Eight years of growth

[Tracy]

At the end of the summer 8 years ago, we were finishing a remodel and addition, with only the edges of the backyard still containing plants.  The angle is a little different in the two photos, looking at the back of the house but the growth of the things we planted is pretty obvious considering the blank slate.  Four different clumping Dypsis should be identifiable in the current photo.  The deck off the house which used to be fully exposed actually gets some decent shade from the palms now.

Anyone else want to share their transformations?

[Billeb]

Wow! That’s impressive. Looks like things grow  very fast for you. I’d love to swing by and check out your place on my travels down south from OC. I’m always so damn busy. Boo….

-dale

[palmfriend]

Hi, 

I got some, too.

We bought the house in 2012, the garden looked like this then....

...and now. Photos are taken from the second floor.

Other shots,...

I think this was in summer 2014....

Again, now. There were ups and downs, some plants didn't take typhoons well while others were attacked by beetles but I think the garden is slowly coming into shape.

Last one...

Looking toward the house - I guess it was in spring 2013,...

..and now. 

A few seed grown palms have already reached maturity while others need more time - but that's fine. Seeing all those palms and other plants growing up well is a great pleasure!

 

Lars

 

[Kim]

My favorite kind of photos, long term transformations! Always a mind-blower to see nothing much turn into something really special! Nice work!

[Looking Glass]

@Tracy and @palmfriend, Wow, those are some awesome transformations!   For me there is something almost anxiety provoking about an open lawn, and something relaxing about having some cover and life growing upwards.    I've only been here for 2yrs and 4 months, but I've been like a yard beaver, terraforming and planting & digging out there like crazy.   This is my first house, and though I grew up raising plants and livestock up north, it's also my first foray into tropical gardening in Florida, so there has been steep learning curve.   

Still years of work to do, and not everybody is looking perfect, but every month things look better and more interesting....  

 

(Still can’t figure out that planter box though)

Edited June 24, 2022 by Looking Glass

[Tracy]

16 hours ago, Billeb said:

I’d love to swing by and check out your place on my travels down south from OC

Let me know next time you are headed down and we can try to coordinate a stop.

14 hours ago, palmfriend said:

bought the house in 2012, the garden looked like this then....

...and now.

Nice transformation Lars!  You have created your own oasis which has been more challenging considering that you often must start with seeds.

 

6 hours ago, Looking Glass said:

I've only been here for 2yrs and 4 months, but I've been like a yard beaver, terraforming and planting & digging out there like crazy.   This is my first house, and though I grew up raising plants and livestock up north, it's also my first foray into tropical gardening in Florida, so there has been steep learning curve.

Nice job in a short period of time.  I had the advantage of 2 other homes to practice on over the decades, both the other two within 3.5 miles as the crow flies from this one.

Another perspective on the back yard from 2014 and now.  You can't see the Kentiopsis oliviformis or the Encephalartos arenarius woodii that I planted a few years before the remodel now.  They are obscured by all the plants in the foreground.  The top of the Kentiopsis is about the height of the phone line pole.  The Encephalartos is a monster even after I removed a large pup about 3 or 4 years ago.  I did have a bullpen of things in pots in the old garden too that came over with only a couple of things that I dug from the old garden (none of those were palms).

[Billeb]

3 hours ago, Tracy said:

Let me know next time you are headed down and we can try to coordinate a stop.

Totally. Will do. 
 

-dale