Progress in the Garden

[Kim]

South of our little house the lot drops off steeply toward the lot line. It was a tangle of weeds, invasive shrubs and vines, wet rotting logs, and the detritus of the previous occupants. Here is how it looked in January:

And after some weedwhacking and selective deletions:

This is a photo from June:

Oh, wait, that's the after work celebration. Let me try again...

[Kim]

Well, let me back up first. A few days earlier, I got these really cool palms, one large and two smaller. (Women's size 7 sandal for scale.) I was very excited to plant these palms!

[Xenon]

Sorry for the newbie question, but may I ask what those cool palms are?

Love the lush setting.

Jonathan

Edited July 6, 2010 by Xenon

[Kim]

It's not so easy to see in the photos, but there is a lot of work involved. I got really vicious with the machete, a little more cautious with the chainsaw, and plum tuckered out from all the pulling, yanking, hauling and chopping. Almost forgot to mention all the beer and wine bottles retrieved from the brush! And a half-full bottle of vodka! (Ew!) Finally, with Steve's help, the planting area was (mostly) cleared. Then we stacked rocks and hauled in soil.

I don't know how much the wheel barrow weighs when half full, which is all I can manage, but it sure feels heavy, and we needed about six loads to finish the job on the largest palm.

[Kim]

More clearing, log removal, and rock stacking was required for the two smaller palms to be sure they were given enough spacing for their eventual size. After many more loads of soil were dumped, they were in and fertilized.

The the after work celebration can begin...

Steve checks his email after assisting with the palm planting.

[Kim]

I'm checking PalmTalk after getting good and dirty.

Jonathan, didn't I mention the name of this cool palm? Oops... Lemurophoenix halleuxii, my most recent obsession! These will eventually be massive palms! Thanks to the Lundkvist Palm Garden for sourcing.

[DoomsDave]

Well, swooning sofa's smashed again!

[Justin]

This is encouraging me to try the same Kim. Maybe we'll be neighbors sometime soon.

[freakypalmguy]

Nice job Kim, It's obvious you are enjoying your time there. Are you sure you don't want that Brahea back to plant in Hawaii By the way, it's doing great, fully recovered, just much more compact in my full desert sun.

Matt

[Urban Rainforest]

Kim, I can appreciate all the hard work you've done as I have been there and done it myself. I see great minds think alike as Kona brewing is how I do my celebrating as well. It's da ono kine Those Lemurs are straight swoonilicious . I know you had a great time and the place is looking great!!!

Take care,

Stevo

[bgl]

Kim,

Great to see that you got the Lemurs in the ground! I can see that a lot of effort went into planting them. They look real happy there and should do very well in that location!

Bo-Göran

[BS Man about Palms]

Awesome Kim!!

I must say, I'm sure my Lemur will be taller than yours for a brief moment in time...

[Walter John]

Oh Kim, did I say I liked you some time in the past ? I take it all back, not fair, that big Lemurophoenix was supposed to be mine wasn't it ?

Yours sincerely flailed

Wal

[Lowey]

Very nice Kim, this palm is almost an obsession for me, I lost one large one a few years ago and I now have three new ones but they are not quite ready to go in the ground yet, good luck with yours

[Daryl]

Wow Kim, that is a special palm! It should do really well there!

Daryl

[Moose]

Oh nooooo.... My dark jealous side is emerging!!!

Proper original planting is being undertaken. The results will be astounding!

Very nice.

Moose.

[Kumar]

Beautiful garden Kim - the lush background makes it seem that you live in a forest reserve; Does not lemurphoenix produce leaves that are red initially?

Edited July 6, 2010 by Kumar83

[Breadfruit Bill]

Sigh... still sitting at my desk on the mainland...

Great palm choice Kim. Looks like fun.

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Excellent Kim! How nice to be able to find such rare palms! In Costa Rica, if you want something awesome like that, you have to grow it from seed. By the way, I have some L.h seeds. But so far, none have germinated.

I'm loving your updates! More please....

[Palm crazy]

Kim that is a beautiful “red lemur”, I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops into a beautiful dark red trunk.

You are one lucky gal.

[realarch]

Kim, your transition from city slicker to island girl is coming along nicely. Pretty sweet isn't it?

In a few years time the evolution of your garden will amaze you. Good job.

[Gonzer]

Man, Point Loma sure has changed since the last time I was there.

[Kim]

Thanks everyone for all the enthusiastic comments! Justin, there's always room for another palm nut here, hope you find a place.

Matt, sounds like the Brahea is happy in your full sun, I don't think it would like all the rain here, massive quantities of natural irrigation!

Stevo -- one of these days we'll both be there at the same time, yeah?

Wal -- uh, I'm just hanging onto these for you until you get to the island...

Bruce -- good luck with your three replacements. It would be crushing to lose a large one. Yes, Daryl, I think they are special too!

Moosie -- "proper planting"? Thanks for the vote of confidence, I hope you are correct!

Kumar -- yes, the red emergent leaf is part of the excitement! Notice the dark red color of the spear on the largest palm...

William, maybe if you were to change your signature from "Move to Florida Now!!"....?

Jeff -- I would never be able to grow anything if I had to germinate seeds. Germinators have all my respect!

Tim -- "island girl", well, that will be a long, slow transition. And I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Gonzer, you need to get out more.

I have some more updates I'll post later. Thanks for looking, everyone.

[Kim]

Now for an update on my Dypsis area. First the 'BEFORE' photos, looking toward the street from the porch, panning left to right, this was the state of the property in January:

Then we had Mr. Doyle Green come in to clean up:

[Kim]

In March we did a major planting of Dypsis in this area, with lots of help from Bo (thanks again, Bo!):

[Kim]

In June, I found the area overgrown with weeds. After a lot of weeding, I installed a lot of colorful bromeliads, and on impulse some moss "steps":

I really enjoy the color!

That's all the news from our Progress in the Garden.

[Xenon]

Those bromeliads really stand out against the rain forest

Nice garden,

Jonathan

[peachy]

It's going to be lovely in 12 months time. So much work though....I take my hat off you, or as we say here, I dips me lid. You are so lucky to get such big lemurs, only ever seen tiny seedlings here and they cost more than my house is worth. Those broms were a great choice too, they really add colour and texture to the background. Yes, its is revolting what one finds when cleaning up a yard after other people have moved out. Well done Kim

Peachy

[BS Man about Palms]

Thanks everyone for all the enthusiastic comments! Justin, there's always room for another palm nut here, hope you find a place.

Matt, sounds like the Brahea is happy in your full sun, I don't think it would like all the rain here, massive quantities of natural irrigation!

Stevo -- one of these days we'll both be there at the same time, yeah?

Wal -- uh, I'm just hanging onto these for you until you get to the island...

Bruce -- good luck with your three replacements. It would be crushing to lose a large one. Yes, Daryl, I think they are special too!

Moosie -- "proper planting"? Thanks for the vote of confidence, I hope you are correct!

Kumar -- yes, the red emergent leaf is part of the excitement! Notice the dark red color of the spear on the largest palm...

William, maybe if you were to change your signature from "Move to Florida Now!!"....?

Jeff -- I would never be able to grow anything if I had to germinate seeds. Germinators have all my respect!

Tim -- "island girl", well, that will be a long, slow transition. And I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Gonzer, you need to get out more.

I have some more updates I'll post later. Thanks for looking, everyone.

Did my boast offend thee? Not even a snarky reply?

Seriously, please post all you can, it provides motivation for me to plant more or to move... ?

Awesome color!!

[Walter John]

Kim, my dearest friend, how come you don't cover the bare earth with mulch ? you know, to hold back the weeds for example ?

Did you have those broms just lying around the place ? Okay, no more beating around the bush, are palms and broms really cheap over there or what ?

[Dypsisdean]

Wal, Hope you don't mind me butting in. I haven't purchased any broms, but I can tell you that palms/plants are the only things here that are cheaper than the mainland. Almost everything else costs more. But if your priorities are straight, that works out just fine. I have people giving me large palms, as they outgrow their containers so fast there is nothing else to do with them.

[Kim]

Jonathan, thank you for the kind comments!

Peachy, it's a ton of work, and I've barely scratched the surface, but it feels like paradise to me! And yes, very lucky to have those Lemurs, very lucky indeed. Coming for a visit in 12 months, are you?

Oh, Bill, you are the closet sensitive guy! You might beat me racing cars, but in the Lemur contest, forget it! And no getting freakypalmguy to photoshop for you!

Wal, it's the strangest thing, nobody seems to use mulch on the island. I finally saw one garden where they used wood chips, and it looks great. Will it suppress weeds here? Good question. Ordering mulch is on my 'to do' list that I lost. As Dean said, they are practically giving away palms on the island. Those broms cost a fraction of what they go for on the mainland. I met the seller at a farmer's market, took his card, gave him a call. Next thing I know he's begging to deliver some plants. How could I refuse?

[Dr. George]

Wal, it's the strangest thing, nobody seems to use mulch on the island. I finally saw one garden where they used wood chips, and it looks great. Will it suppress weeds here? Good question. Ordering mulch is on my 'to do' list that I lost. ...

Well, my wife is married to a guy who uses a lot of mulch on their place in Kona - currently free from the County and he pays $250 to have 30 cu yards hauled in at a time. Its great for all of the reasons that mulch is supposed to be great. - gmp

[Shon]

Kim I went back to your first thread, from then till now you've already had some significant growth! Maybe I can plant my favorites through you. Any Pinanga or Calyptocalyx on the list? Broms lok great by the way. Don't worry Bill's Lemur is going to go backwards before it goes forward.

Edited July 8, 2010 by Shon

[Kim]

Hey, Dr. George, your palms look very happy in their neatly mulched beds. No weeds! Must be nice... What are those three young palms in your last photo? I was going to guess D. pilulifera, but my ID skills are not so hot... That's quite a place you've got there.

Shon, we put 18 Calyptrocalyx elegans around the water tank, so at least one of your favorites is already in the ground. And I have about 13 little Pinanga insignis awaiting placement; they will be drop dead gorgeous when they develop some size. All suggestions for vicarious palm planting cheerfully accepted for consideration. As far as growth in three months, not so much, although I did notice the largest Dypsis paludosa has added three new leaves to its height, and it also put out an immature inflorescence. I'm sure my Clinostigma are growing, putting out new leaves, but added height isn't super obvious yet. I'll add some January to June photos of them later, you can judge for yourself. "Bill's Lemur is going to go backwards before it goes forward." (sorry Bill, that was funny)

[Gtlevine]

Nice work Kim!

I have to say Steve just does not look so happy as you do, sort of that forced servatude look. My guess is he is writing his Obituary.

Gary

[Jim in Los Altos]

Kim, You've already worked wonders with your land. I can't wait to see future photos. All I can do here in the comparably chilly Bay Area is pretend I'm in Hawaii.

[Darold Petty]

Looking great, Kim! Featuring the boulder is a subtle and deft improvement rather than removing it. Two thumbs up!

[rozpalm]

Very nice work Kim! You are well on your way to creating paradise in paradise. Thanks for the pics.

[Walter John]

Wal, it's the strangest thing, nobody seems to use mulch on the island. I finally saw one garden where they used wood chips, and it looks great. Will it suppress weeds here? Good question. Ordering mulch is on my 'to do' list that I lost. ...

Well, my wife is married to a guy who uses a lot of mulch on their place in Kona - currently free from the County and he pays $250 to have 30 cu yards hauled in at a time. Its great for all of the reasons that mulch is supposed to be great. - gmp

Dear Doctor, any chance of some palm IDs ?