I went for a walk through the Roma Street Parklands in central Brisbane the other day. This park was originally created in 1877, but was completely revamped in 2001, incorporating the old Rail freight yards. In 2008 a severe thunderstorm destroyed about 80% of the plants that were getting established, or had survived for more than 100 years.

Here's a few photos to show you what it looks like today...there are quite a few palms planted there, many supplied by a local palm nursery (PFB). FM Kennybenjamim can probably provide more detail on this.

Anyway, here's a short stroll though some of the parklands...

Driving into the carpark you are greeted by this nice row of Foxy Ladies

The view across the carpark

Entry ...greeted by Pritchardias

A nice Dypsis carlsmithii in the carpark

Daryl

nice place to check out next time

Another look at those healthy Foxy Ladies

another young D.carlsmithii

Dypsis decipiens, high and dry

Dictyosperma album

A nice Dypsis

Beautifull!

Dypsis lastelliana

Dypsis madagascariensis

Dypsis hybrid

Dypsis 'tsaravoasira'

Chamaerops humilis

Dypsis baronii?

Thrinax sp

I'm amazed how many foxy ladies there are around. Including the 6 at Roma Street, that makes 7 more that I know of in Brisbane this week alone. The other was encountered in Mansfield when out on a lunch time palm hunt.

Dypsis amboza

Kentiopsis oliviformis

Verschaffeltia splendida

Cool entrance into Fern Gully

Hi Eric, yes there are quite a few around the place...I know of approx 10 in Gold Coast gardens( outside of collector's gardens).

Daryl

Fern Gully...

Areca vestiaria orange and a Chambeyronia for company...

Areca vestiaria red and Reinhardtia simplex

Kerriodoxa elegans

?

After exiting fern gully, we our now in the park...not so many palms, but nicely done anyway...

Chamadorea seifritzii was happy in full sun

very nice

Here's a few more palm and non-palm photos

Howeas were commonly planted

Ptychosperma canopy

Cycas revoluta is an old standard

A nice heliconia

High maintenance!

Colourful Cyclamens

Chuniophoenix nana

And lastly...a little colour for Wal

I hope you enjoyed this quick tour of a very pleasant public park

Daryl

Wow what a great park Daryl thanks

Great park. Great Tour. Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much) - gmp

Gosh what a great garden. No way anyone does that around here. Love the carlsmithii's can't believe one is a parking lot. Thanks Daryl.

I think most of the credit for this palm garden should be directed towards the head curator for the Roma St parklands, Mr Bob Dobbs who I believe was the genesis for the palm garden. Bob approached our nursery around 5 or 6 years ago with a mission to create the best collection of rare and exotic palms for public display in our region, and asked for the help of Palms For Brisbane Nursery. We could not say YES quick enough!!!!

My father and another of our very knowledgable staff members Mr Grant Larkin put in a big effort to select suitable species and put the design together, I think they both enjoyed the process very much!

All palms (well over 100 I would say) were planted out in about 3 or 4 stages and the parkland staff have since done a great job establishing and caring for all the palms, the growth on these since planting has been almost unbelievable!!

I would have some photos somewhere of plantings taking place plus some other info including species lists etc, I will have a look through them and see if any might be of interest to you palmtalkers!

I would certainly suggest anyone with an interest in palms have a look if ever they are in Brisbane with an hour to spare, hopefully Bobbs vision has come to fruition.

Thanks Daryl....

I'd have to agree Ben. I was there about 6 months ago and was a little suprised to see such a cracking good garden from the carpark through to the fern gully. I couldn't believe it. I was only disapointed that the palms didn't continue further! I say expansion!

I'm amazed how many foxy ladies there are around. Including the 6 at Roma Street, that makes 7 more that I know of in Brisbane this week alone. The other was encountered in Mansfield when out on a lunch time palm hunt.

Where in Mansfield did you see the Foxy Lady Eric???..................I planted one at my parents place there many years ago.

I will see if I can track it down again tomorrow and take a picture.

thats an awesome garden! thanks for the photos!

Now that's my kind of garden -- lots of palm variety, plenty of color, lots of pams, some sun, some shade, lots of palms... The pic with the Areca vestiaria is gorgeous, but the D. carlsmithii are my faves. Thanks for the tour!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! :wub: :wub:

Here are a few more photos of the palm part of this garden in the early days.

Before photos

Some shots shortly after planting... around 2007 I think??

Row of Dypsis

Some general shots taken in Feb 09....

Foxy ladies as they were....

And March 09....

Some individual shots, all 09 again....

Wallichia distichia

Coconuts

Dypsis pembana

Malay dwarf coconut

Gaussia maya

Chamby mac

Chamby hook

More individuals in 09

Reinhardtia simplex

Chuniophoenix hainanense

Caryota zebrina

Carpoxylon

Dypsis amboza (good growth on these compared to Daryls photo!!!)

Dypsis lepto

Dypsis carlsmithii

Dypsis lepto hybrid (prob my fav photo and palm here??)

Dypsis lanceolata

Dypsis ampandisivnae

There are many more species in this garden but these have been some of our better photos, Hopefully something there for everyone!!

Nice pics. Good to see those early pics

Thanks for the early pics Ben...it is good to see the 'before and afters'. I need to go back when i have more time and photograph all of the other palms there.

Daryl

Link to newer thread...

http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=33930

Great to see the shots of the palms going in Ben. I have been there today, very lucky to live close by.

Great thread, great work, thanks Daryl, Ed

Chuniophoenix nana

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Here's the photo in your post Daryl, 5298.jpg I used software, to re-work the photo, is this a Chuniophoenix nana? thanks, Ed

Just put the finishing touches on your photo Daryl, Ed