa chungii and Dendrocalamus minor amoenus online to potentially try. All clumpers. Also have Bambusa lako on the way. When I get into a new plant, I don't mess around. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John Case 171 Report post Posted April 26, 2015 This one is always worth a bump. Jim, what is the blue bamboo? Is it Bambusa chungii? And do you remember where you got it? Ben, I have a clump of B. chungii that could use a division......let me know if you are interested. Thanks, JC Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danilopez89 651 Report post Posted April 26, 2015 Awesome garden and landscape Jim. I think its my favorite garden from the ones I've seen here on Palmtalk. I love your planting style and I plan on looking back at your pics for landscape design ideas and inspiration as I make my own little palm tree paradise. Thanks for sharing, I look forward for more pics of your place in the future. Jim do you have any older pics of your place? It would be pretty cool to see some before and afters. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Panamajack 80 Report post Posted April 28, 2015 Jim, your garden is outstanding. Reminds me of my childhood in the tropics. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,352 Report post Posted April 29, 2015 Thanks, Carl and Pedro! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nomolos 34 Report post Posted April 29, 2015 Superb Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pando 4,547 Report post Posted April 29, 2015 Fantastic as always! Jim how are your Lemur and coconut doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,352 Report post Posted April 30, 2015 Fantastic as always! Jim how are your Lemur and coconut doing? My Lemur is currently opening another new coral colored leaf. It seems to grow in spurts. My young Maylayan dwarf finally breathed its last breath but my two foot tall Jamaican tall looks great and is slowly pushing a new frond. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willo68 16 Report post Posted May 8, 2015 Jim, questions regarding your beautiful gardens. Did you plan palmate and pinnate leaves or did you plant random and still make it look great? How far apart on average are separate types planted? I see some of the same quite close. I have a Bismark in the middle of my front yard and 4 Chinenses in pots that need to go inground. Would they look good planted close to each other? If they do, any particular arrangement? How far apart? So sorry for all the questions but after looking at your garden im so hoping not to screw mine up. It wont be anywhere close to looking like yours but i can dream. Thanks Will Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OverGrown 516 Report post Posted May 8, 2015 Great work Jim! Your place is a real inspiration! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,352 Report post Posted May 8, 2015 Jim, questions regarding your beautiful gardens. Did you plan palmate and pinnate leaves or did you plant random and still make it look great? How far apart on average are separate types planted? I see some of the same quite close. I have a Bismark in the middle of my front yard and 4 Chinenses in pots that need to go inground. Would they look good planted close to each other? If they do, any particular arrangement? How far apart? So sorry for all the questions but after looking at your garden im so hoping not to screw mine up. It wont be anywhere close to looking like yours but i can dream. Thanks Will Will, I plant palms close together for a number of reasons. First, I enjoy a rainforest type of landscape so there are lots of plants close together. Second, it helps with zone pushing since the density of the garden creates its own "blankets" protecting tenser palms from cold and dry heat. Thirdly, I don't have as much room as I wish I did so, in order to satisfy my need to collect palms, I squeeze 'em in. A long as you have areas of negative space such as lawns patios, fish ponds, patching, etc. it won't end up looking like a confusing mess. You can plant all of you L. chinensis together in one hole and they'll grow together not an impressive cluster. My garden is constantly evolving and always has. There are permanent "bones" such as mature palms and other plantings but there's always something new happening. I started out with common palms like queens, Washingtonia, Trachycarpus, etc. placed in groups before grouping Archontophoenix in groves. Then a lot of more unusual palms came but rarely only one of each. Almost every species of palm I have in my garden is repeated within sight distance of each other but with palms, I think you can get away with single species since to the naked eye, there are enough similarities in different palms that a sense of harmony still exists. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,352 Report post Posted May 8, 2015 Great work Jim! Your place is a real inspiration! Thank you, Pete. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben in Norcal 2,069 Report post Posted May 8, 2015 Will, I plant palms close together for a number of reasons. First, I enjoy a rainforest type of landscape so there are lots of plants close together. Second, it helps with zone pushing since the density of the garden creates its own "blankets" protecting tenser palms from cold and dry heat. Thirdly, I don't have as much room as I wish I did so, in order to satisfy my need to collect palms, I squeeze 'em in. Love it, Jim - your NEED to collect palms, not your desire... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,352 Report post Posted May 8, 2015 Jim, questions regarding your beautiful gardens. Did you plan palmate and pinnate leaves or did you plant random and still make it look great? How far apart on average are separate types planted? I see some of the same quite close. I have a Bismark in the middle of my front yard and 4 Chinenses in pots that need to go inground. Would they look good planted close to each other? If they do, any particular arrangement? How far apart? So sorry for all the questions but after looking at your garden im so hoping not to screw mine up. It wont be anywhere close to looking like yours but i can dream. Thanks Will Will, I plant palms close together for a number of reasons. First, I enjoy a rainforest type of landscape so there are lots of plants close together. Second, it helps with zone pushing since the density of the garden creates its own "blankets" protecting tenser palms from cold and dry heat. Thirdly, I don't have as much room as I wish I did so, in order to satisfy my need to collect palms, I squeeze 'em in. A long as you have areas of negative space such as lawns patios, fish ponds, patching, etc. it won't end up looking like a confusing mess. You can plant all of you L. chinensis together in one hole and they'll grow together not an impressive cluster. My garden is constantly evolving and always has. There are permanent "bones" such as mature palms and other plantings but there's always something new happening. I started out with common palms like queens, Washingtonia, Trachycarpus, etc. placed in groups before grouping Archontophoenix in groves. Then a lot of more unusual palms came but rarely only one of each. Almost every species of palm I have in my garden is repeated within sight distance of each other but with palms, I think you can get away with single species since to the naked eye, there are enough similarities in different palms that a sense of harmony still exists. I hate spell check! Second sentence, tenser should be tender, fourth sentence, patching should be pathing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,352 Report post Posted May 8, 2015 Will, I plant palms close together for a number of reasons. First, I enjoy a rainforest type of landscape so there are lots of plants close together. Second, it helps with zone pushing since the density of the garden creates its own "blankets" protecting tenser palms from cold and dry heat. Thirdly, I don't have as much room as I wish I did so, in order to satisfy my need to collect palms, I squeeze 'em in. Love it, Jim - your NEED to collect palms, not your desire... Ben, yes my NEED, for palms. This I consider a ''healthy'' sickness. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
willo68 16 Report post Posted May 9, 2015 Im glad you clarified, i thought i was going to have to share my wine with tense palms to help them relax. I understood what you were saying despite the misspelling, i mean spell check,Thank You for the info. The Chinensis are in 4 seperate pots and i was considering making a circle around the Bismark with bromeliads in between. What do you think? Chinensis overkill? By the way it is a healthy sickness, i daydream all day at work about being in my yard playing in dirt. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alicehunter2000 705 Report post Posted July 6, 2015 Bump....was showing some family members the look I was trying to achieve. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim in Los Altos 2,352 Report post Posted July 6, 2015 Bump....was showing some family members the look I was trying to achieve. Dave, I'm glad you bumped. It gave me a chance to realize a year's worth of growth since then. Some things, like my foxy lady, have more than doubled in size while others are barely different. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Palms4Steve 208 Report post Posted July 6, 2015 Very impressive Jim . I love the way you have done the planting. Would pass for a resort . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ben in Norcal 2,069 Report post Posted July 6, 2015 We look forward to this summer's update, Jim! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites