Yard update then and now.

[AZPalms 443]

When we bought this home, the landscaping was um, well not what I would have done... neither was the color of the home (which we’ve changed last week as well. After lurking here and reading articles you’ve all inspired me to plant, take risk and just take better care of my yard. Now I’m far from where I’d like, but it’s a start and an improvement. I’m 29 and it’s my first home.

My wife is just over 3 months pregnant with our first child. Due this fall. I’ll be planting something around that time to commentate that milestone as well.

Below are some before and after pictures. Queen palm was the only palm in the yard when I moved in (a volunteer Washingtonia was discovered at some point as well) warning: those sensitive to non palm landscape be warned. 

 

Edited April 23, 2019 by AZPalms

[AZPalms 443]

Edited April 23, 2019 by AZPalms

[AZPalms 443]

Patio area. Next photo facing on pool deck.

ps. I know the fence is crappy looking. It’s for the dogs so they don’t go swimming. Real fence coming because of little one on the way.

[sandgroper 1,116]

Very nice looking pool mate, I'm sure your garden will look fantastic with that as a feature and a bunch of palms giving it a holiday feel. You've got a great canvas to play with!

[Josue Diaz 2,608]

Dude very nice! I am 30 and had a similar experience in buying a home and redoing the landscape. Good for you! What is the palm in your lawn closest to the fencing? Roystonea? 

[AZPalms 443]

3 hours ago, Josue Diaz said:

Dude very nice! I am 30 and had a similar experience in buying a home and redoing the landscape. Good for you! What is the palm in your lawn closest to the fencing? Roystonea? 

Thanks Josue!! Yes, two Roystoneas. My babies! 

Its a ton of work buying a home and then envisioning what it’s potential could be. You’ve done an outstanding job from the photos I’ve seen to your home. Like night and day my friend.

If I could plant 15 more palms around my pool I would! Never would I have though of more than Pygmy dates or med fans in my yard. Now my neighbors are asking what I’m unloading into the backyard. Just need to keep it on the downlow and avoid my HOA spies haha.

 

max 

[Josue Diaz 2,608]

2 hours ago, AZPalms said:

Thanks Josue!! Yes, two Roystoneas. My babies! 

Its a ton of work buying a home and then envisioning what it’s potential could be. You’ve done an outstanding job from the photos I’ve seen to your home. Like night and day my friend.

If I could plant 15 more palms around my pool I would! Never would I have though of more than Pygmy dates or med fans in my yard. Now my neighbors are asking what I’m unloading into the backyard. Just need to keep it on the downlow and avoid my HOA spies haha.

 

max 

Dah! I would clash with the HOA so much if I lived in a regulated neighborhood lol. My neighbors had an issue with me removing a (diseased!) ash tree and a (termite infested) liquadambar when I moved in, but luckily it was just their passive-aggressive comments I heard and no enforcement from an HOA. Congrats on the house and your baby. 

p.s. I'm uber jealous of your roystoneas. I wish I could grow them here. 

[AZPalms 443]

2 hours ago, Josue Diaz said:

Dah! I would clash with the HOA so much if I lived in a regulated neighborhood lol. My neighbors had an issue with me removing a (diseased!) ash tree and a (termite infested) liquadambar when I moved in, but luckily it was just their passive-aggressive comments I heard and no enforcement from an HOA. Congrats on the house and your baby. 

p.s. I'm uber jealous of your roystoneas. I wish I could grow them here. 

Thank you Josue! Fresno gets pretty hot in the summer no? Or is it the winter that does them in? I’m always game for a challenge. 

Sometimes neighbors can be worse than an HOA! 99% of my palms are growing quietly, out of view from the world behind my house. Someday, the Royals will make their presence known (hopefully) to the neighbors behind me and on either side. No one from the street will see them unless they’re looking from the street behind me. Seems that if I follow the rules in the front yard, the HOA leaves me alone and people do what they please in the backyard. Fingers crossed!!

[sandgroper 1,116]

We had some "interesting" garden features to contend with when we bought the house we're in now, I sorted that out as soon as I could. Hope you don't mind me sharing a few pics of then and now.

[sandgroper 1,116]

And as it looks today 15 years later.

[AZPalms 443]

46 minutes ago, sandgroper said:

And as it looks today 15 years later.

Now THAT is a jungle oasis!!! Awesome photos and transformation! 

If you’ve never been to Phoenix, I’d welcome a visit if you bring some of those skills!

 

Edited April 24, 2019 by AZPalms

[Josue Diaz 2,608]

3 hours ago, AZPalms said:

Thank you Josue! Fresno gets pretty hot in the summer no? Or is it the winter that does them in? I’m always game for a challenge. 

Sometimes neighbors can be worse than an HOA! 99% of my palms are growing quietly, out of view from the world behind my house. Someday, the Royals will make their presence known (hopefully) to the neighbors behind me and on either side. No one from the street will see them unless they’re looking from the street behind me. Seems that if I follow the rules in the front yard, the HOA leaves me alone and people do what they please in the backyard. Fingers crossed!!

yes, very hot in summer, though not as much as Phoenix. I do have a few royals which I'll eventually put in the ground. I think that if I plant a large one, I might be able to get away with one if we get lucky with a series of warm winters. I am growing a number of plants which  "don't grow here" so i'm pushing the lines more each time. Archontophoenix, dypsis decaryi, wodyetia and dypsis lutescens grow well for me (or have grown well for me), so maybe a royal could grow here also. 

[AZPalms 443]

Small update of early summer. Things are getting in full growing swing. Don’t mind my 10ft piece of bacon float for the pool... 

[AZPalms 443]

Update at the end of summer. I may need to rethink some of these plantings! My wife says it’s like a jungle. I don’t disagree. It’s a tad crammed. Some of the trees were planted in my um, more amateur state lol.

Our baby is set to arrive in just weeks. I planted a Beccariophoenix for her. I thought it would be a nice way to measure the two’s growth over the years. 

 

Max 

[GottmitAlex 2,913]

Wunderbar!

[jimmyt 481]

1 hour ago, AZPalms said:

Update at the end of summer. I may need to rethink some of these plantings! My wife says it’s like a jungle. I don’t disagree. It’s a tad crammed. Some of the trees were planted in my um, more amateur state lol.

Our baby is set to arrive in just weeks. I planted a Beccariophoenix for her. I thought it would be a nice way to measure the two’s growth over the years. 

 

Max 

Congrats on the new Baby and the great Jungle habitat!  I like it.  Good place to go hide or lay on you Bacon float!  

[sandgroper 1,116]

Your garden looks fantastic! I love the jungle look, a great backyard to escape in to.

[GottmitAlex 2,913]

Congratulations on the baby. What a blessing!  Do you know how old us the alfie? (For reference)

[AZPalms 443]

38 minutes ago, GottmitAlex said:

Congratulations on the baby. What a blessing!  Do you know how old us the alfie? (For reference)

Thank you! We’re excited!

I purchased it in a 3-5g from FL in March. The seller said it was 3 years old? I can’t recall exactly 

[Merlyn 1,113]

22 hours ago, AZPalms said:

Update at the end of summer. I may need to rethink some of these plantings! My wife says it’s like a jungle. I don’t disagree. It’s a tad crammed. Some of the trees were planted in my um, more amateur state lol.

I think it looks great!  I started with the "sparse" look where everything was planted far enough apart that the fronds would never touch each other.  This spring my wife said "it still looks kinda empty."  So parts of my yard are a bit "formal" and others are very much more "jungle."  I think next summer some of the quicker growing palms (queens in particular) will start being overhead, so areas that might be very jungle-y right now may clear up to be shady walkways.  Keeping the number of banana pups under control will probably help too... 

[AZPalms 443]

Well the biggest update to the home has been added..... our daughter! Well I’m about 4 weeks late announcing! Losing sleep, working, phew. I’m tired! Born 11/17/19. 8lbs 10oz, 21.5 inches. 

I’m looking forward to taking a picture with me, our daughter and the Alfredii planted for her to track progress of each. 

On a palmy side note, it’s been a rainy last month or so. Plants enjoy it. Everything seems to holding steady. Pray for continued warmth! I will grab progress pictures along the way. I have a few updates I’d like to share. 

 

Max 

Edited December 14, 2019 by AZPalms

[sandgroper 1,116]

Beautiful little girl mate, congratulations. 

[palmfriend 1,511]

Hey Max,

a warmhearted welcome to your beautiful lady! 

All the best to you and your young family -

best regards from Okinawa

Lars

[bubba 1,224]

Outstanding work and great thread! In addition to the palms, congratulations on your beautiful daughter!

[enigma99 555]

On 4/23/2019 at 8:03 PM, Josue Diaz said:

yes, very hot in summer, though not as much as Phoenix. I do have a few royals which I'll eventually put in the ground. I think that if I plant a large one, I might be able to get away with one if we get lucky with a series of warm winters. I am growing a number of plants which  "don't grow here" so i'm pushing the lines more each time. Archontophoenix, dypsis decaryi, wodyetia and dypsis lutescens grow well for me (or have grown well for me), so maybe a royal could grow here also. 

I’ve given up on them for now. My last one was a 24” box one and lived almost 2 years.  It succumbed to the cool wet winter. My issue isn’t cold or freezing but my yard is clay and during the winter rainy season, the water just holds. I tried doing a french drain and pumping the water myself. Daily I would pump 20-30 gallons out of the hole... eventually it decided to give up. So I am out of ideas. 

Edited December 14, 2019 by enigma99

[Josue Diaz 2,608]

1 hour ago, enigma99 said:

I’ve given up on them for now. My last one was a 24” box one and lived almost 2 years.  It succumbed to the cool wet winter. My issue isn’t cold or freezing but my yard is clay and during the winter rainy season, the water just holds. I tried doing a french drain and pumping the water myself. Daily I would pump 20-30 gallons out of the hole... eventually it decided to give up. So I am out of ideas. 

wow that's a lot of work! :/ that's unfortunate they didn't work at your place 

[jimmyt 481]

The best gift you could ever get!

A beautiful and healthy daughter! 

Palm we can replace!

[Merlyn 1,113]

9 hours ago, enigma99 said:

I’ve given up on them for now. My last one was a 24” box one and lived almost 2 years.  It succumbed to the cool wet winter. My issue isn’t cold or freezing but my yard is clay and during the winter rainy season, the water just holds. I tried doing a french drain and pumping the water myself. Daily I would pump 20-30 gallons out of the hole... eventually it decided to give up. So I am out of ideas. 

I built a high spot of mostly sand for a bunch of agaves and cacti, ones that would really suffer here in daily rain.  Your only chance might be to build a similar high spot, a foot or more above everything nearby.  I guess it really depends on how much you want a royal! 

[enigma99 555]

On 12/14/2019 at 6:17 PM, Merlyn2220 said:

I built a high spot of mostly sand for a bunch of agaves and cacti, ones that would really suffer here in daily rain.  Your only chance might be to build a similar high spot, a foot or more above everything nearby.  I guess it really depends on how much you want a royal! 

With how bad my yard is, I'd probably need at least a couple feet. Guess it would make a 36" box install easy but they are also super heavy and hard to transport etc. Someday I'll try again ! 

[AZPalms 443]

Posting a bunch of updates today. Home with the flu (don’t worry, I don’t think I can pass it through photos?) 

Anyways, things are gaining some height finally. Might be time to cram in some smaller/slower growers nearby. Don’t tell my wife. 

I’ll call this end of winter 2019. I also have a double secret probation palm planted just out of view. She’s a biggie, well relatively. Waiting to get her into better health before posting lol. 

Edited February 9, 2020 by AZPalms

[AZPalms 443]

Told my wife hey, make me look good for the internet! And get the whole tree. Well, at least this was before baby was fussing. 

Baby almost 3 months.

Beccariophoenix about 3 years. 

My mug, about 30. Lol. 

[AZPalms 443]

Oh and the double secret probation palm I’ve been nursing but planted today. Photo wrapping up border. Another Beccariophoenix. Lol, a collection is three or more, correct? Or in case I kill er... I mean they die or I mean, choose not to thrive here in my yard. 

 

[Ben in Norcal 2,003]

Another few months of that cutie and your mug should look more like 40.  Or 50. 

[AZPalms 443]

4 minutes ago, Ben in Norcal said:

Another few months of that cutie and your mug should look more like 40.  Or 50. 

Ahaha . I didn’t look my age before, but she and work are helping me along. 

[AZPalms 443]

Just a nice morning and cleaning up some of the winter junk and prepping for spring. I liked looking at the yard and envisioning the progress and growth ahead as well as making changes.  

Next chapter: editing. Who stays and who goes. Some common palms may be on the list to get booted. Stay tuned. 

This picture was a panoramic photo but the upload didn’t take. 

EDIT: gosh that’s blurry. My apologies 

Edited March 1, 2020 by AZPalms

[AZPalms 443]

[NOT A TA 982]

Not even a year since you started this thread and look at the difference! Nice job!

[AZPalms 443]

7 minutes ago, NOT A TA said:

Not even a year since you started this thread and look at the difference! Nice job!

Thank you! To be honest this has been a work in progress for about 2 years. The majority of charges were made end of 2018/early 2019.

[Meangreen94z 668]

Still thats pretty amazing growth, even for a two year span. 300+ days of sunlight and mild winters make for an amazing backyard.

[sonoranfans 1,742]

The density of planting is a great advantage in the desert as palms partly shade each other including the root areas.  Almost everything needs a little break from the scortching summer sun in the AZ desert.  Drippers in clay soil work great and do the best when you bunch plants which can share the wet areas.  I never had such great palm choices in my yard in gilbert.  I had a small roystonea borinquena, 4 bizzies, 6 brahea armata, lots of queens(9), phoenix sylvestris(2), sabals(4), and livistona sp(3).  I am very interested to see how the beccariophoenix do, they could change palmscaping in AZ if they adapt fully.  Your yard is going to be quite densely planted as it grows in, and that is a big advantage out there in the desert.  Great job, and nice selections!  I have one recommendation: phoenix palms in tight quarters, as in densely planted areas near walkways, are nasty on kids and adults.   They do better out in the open away from traffic areas, where contact can be avoided.