Small Palms, Great Potential

[Kim]

The setting: just behind the middle garden. This area is intended to be a negative space, punctuated by palms, and surrounded by palms... eventually! The three Clinostigma samoense were planted from 5-gal. pots January 8, 2010, after the section was rough cleared by backhoe. The newest palms are just beyond the lawn circle, and more are out beyond the tall ohi'a trees.

The first photo shows the area in early September, 2010. The photo on the right was taken in May, 2011.

.. ..

Spiny palms were not going to be a part of this garden. Well, never say never! I had already added a few Licuala peltata var. sumawongii elsewhere, but these five little 1-gal. Phoenicophorium borsigianum are intensely spiny little devils! Difficult to handle, so once planted, they are not moving!

It's a rough spot, but time and care will soften the setting.

[Kim]

On three separate occasions, weed trees and junk plants were cleared further and further back into the lot, which is something like 440 feet deep from the street. Clearing was done by backhoe and partially by hand.

In this section, six Dypsis lastelliana and six or seven Clinostigma samoense were added. The neighbors are also becoming avid palm growers, and over time this part of Leilani Estates will become a palmy attraction.

Here we are looking west, toward the very back of my lot. Actually, in the right third of the photo you see a pale green cloud of palms? Those belong to Bo (bgl).

For this photo, I've turned 180 degrees, looking east. So you see this is just beyond the new Phoenicophorium borsigianum plantings.

The Dypsis lastelliana are very yellow in the photo, but they have already thrown out a new green leaf or two. Directly behind me is an area for a small tea house, or maybe it's a beer refueling station or rehab meditation room; that's yet to be determined. Then further back you might catch a glimpse of the Areca vestiaria path that leads east again to the Clinostigma lawn.

[Kim]

Almost forgot, a couple of Iriartea deltoidea also went in the ground, back in a very rough hand-cleared area beyond the south side of the house. This area is quite treacherous, full of very large, very deep lava tree holes. A whole person could disappear down them. The rough terrain made planting a challenge, but this are is going to be so incredible once footpaths are in and it's all planted out.

Sorry about the photo, it was pouring down rain off and on, which makes for great palm growing, but not so hot for photos.

Shoot, I also planted a nice 1-gal. Metroxylon amicarum but forgot to take a photo. Darn!

[Lowey]

Looks like things are starting to come together Kim, love those Clinostigma samoense they are so fast

[kepel]

Fantastic, Kim, nice plantings with so much potential. I bet those Phoenicophoriums will be the talk of the town once they get established.

[bgl]

Kim,

Great to see the progress of your garden and before you know it the new group of Dypsis lastelliana and Clinostigma samoense will dominate that part of the garden. Which is good news for me as well! I just looked at them from a distance a couple of hours ago and all of them are "greening" up nicely! By next summer they will look like real palms!

Bo-Göran

[BS Man about Palms]

Love to see humble beginnings...

[peachy]

Now if you just add a few washies and queens you will have a proper garden like me !!

Peachy

[ariscott]

Kim... working hard, I can see . Don't worry... you won't regret planting those Phoenicophorium borgisianum. I have 2 now.... growing so well in semi shade... love love love them... especially the orange colour with the sun exposure....

Regards, Ari

Edited August 3, 2011 by ariscott

[Kim]

Bruce -- yes, the Clinostigma are astonishing with their growth. When first planted they were no taller than me, with the fattest part at the base maybe the diameter of my fist. Now they are double overhead and getting super chunky at the base, almost soccer ball size. I've never seen anything grow that fast, let alone a palm.

Kepel, thank you, it's going to be a long time before I achieve any "ridiculously tall palms" but I'm working on it. The Phoenicophorium will get those huge entire leaves, and with a group of five, I hope they will be an attractive backdrop.

Bo, thanks for the update on the palms, good to hear they are turning green and not brown.

Bill, come see how it's done. You will enjoy stumbling around in the rough lava to see how things are planted and how beautifully they grow. So much so, that you may find yourself shopping for your own acre. It's been known to happen...

Oh Peachy, I have looked and looked and can't find any of those old favorites here! What a crying shame...

Ari, yes it's work, but it's fun. I like to play in the dirt. May we see a pic of your two? Right now I have to use my imagination to think how these little palms will look in the future.

[John in Andalucia]

Looking nice, Kim. A future palm paradise in the making, without the wait!

An acre, you say? Cuánto cuesta?

[realarch]

Ahhhh, the joy of planting a new palm garden. You'll be amazed a few years from now to see how things evolve from the decisions you make. You'll say to yourself, 'I really did all that? Wow, I must have been out of my mind and could I could do it again?'

But you know you would if given the right circumstances. I mean look at that guy named Lundkvist.

Tell Bill NOT to wear slippahs when he's out scouting around in your neck of the woods, those Clinos might be the last thing he'll ever see.

[Patricia-CR]

Kim, it looks really nice. Probably with the weather and soil you got there, they'll grow faster than they usually do. Looking forward for any future updates on your garden.

[Kim]

John, it's been paradise from day one, and it keeps getting better. A quick perusal of lots for sale in this particular subdivision which has the advantage of paved streets shows the average lot is listed at around USD$22,000 to $24,000. Do you want a house with that? Those begin at around $125,000.

Thank you, Patricia, you are correct, this is palm grower's heaven. The conditions are ideal, as future updates should show.

Tim, it was great to have you and Bob stop by for a tour (photo to be added later). It feels like so much has been accomplished in a little more than 18 months, but I look around and imagine all the dreams yet to be realized. As you know, it's a lifelong project.

And to undertake the effort twice in your lifetime? I believe those who plant gardens are optimists. They can always take a difficult situation and find some good in it. Who else could roll over a few lava rocks and gently tuck in a palm seedling but an optimist?

[BigFrond]

Nice! Homesteading in HI ehh? I do not see any neighbor nearby.

[Kim]

Hi BigFrond, in the first post, second photo, you can see my neighbor's carport to the right. Then in the second photo of post #2, you can see their white fence on the left. The lot may be one acre, but it's only 100 ft. wide.

As mentioned earlier, I had a mini-tour for some PalmTalkers out for a PRA:

[ariscott]

Will take photos on the weekend, Kim. Anything else while I am taking photos?

[Walter John]

Will take photos on the weekend, Kim. Anything else while I am taking photos?

I have a request Ari. Can we see the Foxy Lady, all your Coryphas, all your bamboos and do you have Pritchardia pacifica ? that too.

By the way Kim, nice work, are you working on blocking out the neighbours completely ? lipsticks along the boundary P.Sullivan style ?

[Kim]

Will take photos on the weekend, Kim. Anything else while I am taking photos?

Any unusual Pinangas would be fun to see! P. maculata? javana? sylvestris? And any Calyptrocalyx too if you have them -- albertisianis? leptostachys?

If you have them, I'd like to see how they grow. Mine are in little pots yet.

[Bill Austin]

Will take photos on the weekend, Kim. Anything else while I am taking photos?

Any unusual Pinangas would be fun to see! P. maculata? javana? sylvestris? And any Calyptrocalyx too if you have them -- albertisianis? leptostachys?

If you have them, I'd like to see how they grow. Mine are in little pots yet.

KIM this is what they look like need a good home

[Kim]

Wal, I have neighbors on one side, and empty lots on two sides. The guys next door, Dave and Greg, put up the white fencing you see in the photos to keep their dogs under control. They have planted lutescens and Actinorhytis calapparia, and on my side are 17 C. renda. Once the palms get a little bigger, they plan to remove the fence, as the vegetation will be dense enough to keep the dogs from roaming. The neighbors are great people and we have a gate between our properties for visiting. Bo's property is directly behind Dave and Greg, but no house there yet, just lots of palms -- and bromeliads. As I mentioned above, we are all planting palms, and in a few years, as the palms grow, none of the houses will be visible one from the other.

Pauleen's place is enclosed by cyclone fencing, and that was thought to be unnecessary in this subdivision, although it would deter trespassers. Fencing can become necessary if the feral pigs decide they like digging in the garden. So far, no pigs.

[Kim]

Okay, Bill, I can see I need to pay you a visit!

[ariscott]

Will take photos on the weekend, Kim. Anything else while I am taking photos?

I have a request Ari. Can we see the Foxy Lady, all your Coryphas, all your bamboos and do you have Pritchardia pacifica ? that too.

By the way Kim, nice work, are you working on blocking out the neighbours completely ? lipsticks along the boundary P.Sullivan style ?

Geez... you don't want much, Wal...lol. We shall see.... Oh, actually.. I don't have any Pitchardia pacifica. Isn't that sad??? I shoulld rectify that this wet season....

[ariscott]

Any unusual Pinangas would be fun to see! P. maculata? javana? sylvestris? And any Calyptrocalyx too if you have them -- albertisianis? leptostachys?

If you have them, I'd like to see how they grow. Mine are in little pots yet.

I don't have many pinangas . Not quite sure why.... I have a few seedlings but nothing to look at.

I have a few calyptrocalyx though... probably nothing flushing at the moment... but some of them are getting big . Remember, my garden is still 4 years old

Regards, Ari