Wilson Palm Garden Kiama

[Daryl]

Went and visited Colin (palmtreesforpleasure) the other day whilst down in Sydney. Colin lives in Kiama, about 2 hours drive south of Sydney, in a much wetter area called the 'Illawarra'. Latitude 34° 41' 0" S (for those who are curious)

The weather was pretty wet and cool all day, with much needed rain in the Sydney area, and cool temperatures about 21C (70F). However it added good effect to the garden and kept the humidity up high so I'm sure his palms loved it.

I also had the pleasure of traveling down there with fellow ratpacker Andy Green. And in addition to this we met Charlie (Charles/Portugal) who was in Sydney for the xmas season to visit relatives.

All in all, it made for a great day of palminess...

The country on the way to Colin's...low cloud and rain added to the rainforest effect...

Cleared hills which used to be dairy farms.

Solid basalt at Bombo Quarry near Kiama, used for Sydney's roads and rail tracks back in the 19th century...

Anyway, enough of the history lesson...time for palms...

Here is Colin, doing his best garden statue impersonation...next to one of his prized Foxy Ladies.

[Daryl]

Here are Andy, Colin and Charlie at the entrance to Colin's

A nice Chamaerops 'cerifera' near the front door...

Looking east, we find some beautifully grown Howeas with beautiful views over the Tasman Sea.

[Daryl]

Another view looking East...Archontophoenix and Ravenea rivularis get hit hard by the wind. Howeas are much better.

Howea belmoreana with it's extra long inflorescences touching the ground...

Colin's Spindle palm...probably the largest of it's species growing this far south on the east coast of Australia.

[Daryl]

Colin has a great collection of Chamaedoreas, with a lot of very desirable species in pots and in the ground. They all grow perfectly in his climate. Here are a couple of common species, but grown to perfection...

Also growing well was Cryosophila warscewiczii

[Daryl]

A nice healthy Rhopalostylis sapida was very happy...

Several forms of Dypsis baronii were growing very well...

Lots of little treasures hidden everywhere...

[Daryl]

More of Colin's container ranch...

And the propagating chamber....

More photos later...maybe Charles can chime in with his.

regards,

Daryl

[Walter John]

There's no doubt about it, Howeas are the coconut trees for the southern man.

I love the broom collection too...

[Charles Wychgel]

You beat me to it Daryl !

What a nice visit it was and great meeting you guys and sampling Aussie dry wit

Colin's garden is best described as the Australian version of Ralph Velez garden in LA ...hmmm maybe I should say Ralph Velez has the Cali version of the Colin Wilson garden....well ....whatever, a plethora of palms, cycads, bromeliads and container plants.

Starting with the container ranch

[Charles Wychgel]

Some personal pix

Colin & Daryl, Andy & Daryl and Colin + Andy in a pensive mood

[Charles Wychgel]

Some plants

Alcantarea imperialis flower,Chamaedorea metallica split leaf form,Chamaedorea geonomiformis,Chamaedorea turckheimii,Geonoma undata

[Charles Wychgel]

Laccospadix inflorescence, Ravenea hiilebrandii in flower, variegated Caryota mitis,Zamia kickxii,Zamia pygmaea

A lot of large Dypsis around as well like Dypsis plumosa, lots of Encephalartos, Ceratozamia and Zamia, many Ravenea sp, sorry no pix

Not only did he give us a tour,(and lunch!) Colin also arranged some palms from Queensland for me as I did not have time to go up north

Very happy with:

D.brevicaulis

D.carlsmithii

D.commersoniana

D.pervillei

D.ovobontsira

D.tokoravina

D.scottiana(nice black stems)

Coccothrinax ekmaniana(ekmannii?)

Chuniophoenix nana(humilis)

Chambeyronia lepidota

Gulubia

Kentiopsis pyriformis

Ravenea sambirensis

Schippia concolor

[gyuseppe]

We are very pleased to see photos and to see friends of the Palms!

[ariscott]

Good to see your garden... Colin... One day I will make it to Sydney and visit your garden... The girls are talking about going to Sydney and see the Wiggles...lol. Anyway, whatever happened to Mike Green?? Andy without Mike??

Regards, Ari

[MattyB]

Great garden Colin! I've got some Zamia picta and Chamaedorea angustisecta that would look great in there.

[Kim]

Mmmm, beautiful garden, nice and palmy! That first pic of Colin is a great introduction. Good to see palm people getting together, thanks for the photos -- got more?

[freakypalmguy]

Excellent pics gents. Beautiful garden Colin.

[LJG]

thanks for the photos -- got more?

Never satisfied Kim.

[LJG]

Here is Colin, doing his best garden statue impersonation...next to one of his prized Foxy Ladies.

You got the eye Colin. Great job with your landscaping.

[gyuseppe]

kim----> thanks for the photos -- got more?

YES ! got more

[ariscott]

That's not my variegated palm, is it Colin??

[palmtreesforpleasure]

Thanks for all the nice replies

It was great to have Charles, Andy and Daryl come to visit. It was raining when they arrived but as the day went on the weather improved a little.

The rain is very welcome.

Here are a few more pictures Getting to know each other Charles looking at the Pritchardia hillebrandii. Charles looking at the broms and a Copernicia cowellii

In front of Charles is a Caroyta sp, a couple of Hyophorbe lagenicaulis, Coccothrinax barbadensis, Phoenix roebelenii

Wodyetia bifurcata plus others

This Copernicia cowellii came from Phil at Jungle music and spent 2 years in Australian Quarantine, it is a relief to have it in the ground and growing well

more pictures to come

regards

Colin

[palmtreesforpleasure]

Here is a new red leaf of Ptychosperma waitianum, always look forward to the new leaf on this palm

Chamaedorea deckerina and Chamaedorea warscewiczii

Rhapis excelsa cultivar Tenmannishiki

regards

Colin

[palmtreesforpleasure]

The intrepid jungle explorers

To the right front of Charles is a Ravenea hildebrandtii and to the left is a Dypsis leptocheilos x Dypsis decaryi

[BS Man about Palms]

Splendid!! Thanks for your work Colin and everyone elses coverage!!

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Great shots of Colin's wonderful garden . The Rhopalostylis is about to trunk by the looks of things.

Must get up there and visit soonish !

[palmcurry]

Sweet baronii! Nice jungle, Collin

[gsn]

Beautiful garden Collin!!!

[Jeff Searle]

Hi Colin,

Your garden is looking quite nice. Your diversity of palms and plants look well together and especially all the little Chamy's.

How far in distance are you from the sea and does it affect any of your palms in any way?

Jeff

[Carlo Morici]

Thank you for "allowing us" to visit Colin's garden. Lots of nice things.

Colin, we are waiting for your visit to the Canaries!

Carlo

[palmtreesforpleasure]

Thank you for the nice comments, we really enjoy our garden.

Jeff, we are about 800m from the sea, however the sea breeze bends around a hill first and we have no salt problems and Chamaedorea's grow well here. So if you ever get any rare Chamaedorea seeds please let me know

Hello Carlo,

I will be visiting between april -june, will be in contact first. Looking forward to visiting.

Troy

your welcome anytime

Palmcurry

here is another form of Dypsis baroni

regards

colin

[palmtreesforpleasure]

A few more pictures

R. laosensis var 'Otohime' I think this what it is, lost the tag.

Spectacular vista live, reminds me of a a chinese pagoda

[palmtreesforpleasure]

The boys having a little rest

Chambeyronia macrocarpa var Houailou

The entire leaf when young always catch's the eye

This is picture of trunking form of Chamaedorea elatior

more later, hopefully from Daryl and Charles

regards

Colin

[paulgila]

wonderful garden,colin! nice to see some of the more elusive members from down under(daryl)

[tjwalters]

Wow! Nice place, and great collection!

[Charles Wychgel]

Some more, some perhaps wrongly id, mea culpa

Dypsis hybrid?/graminifolia?; Dypsis nolabel; Lepido/Cerato- zamia; Rhapis nana;????+Bowenia in the back;Chamaedorea schippii

[palmtreesforpleasure]

Hi Charles

here are the names of the palms

Dypsis pinnatifrons X ?, Chamaedorea brachypoda, seeds from Chamaedorea hooperiana

Ravenea dransfieldii

Ravenea louvelii

Rhapis nana

The seed came from IPS in the 80's, anyone know the history

Chamaedorea Schippii

This is my only one so if any one could share some seed with me it would be appreciated

regards

Colin

[The Palm Nut]

Hi Colin, your garden is looking great certainly much more lush than when I visited years ago. You still have the heated pond out front?

Cheers

Mike

[gyuseppe]

colin still compliment

[palmtreesforpleasure]

Hi Mike

No, the heated pond stopped years ago. Must be time for another visit, The garden is growing much quicker now that is it mulched and fertilised a lot more

regards

Colin

Hi Colin, your garden is looking great certainly much more lush than when I visited years ago. You still have the heated pond out front?

Cheers

Mike

[chris.oz]

Its starting to look like the "Wilson Palmetum"....

Great palms Colin, all beautifully grown.

CHRIS