For a long time I've considered Dick Douglas's garden in Walnut Creek, California, as the best garden of cold-hardy palms in California, or at least Northern California. Of gardens I've seen it hits the sweet spot as the most beautifully designed and the one that contains the most cold-hardy species. Most of his palms tolerate or regrow from temperatures below 22F.

What other really important gardens comprising all cold-hardy palms are out there?

In California?

In the Southeast USA?

The Mediterranean?

East Asia?

Australia?

I also thought the late Dick Douglas garden was the finest cold hardy garden on palmtalk. In florida Merill Wilcox has a great garden with some gorgeous cocoid hybrids. Haven heard from Merill lately, but his hybrids are fabulolus. He has a huge butia x jubaea that is very blue, one of the best looking hybrids Ive seen.

Well the Oakland Palmetum is also a great collection of cold and cool hardy palms.

What is happening to Dick Douglas's garden? Who will be taking care of it?

Don't forget TonyDFW.

I wanna be a contenda' <----said in my most yankee accent

Well the Oakland Palmetum is also a great collection of cold and cool hardy palms.

What is happening to Dick Douglas's garden? Who will be taking care of it?

Eric, I believe the Douglas garden will be preserved for the foreseeable future.

Yes, the Oakland Palmetum is wonderful. My category is really for frost-hardy palms. Despite having grown back from severe frosts, many of the plants at the Palmetum are pretty tender, like the Rhopalostylis baueri.

One thing missing here is the definition of "cold-hardy" or "cool-hardy".

Of course, most of the Pacific coastal area is coolish so some tropical species may struggle. But to say "cold-hardy", are we saying (USDA) z9a or z8a?

The best I've seen is the parking lot and hotel entrance to Moody Gardens in Galveston.

A broad collection is at the Bamboo Gardens in Savannah (NOT coastal Tybee) as mentioned in another thread here.

I've never seen Merril's place in NoCentral FL. Is he in the freezer named Gainesville?

Edith's garden in Atherton really impressed me. Alberto's garden in Brazil is shaping up into a masterpiece

One thing missing here is the definition of "cold-hardy" or "cool-hardy".

Of course, most of the Pacific coastal area is coolish so some tropical species may struggle. But to say "cold-hardy", are we saying (USDA) z9a or z8a?

The best I've seen is the parking lot and hotel entrance to Moody Gardens in Galveston.

A broad collection is at the Bamboo Gardens in Savannah (NOT coastal Tybee) as mentioned in another thread here.

I've never seen Merril's place in NoCentral FL. Is he in the freezer named Gainesville?

Well, I am guessing even attempting reply to that is stepping into it big time, for it is like beauty, in the eyes of the beholder. There is no definition. Here is what it is to me, and only me. That point where the vast majority of palms "regularly" die from cold, and where one begins to be limited to very small number of species from which to choose. For me that line is Zone 9, particularly along the 9a/9b line. But this is not a hard line for me. It is a very very fuzzy one, because zones aren't perfect and many other climate variables apply in addition. And this is for me. Not up for debate or change. Everyone has the freedom to decide what it is for them.

Dick Douglas in Walnut Creek

Edith Bergstrom in Atherton

Tony in DFW

Ian McDonald in San Rafael

Alberto in Brazil

Many more out there but these come to mind.

One thing missing here is the definition of "cold-hardy" or "cool-hardy".

Of course, most of the Pacific coastal area is coolish so some tropical species may struggle. But to say "cold-hardy", are we saying (USDA) z9a or z8a?

The best I've seen is the parking lot and hotel entrance to Moody Gardens in Galveston.

A broad collection is at the Bamboo Gardens in Savannah (NOT coastal Tybee) as mentioned in another thread here.

I've never seen Merril's place in NoCentral FL. Is he in the freezer named Gainesville?

Well, I am guessing even attempting reply to that is stepping into it big time, for it is like beauty, in the eyes of the beholder. There is no definition. Here is what it is to me, and only me. That point where the vast majority of palms "regularly" die from cold, and where one begins to be limited to very small number of species from which to choose. For me that line is Zone 9, particularly along the 9a/9b line. But this is not a hard line for me. It is a very very fuzzy one, because zones aren't perfect and many other climate variables apply in addition. And this is for me. Not up for debate or change. Everyone has the freedom to decide what it is for them.

Having lived in zone 9a (AZ desert) and now in 9b(central florida), I would say that the transition led to at least a 5 fold increase in the species I could grow. With a drop off such as this, palms suitable for 9a have to be considered cold hardy. But just like the word "hot" is subjective, so it is with cold hardy zones, its all relative. I just dont think absolutes apply in this case. I think the challenges in 9a are enough for it to be considered a cold hardy zone, especially when 98%+ of all crown shafted palms are excluded... the only 9a crown shafted palm I can think of is Dypsis Decipiens...

Edith's garden in Atherton really impressed me. Alberto's garden in Brazil is shaping up into a masterpiece

It will take a lot of years to reach the feet of gardens like Ediths and Dick Douglas...but...thanks!

Third pic: Butia microspadix fruiting

This part of the garden is very young,and I began lanscaping it for a few years now.

Third:Trachycarpus princeps, Butia x Parajubaea behind

Edith's garden in Atherton really impressed me. Alberto's garden in Brazil is shaping up into a masterpiece

It will take a lot of years to reach the feet of gardens like Ediths and Dick Douglas...but...thanks!

Third pic: Butia microspadix fruiting

Alberto is the 2nd pic butia x parabubaea cocoides? Gorgeous garden, well on your way to a showplace!!

Second pic is a Phoenix rupicola

Fifth pic shows one of my B x P

Lytocaryum hoehnei

Lytocaryum weddelianum

Inflorescence od Sabal etonia

Trachycarpus martianis and Serenoa repens green

What kind of Trachycarpus is in the background of photo #4?

In photo #4 there is a big Butia eriospatha in background and 2 Parajubaea sunkka

Sorry, I meant number 4 on post 16, the one with the wine bottle and what looks to be serenoa in the foreground.

Oops, see its labeled

Edited March 29, 201313 yr by krishnaraoji88

Yes, its a T. martianus var. Khasis Hills