PSSC Tours Asbagh/Ouer Gardens

[Kim]

Mid morning, coastal clouds breaking for sunshine, finds homeowner Greg Asbagh (striped polo) greeting visitors in his palmy driveway. Maria Asbagh is nearby, trying to stay out of my photo.

Greg and Maria have lived here since 1999, periodically adding carefully planned garden features. The first wave of landscaping was an elegant pool, and most recently, a putting green was added. Both Greg and Maria have taken up golf, in part as way to enjoy spending time with Greg's father.

The garden is packed with ornamentals and lots of color.

Photos: 1) Front view with Phoenix canariensis, Syagrus romazoffianum, Phoenix rupicola (smaller), colorful Cordyline and Aechmea 2) Bromeliad wall along the putting green, paved path above 3) densely planted desert garden in shades of blue and waxy green 4) Sunlight dancing on a potted bromeliad beside a large aloe and what I'm guessing is Euphorbia cotinifolia (round red leaves) 5) Koi pond with palms and bamboo

[Kim]

Surely the highlight of this garden is the tropical pool area. With seating in several vantage points around the pool, and a different view from each, choose your option, sun, shade, water, or jungle.

Lounge in the jacuzzi, and don't forget to look up to admire the mature canopy.

[Kim]

The board meeting took place on a shady raised patio.

They were too consumed with business for a dip in the pool. Lounge chairs awaited occupants under a palm-filled sky.

As you exit the garden, the signage would almost seem to give directions to the next garden...

[Kim]

A short distance across the freeway to the west, we visit the mature garden of a palm collector, the Polynesian theme plainly visible from the street.

This is the former home of our Moderator Dean Ouer, who has since decamped to Hawaii. Before leaving some ten years ago, he amassed an impressive collection of palms, many that did not have formal names at the time he was planting them. His son Dorian continues to live here, and both home and garden were looking nicely spiffed up for the tour.

We are greeted by this punk tiki, one of an extensive and impressive collection scattered throughout the grounds. Near the street, the plantings remain quite dense, all the better to retain a degree of privacy.

While the garden is truly palm-centric, there are a number of ornamentals such as Irisene, gingers, Monstera, Rhaphidophora, Hibiscus, and Crinum. Interesting groundcover! No, that is not grass...

[Kim]

The graceful Ravenea glauca; unfurling frond (id?); Easter islander gone astray

Ummmm, I feel like I almost know what this is, but I don't; next, something fuzzy and ferny; I think this is some kind of very fine-leaved Ravenea? Please advise...

Someone name this humongous fan palm. Gratuitous hibiscus photo. Looking back toward the street.

[Kim]

This pair of Dypsis decipiens were sensational. Another much smaller pair are hidden in the shade behind them, also impressive in their own way. Don't park your car here. Rumor is the fronds will break a windshield.

Turn around and wham! You are hit by the sight of a Licuala ramsayi, rather large, by SoCal standards. Beyond it we find some attractive black-stemmed bamboo. Whirl around further and enjoy the tall and dense canopy near the house.

The leafy walk to the front door is guarded by this tiki with the prominently-featured pineapple, a symbol of hospitality.

[Kim]

But not so fast; there are still attractions out front to view... Dean has several Ceroxylon species, and this is one of them..... and the trunk of a different one. Ha! Guess which is which!

The tentative id of this palm is Ravenea monticola. Shady path past various palms including Rhopalostylis sapida, Howea forsteriana, Archontophoenix, and much more.

Okay, back toward the house, another tiki sneering at our lack of palm id skills...

But in this open atrium-like setting, the palms and tikis are cool, giving us a friendly welcome, along with the sounds of trickling water. Even the non-palm-fanatic guests were enthralled with this tropical ambience.

Phil puttin' on his tiki face; a chair that begs you to be seated, and many did take a seat.

[Kim]

The back garden is filled with gems, too. First up, Cyphophoenix elegans, then Ravenea hildebrandtii, and a beautiful New Caledonia palm, possibly Burretiokentia hapala?

Kentiopsis oliviformis? Across the pond, Howea belmoreana; various Dypsis and a Ravenea glauca in there, too.

View of the crowd enjoying the garden; view to the garden from the deck.

[Kim]

No visit to Dean's place would be complete without a little Dypsis mystery. So here we have BS Man discussing (alleged) two-tone spears, leaflets, shade and sun, with Blake (hope I got that right, just met him at the tour for the first time, welcome!). Names were tossed about, such as OCWS and Big Curly, but I didn't hear the conclusion, if there was one.

One of a number of smartly dressed Dypsis baronii complex-type palms found here and there in the shady parts...

Palm people line up to gorge on pot luck and sign up for the auction. I couldn't eat grapes and take photos at the same time, so this concludes our tour.

[Dypsisdean]

I'm sorry I couldn't have been there to meet and greet all who attended. I hope my son was a gracious host and showed everyone a good time. If not, send a report to the mod.

Hopefully there may be some more photos added by others who were there. So I'll wait a bit until I add a few comments and fill in any missing or incorrect IDs.

[DoomsDave]

dean, your son was the most gracious of hosts!

[Darold Petty]

I want to see a photo of that most excellent Laccospadix, (please and thanks!)

[bgl]

Kim,

Apparently I missed two outstanding gardens, but you captured them very well with all your great photos and commentary! Thanks!

Bo-Göran

[quaman58]

Hey Kim,

I think the oversize fan palm is Sabal mauritiformis, & I'm pretty sure the NewCal palm that's just barely trunking is Cyphosperma balansae. Great pictures!

[Walter John]

Those Aechmea Blanchetiana broms really make the pool areas perfect.

[DoomsDave]

Ohh, whoo-hoo, hoo, hee hee, it gets better

whoo-yeah!

[LJG]

I'm sorry I couldn't have been there to meet and greet all who attended. I hope my son was a gracious host and showed everyone a good time. If not, let me know.

Hopefully there may be some more photos added by others who were there. So I'll wait a bit until I add a few comments and fill in any missing or incorrect IDs.

Dean after having been to your place two years ago and seeing what shape it was in I was pleasantly surprised how nice of a job Dorian (sp?) had done. You cleared out a bunch of plants, got rid of some canopy and it really brightened the place up. The plants have really responded. It is always nice seeing rare palms that are old in SoCal. With how well the garden has been cleaned and thinned, the palms really stood out on the tour.

[Dypsisdean]

I'm sorry I couldn't have been there to meet and greet all who attended. I hope my son was a gracious host and showed everyone a good time. If not, let me know.

Hopefully there may be some more photos added by others who were there. So I'll wait a bit until I add a few comments and fill in any missing or incorrect IDs.

Dean after having been to your place two years ago and seeing what shape it was in I was pleasantly surprised how nice of a job Dorian (sp?) had done. You cleared out a bunch of plants, got rid of some canopy and it really brightened the place up. The plants have really responded. It is always nice seeing rare palms that are old in SoCal. With how well the garden has been cleaned and thinned, the palms really stood out on the tour.

Thanks Len,

Dorian will be reading this thread, so I am sure he will appreciate the compliment even more. I didn't know what I was going to do with that place because you just can't leave something like that and expect it to take care of itself. So I was surprised and delighted that Dorian started to show some interest in the house and garden. He really put me to work the last couple of visits, and has done a great job of caring for and improving things.

Who knows? He may even show up here on PalmTalk one of these days.

[DoomsDave]

Dean, Dorian rocked.

Sad to hear that the decipiens busted the windscreen, but this palm life demands sacrifices sometimes . ..

[Hammer]

Wow. I wish I had been there instead of moving.

[Dr. George]

Dean - Dorian was an excellent host and actually is an amazing young man in his own right. Lynn and I captured him in conversation and deftly extracted a synopsis of his professional endeavors. You have more than a fantastic garden to be proud of in Encinitas. - gmp

[Dypsisdean]

Dean - Dorian was an excellent host and actually is an amazing young man in his own right. Lynn and I captured him in conversation and deftly extracted a synopsis of his professional endeavors. You have more than a fantastic garden to be proud of in Encinitas. - gmp

Thanks George,

As much as I enjoy cultivating a garden, it doesn't come close to watching a son exceeding my already lofty expectations.

[realarch]

Wow, a couple of fantastic gardens. I've been to the Asbagh garden which was unreal, but had no idea Dean's old garden was so fantastic. Great job Dean!

Thanks for the photos, looks like it was a perfect SoCal day.

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Very nice pictures Kim

Dean it must have been really difficult to leave a garden like that behind !

Dypsis decipiens - What a beast !

Howea forsteriana - every home in So cal should have one !

[Pedro 65]

Thanks for the Beautiful Pics and Tours of 2 Beautiful Gardens Kim. Pete

Dean.... Its great to see your evolving from a "Bright Past to a Better Future." Pete.

[LJG]

Dean - Dorian was an excellent host and actually is an amazing young man in his own right. Lynn and I captured him in conversation and deftly extracted a synopsis of his professional endeavors. You have more than a fantastic garden to be proud of in Encinitas. - gmp

Thanks George,

As much as I enjoy cultivating a garden, it doesn't come close to watching a son exceeding my already lofty expectations.

I wouldn't go that far, he couldn't name too many palms.

[Gtlevine]

I have to give a lot of credit to Deans son, the garden was completely renovated since Dean left and it looked beautiful. A lot of the canopy was opened up and the sunlight was coming in again which the plants really needed.

Great job,

GAry

[palmcurry]

Bummed I could'nt make this one. Thx for the pics Kim.

[Dypsisdean]

To Len and Gary (thanks again for the compliments), both with their own sons - don't give up expecting and hoping they take up the same passion for gardening you have. As mentioned, as little as two years ago I had given up on Dorian as far as any gardening went. And Len - it's events like this garden tour that makes Dorian realize he needs to brush up on some names. And it's fun to watch him buy a Chamadorea, plant it in the sun, and ask me why it's burning up. Dads do know some things after all.

Troy - regarding Howea forterianas. I thought I had soured Dorian on palms as a young lad by purchasing 1000 Howeas to grow and help finance his college tuition (before the market collapsed). And his "job" for his allowance was to water them once a week. I always wondered if that experience convinced him that growing things wasn't something to be done for fun.

But I have always maintained that H. forsteriana is the single best palm for SoCal (except extreme inland locations). It is the right size for the typical garden, It takes every exposure from the dark corners of an interior room, to full sun as an adult outside. It tolerates drought remarkably well, and small containers as well. It is perhaps the easiest palm to transplant and to move large specimens I have experienced. Self cleaning, fairly pest resistant, and most of all - is beautiful to look at. So every new palm gardener should start with one these in order to feel like a master gardener.

The only chink in the armor is the potential for the leaning disease, which IMO is minor. And I have my own theories of cause and corrective action that seem to work for me.

And yes, it was with mixed emotions that I left that garden and many other "roots" behind. But you will have to visit the Big Island someday, and you will understand why. And as you can see, I didn't really leave it, in the traditional sense.

[Dypsisdean]

Hey Kim,

I think the oversize fan palm is Sabal mauritiformis, & I'm pretty sure the NewCal palm that's just barely trunking is Cyphosperma balansae. Great pictures!

Bret,

Correct on both counts. The Sabal had spent the last 10+ years in a 24" inch box buried in some weeds in some deep shade. So on my last visit two months ago, I showed it some mercy and planted it - the only palm I planted there in over 10 years.

[Stevetoad]

these pics are killing me. i wanted to make this meeting badly. i hate that i work on saturdays keep the pics coming so i can see what else i missed out on...

[Dypsisdean]

Kim,

Some missing blanks - the Kentiopsis ??? is actually a Burretiokentia purchased as a sp. "Not hapala." So not sure of the true ID. There is a much larger B. koghiensis not too far away from that one.

There is a very large Ravenea monticola in the garden, but not the one you pictured. That is a Ceroxylon. What is interesting is the similarities between the two. Perhaps someone else has a pic of the large R. 'monticola' - one of the real gems in the garden.

The "very fine leafed Ravenea" was purchased as Dypsis sp. 'kingally' It is obviously a Ravenea, but is different than a R. glauca. With the new "Palms" publication, and the new discovery of another form of R. glauca, maybe this species has some variability.

The "unfurling" frond is a neglected Chambeyronia houailou.

And the "fuzzy" fern is one of my favs - a Cyathea principes.

[quaman58]

Hey Kim,

I think the oversize fan palm is Sabal mauritiformis, & I'm pretty sure the NewCal palm that's just barely trunking is Cyphosperma balansae. Great pictures!

Bret,

Correct on both counts. The Sabal had spent the last 10+ years in a 24" inch box buried in some weeds in some deep shade. So on my last visit two months ago, I showed it some mercy and planted it - the only palm I planted there in over 10 years.

Dean,

Do you have, or used to have a Lepidorrhachis growing there? I seem to recall some pictures I've seen that credit your garden. BTW, thanks for opening up the garden; I came home pretty inspired!

[Dypsisdean]

Hey Kim,

I think the oversize fan palm is Sabal mauritiformis, & I'm pretty sure the NewCal palm that's just barely trunking is Cyphosperma balansae. Great pictures!

Bret,

Correct on both counts. The Sabal had spent the last 10+ years in a 24" inch box buried in some weeds in some deep shade. So on my last visit two months ago, I showed it some mercy and planted it - the only palm I planted there in over 10 years.

Dean,

Do you have, or used to have a Lepidorrhachis growing there? I seem to recall some pictures I've seen that credit your garden. BTW, thanks for opening up the garden; I came home pretty inspired!

Yes - there were many casualties in the 8 neglected years between when I left, and the "resurrection." A lot of ferns, and the smaller understory palms found life hard and perished, along with some juveniles of "at the time" rare stuff - Basselinia, D. saintluceii, plumosa, Parajubea, etc.

The Lepidorrhachis got completely covered over with some of the bamboo and actually lasted several years before getting crushed.

[Firepalm]

No visit to Dean's place would be complete without a little Dypsis mystery. So here we have BS Man discussing (alleged) two-tone spears, leaflets, shade and sun, with Blake (hope I got that right, just met him at the tour for the first time, welcome!). Names were tossed about, such as OCWS and Big Curly, but I didn't hear the conclusion, if there was one.

One of a number of smartly dressed Dypsis baronii complex-type palms found here and there in the shady parts...

Palm people line up to gorge on pot luck and sign up for the auction. I couldn't eat grapes and take photos at the same time, so this concludes our tour.

You got it right Kim, nice to meet you too! This was the first meeting/tour that I have been able to attend and it didn't disappoint.

Dean - Love your garden, the ceroxylons, d. decipiens and hedescepe were all highlights for me.

[Palm Daddy P]

Thanks for posting Kim!

[Cindy Adair]

Wonderful tour! I felt like I was there temporarily instead of at my computer before a 12 hour work day in Virginia....

[Dr. George]

Kim - Great set of images and narrative - looked through the pics I took, and there isn't much to add that you didn't capture.

There was a neat brom a the Asbagh's with pendant flowers that I thought was interesting. If anyone has an ID, I'd appreciate knowing what it is:

Also, the Ficus pseudopalma attracted a lot of attention:

And, if anyone doesn't have a good sense of the massive size of Dean's Dypsis decipiens, here's a pic with some folks around for scale:

gmp

[Kim]

^{It was a fun tour day -- special thanks to Greg and Maria, Dean and Dorian for welcoming the thundering herd of palmistas. A lot of work goes into preparation for a garden tour.}

^{Thanks for all the kind remarks about my pix from Bo, Brett, Tim, Troy, Pete, Vince, Steve, Blake (glad you made it!), Patrick, Cindy, and George. These photos were culled from about 330 photos, and it takes a lot of time to sort and post them, so the comments are truly appreciated!}

[Kim]

George, the name I was trying to come up with for that brom was Vriesea simplex, but that's not a match. Hopefully Gonzer or Pete will recognize it. Thanks for adding your photos, they are gorgeous.