My Garden on Green Turtle Cay

[GTClover]

Hello Palm Experts, a couple of you have asked about my garden on Green Turtle Cay (pronounced 'key'). As I said in an earlier post, Green Turtle Cay is a small key off the coast of Abaco which in turn is one of the 'Out Islands' of the Bahamas and is 135 miles due west of West Palm Beach, FL. It's zone 10b-11.

For me, one of the reasons we built on GTC was to have a place to plant and enjoy palms and other tropical plants (for my husband it was fishing and boating). I thought I'd show some before/after photos. And I hope some of you will have a lot of recommendations for additions!

Here's where we are:

We bought the land in 2002 and this is pretty much the way it looked

[GTClover]

We tried to preserve as many existing palms as we could (mostly “Thatch” palms), but of course not much could be saved in the actual house site. Are these Thrinax excelsa or morrisii do you think?

Unfortunately this is the building site when construction began:

Fortunately we had this guy as our project manager and landscape architect:

[GTClover]

So what follows is mostly his work with me as the chief “Approver” of the garden while my husband filled that role for the house construction

We don’t really have access to a lot options for nursery stock, but that is changing. But for the most part I’m afraid you will see three kinds of palms Thrinax, Coco nucifera, H. lagenicaulis in this garden, but hopefully I’ll get ideas from you to help increase the variety

I’ve roughly divided the photos relative to general compass directions and the time frame is roughly 2002 – 2010 with some areas not having much representation in the earlier years.

So here is the “North side”

2004

2005

[GTClover]

2006

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Edited April 1, 2010 by GTClover

[GTClover]

2008

2009

2010

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Northeast & East

Resourceful adaptation of limited resources!

2004

2005

[GTClover]

[BS Man about Palms]

Very nice! I feel for you on the "house front"...I know the pain.

[GTClover]

2006

2007

[palmislandRandy]

That natural stone is screaming Pseudophoenix & maybe a few Cocothrinax! Randy

[palmislandRandy]

That natural stone is screaming Pseudophoenix & maybe a few Cocothrinax! Randy

[palmislandRandy]

Magnificent stonework!! Randy

[GTClover]

2009

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2010

Southeast & South

2005

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2006

[Rafael]

Not dificult to imagine it as a dream becoming true, coming to real!

And an amazing dream, i must say!!!

By the way, during these building times where was your husband, fishing?

[GTClover]

2007

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2008

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2009

Southwest

2007-2010

[GTClover]

West & Northwest

2005

2006

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2007

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2009

2010

That’s It! And probably way more than anyone wanted to see!

[GTClover]

Oh wait I do want to show our most recent planting! (Billy Mayes here)

We really aren't too far from the beach so this is what we planted just before leaving in January.

Edited April 1, 2010 by GTClover

[GTClover]

I really hope it wasn't to much (fortunately any who didn't like it tuned out long ago). I've never laid the whole project out before and I'm doing it here so I can get some expert advice on how we can add some diversity. Mainly in the way of understory small distinctive palms for the south and southwest sides where we've tried to keep it natural. I particularly want to add some color, but we need to use plants that are at least somewhat salt tolerant. I think we can special order from the nursery on Great Abaco. And I know there are some restrictions as to what can be imported, but I haven't really researched that yet. But if I can get some recommendations I can explore the possibilities. Right now we only get to the island 2-3 Xs a year for 1-2 weeks at a time.

To give you some idea how far it is from the ocean, here are some shots from the roof walk. Also we do get tropical storms & hurricanes as often as Florida. Well perhaps not as often since they can hit FL from so many directions and I think the mainland is their major draw! However very often they've just left Abaco when they strike West Palm Beach. Also our house has some relative elevation and most of the time that's a good thing, but it also contributes to wind exposure & the amount of salt in the air.

Actually the island is so small everywhere has salty air. And the area I'd like to concentrate the new plantings does have a very protected from microenvironment, it may be even more protected now than before the building started creating an additional buffer for the prevailing winds. Also the soil is deeper and it has supported natural growth of larger trees. I'm told there is fresh ground water there (there are no wells on GTC; fresh water is collected from the roof. Our house sits on 2 12K cysterns) and that they used to grow a good crop if melons there!

As for salt-tolerance, I found a list of salt tolerant palms of FL, separating good tolerance from moderately tolerant, but it doesn't include many of the more exotic species I've seen here and many seem to be more specimen trees. We do have at least one spot for a specimen type and I was thinking maybe a Butia capitata at the bottom of the steps leading down the "lower level" on the southwest side as the little Coconut we put there died. Also many on the list seem to be susceptible to lethal yellow. I've already lost a Veitchia merrillii to this. Amazingly those were the only trees we've planted over 8 years that have died!!

One I think will go nicely is Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera and I love to hear the recommendations of this great Forum!

And

A Blue or Red lantania would be lovely down there too, I think

Dypsis lutescens - Understory?

As I said the biggest problem is likely to be availability and importation issues. I'm going to talk to Leonard and the local nursery about how to get things there once I have some idea of what I want.

I've learned so much more about palms than I ever knew before, so I want to thank you all!

Susan

Edited April 1, 2010 by GTClover

[Dave-Vero]

The photos in post 21 show several nice gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba). Must be one of the commonest trees in the Caribbean. They can get quite big in well-watered fertile situations (Chagres National Park in Panama). There's a pretty large one at Florida's Sebastian Inlet, close to the species' northern limit (due to freezes). I was surprised to see a pretty tall youngster not far from my house last weekend. I thought it was a noxious weed!

I suspect one factor for you is low rainfall, more like the Lower Florida Keys than Miami. It's amazing how much faster native plants grow in Miami than on Big Pine Key.

European fan palm would probably grow well, but you've got a nice list of natives and near-natives to choose among. I wouldn't bother with Dypsis lutescens. It seems to like plenty of water; my guess is that with so many Dypsis species possibly available, there's likely to be better.

There's a recent paper on wind resistance in palms by John Dowe et al. Livistona from Australia and our native Sabals do well.

[DoomsDave]

GT:

Well, I'm breathless with agog delight!

That is a garden and a half!

I can't imagine a more splendid contrast: Vermont and the Bahamas . . . (Bet there's reggae and rhythm in both!)

More pictures will always be welcome!

[GTClover]

The photos in post 21 show several nice gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba). Must be one of the commonest trees in the Caribbean. They can get quite big in well-watered fertile situations (Chagres National Park in Panama). There's a pretty large one at Florida's Sebastian Inlet, close to the species' northern limit (due to freezes). I was surprised to see a pretty tall youngster not far from my house last weekend. I thought it was a noxious weed!

I suspect one factor for you is low rainfall, more like the Lower Florida Keys than Miami. It's amazing how much faster native plants grow in Miami than on Big Pine Key.

European fan palm would probably grow well, but you've got a nice list of natives and near-natives to choose among. I wouldn't bother with Dypsis lutescens. It seems to like plenty of water; my guess is that with so many Dypsis species possibly available, there's likely to be better.

There's a recent paper on wind resistance in palms by John Dowe et al. Livistona from Australia and our native Sabals do well.

Thanks Dave V, yes there definitely are times when rainfall is limited, especially in the winter. We thought we were going to have gray water for irrigation, but the system doesn't work well with absentee owner. The house plumbing is set up for it, and we were collecting it in a separate tank, but even though it was 'gray' water it got pretty stinky. So for now it's off-line. We are open to suggestions but I think it will have to wait until we can be there for longer periods of time!

I love the "gumbo limbos", they call them Gumelame Trees here,and there are some really big ones in some of the most protected areas. Amazing bark and supposedly their sap is supposed to be an antidote to poison wood rash which are found EVERYWHERE.

Susan

[GTClover]

Not dificult to imagine it as a dream becoming true, coming to real!

And an amazing dream, i must say!!!

By the way, during these building times where was your husband, fishing?

Well since this is about the garden, I didn't say much about house, but my husband who is a builder here in VT, organized and shipped all the materials from our little computer here with a dial-up connection. He digitally handled every nail, beam, and shingle and made frequent trips out to review the progress so there may have been a line in the water from time to time, but mostly that had to wait!

And to all the architectural firms out there the house was designed by my (currently out of work) son!

Susan

[GTClover]

Magnificent stonework!! Randy

Randy, the guy is a genius with stone (actually old coral dug from the site) and plant! His brother is the famous artist as Alton Lowe and he is quite an artist himself. We were very lucky to have found him; this is really a tribute to him! And you should see his garden.

Susan

[GTClover]

GT:

Well, I'm breathless with agog delight!

That is a garden and a half!

I can't imagine a more splendid contrast: Vermont and the Bahamas . . . (Bet there's reggae and rhythm in both!)

More pictures will always be welcome!

Wow CF Dave, thank you! I really was afraid I was way over doing it. Believe it or not this is only half the pictures I've put together in an album for Leonard called "TurtleDreams Garden Select"! And for anyone else who's a glutton for punishment "the rest of the story" it can be found here.

Susan

[LJG]

I really hope it wasn't to much (fortunately any who didn't like it tuned out long ago). I've never laid the whole project out before and I'm doing it here so I can get some expert advice on how we can add some diversity.

I think you will find these type threads tend to be the most popular here. I always enjoy these progression type threads.

I love the rock work.

[BS Man about Palms]

I like it all and can hardly wait until my addition looks "done".

I would think Allagoptera arenaria would be a must. Somewhere.

[basilios]

I really, REALLY love your place...a great house, a tropical garden, some serious sea view...just beautiful.

Maybe a dypsis decaryi (triangle palm) would be a good addition to your garden. It's quite drought tolerant, great looking and I believe it can deal with salty winds (as long as it's not planted straight on the beach). At least mine can, and I live 50 meters from the beach.

I've also seen photos of some very good looking Syagrus varieties (can't remember which, though, sorry) that grow on beaches in Brazil...maybe Gileno could help with that?

[Tassie_Troy1971]

What a beautiful spot , lovely beach house and the makings of a fine garden . you have come to the right place if you want advice and more palms suitable for your locaton .

[Lowey]

More, More, More dont feel you need to restrict your posts of pictures of your dream, I am looking at your pics and wishing I was in your shoes, I have been a builder like your other half, and would give everything I own for a spot like yours

[Gileno Machado]

Lovely location and house, Susan.

Welcome to the wind challenge palms club...

Here are a few ideas for seaside adaptable palms: Borassus, Bismarckia, Latania, Coccothrinax, Copernicia, Syagrus schizophylla, Polyandrococos (now Allagoptera), Clinostigma, Bentinckia, Thrinax, Phoenix sylvestris...the list is quite long...enjoy !!

[Kim]

I really enjoyed the photos showing your project unfold and the garden begin to mature. As many have said, the stonework really adds to the look in the garden. Gileno's list covers everything I could think of in the way of palms, and more! For color in your understory, do you have access to bromeliads or crotons? Colorful foliage is my favorite way to add zing to the garden. For flowers, what about the yellow trumpet flowers of Allamanda? Or the many hot colors of Hibiscus? I would imagine Delonix regia would do well, if you have room for a large tree with a spreading crown. I have no experience with your type of climate, of course, just enjoying imagining the beautiful, colorful plants you might be able to grow.

[pogobob]

What a beutifull pardise you have created, thanks for shareing you wonderfull project!