Boxing Day trip to Cardiff Bills

[quaman58 2,382]

Hey all, 

My wife and I spent the afternoon on Sunday at Bill and Theresa’s up in Cardiff. They’re great hosts and have a beautiful home on a hillside perhaps 1/4 mile from the ocean. He’s been growing palms longer than I have and has an extraordinary amount of big, mature palms. His biggest challenge is the occasional big wind event and the small amount of salt that makes its way from the water. As the afternoon sun was waning, it created some decent lighting for a couple of pictures. A few examples, looking out the upper deck and a wonderful example of a SoCal spindle palm

 

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2021 by quaman58

[quaman58 2,382]

[quaman58 2,382]

Sorry, doing battle with upload speeds.. Hedyscepe, one of the best around here when happy. And a very habitat looking sample of Pritchardia hillebrandii 

[quaman58 2,382]

A large trunking version of Allagoptera caudescens and looking up into the Chambeyronia and Veitchia canopy.

[quaman58 2,382]

Last couple for tonight: trunking Kentiopsis pyriformis and fruiting Pritchardia beccariana

[Billeb 465]

The Hedycepe and Chambeyronia Pyriformis () are awesome. Many years right there….
 

-dale

[kylecawazafla 1,201]

Beautiful photos! That trunking Chambeyronia pyriformis is stunning! 

[quaman58 2,382]

Last couple, flowering Mad fox and Dictyosperma furfuraceum. Thanks for looking! 

[Tracy 6,748]

On 12/26/2021 at 11:58 PM, quaman58 said:

My wife and I spent the afternoon on Sunday at Bill and Theresa’s up in Cardiff. They’re great hosts and have a beautiful home on a hillside perhaps 1/4 mile from the ocean. He’s been growing palms longer than I have and has an extraordinary amount of big, mature palms. His biggest challenge is the occasional big wind event and the small amount of salt that makes its way from the water.

Bill has a fantastic growing location... and living location right there above Swamis.  Being on that bluff side ridge, he gets the full moderating effects of the ocean breezes, there is minimal cool air draining down from above him and it's roughly mid-way between San Elijo and Batiquitos Lagoon's which is where the cool air from inland migrates during cold Santa Ana's, so he gets minimal effect from that.  His garden is packed with goodies.  We sometimes take the dogs for walks in the other parts of town and walk by his garden to see how everything in the front yard is growing.

Nice pics Bret.  Love that Mad Fox.  Thanks for sharing the post!

[akamu 781]

Have not been to bills in many years the garden is looking fantastic he has a perfect location. The dyctyosperma furfuraceum is about the nicest I've seen in so cal thanks for posting

[BigFrond 122]

Wow, Hedyscepe is a fatty!  Mine has been in the ground for 9 years and grown maybe 5 inches in height. 

[Billeb 465]

58 minutes ago, BigFrond said:

Wow, Hedyscepe is a fatty!  Mine has been in the ground for 9 years and grown maybe 5 inches in height. 

My thoughts exactly. I’ve got two. One in the ground out of a 7G pot and one in a 5G on my patio. Both seam slooooooow but the in ground one appears slower. 

 

-dale

[Tracy 6,748]

9 hours ago, BigFrond said:

Wow, Hedyscepe is a fatty!  Mine has been in the ground for 9 years and grown maybe 5 inches in height. 

If you can find the right spot for them, they seem to thrive like Bill's.  My experience matches your experience BigFrond... two in the ground, one for about 12 years and the other for 8 or 9 years I believe.  It's hard to distinguish between the size when they were planted and what they look like now.  Bill has done a great job.  He has a tall Chambeyronia in the front, that was planted at a similar time to one that I planted in Carlsbad that was double the height of mine when we had the Palm Society tour at his house several years ago.  I was dumbfounded when he told me how old it was at that time.  Great location and a great job growing all his plants.

[BigFrond 122]

Haha... we're so lucky.  I picked a spot because it was the prime spot with great soil and partial shade.  I even dugged a giant hole and amended the soil using Fox Farm products.   So sad after all these years with little growth.  I do see a big frond this year though.  Maybe in 10 years it will grow 5 more inches.   The best option is to buy 3 more and plant then in different areas of the house.  Then I can keep my fingers crossed and hope for at least one that will grow like weeds.

[quaman58 2,382]

This is my two cents, so you can take it for what it's worth. My experience is that Hedyscepe either grows as well as any other moderate palm; OR they decline over a number of years and finally die. I wish I could tell you what makes the good ones go, it's just such a crap shoot. I've gone through at least 6 with no successes and it's discouraging. My neighbor planted 3 together; 2 shrank and died over the course of a couple years, the last one is on it's 3rd ring of trunk & is on it's way. Go figure.

[Darold Petty 3,682]

Bret, I have experienced the same variable results with Hedyscepe, nothing to do with the grower !

[Billeb 465]

4 hours ago, quaman58 said:

This is my two cents, so you can take it for what it's worth. My experience is that Hedyscepe either grows as well as any other moderate palm; OR they decline over a number of years and finally die. I wish I could tell you what makes the good ones go, it's just such a crap shoot. I've gone through at least 6 with no successes and it's discouraging. My neighbor planted 3 together; 2 shrank and died over the course of a couple years, the last one is on it's 3rd ring of trunk & is on it's way. Go figure.

This is not good news. Discouraging I’d say. 
 

-dale

[Kim 3,968]

Bill's place is a true slice of paradise, from the palms to the accent plants and his whole barbecue set up, and the view -- something else! Plus he and his wife are super kind people. All the best karma going on there.

[Inland Palms 18]

Great pics Bret...career change? I love Bill's garden, it's a great place to share an adult beverage while enjoying a Swami Sunset. Happy New Year's to All!