Planting plan/ garden design homework

[PANGEA EXPRESS]

Just thought id share part of my landscape graphics/design course projects to see what you guys think.

We were basically given a yard in the bay area and allowed to do whatever we want within it.

any suggestions, criticisms or opinions would be welcome

[NApalm]

Very professional. That would be a great yard.

[Dave-Vero]

Thinking of your well-presented project, I've taken a quick look at Planting: A New Perspective by Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury. The second author has some useful background in plant ecology, while the first is evidently a hugely in-demand garden designer. The book seems pretty well grounded. BTW, I was impressed by Kingsbury's excellent and highly readable book on plant breeding.

I wonder about Livistona australis having a larger crown diameter than Archontophoenix cunninghamiana. Dowe's Australian Palms has L. australis with leaf petioles 150-250 cm long, lamina 100-130 cm long, for a total of 250-380 cm. A. cunninghamiana leaves are up to 4.5 m long. Of course the Livistona has lots more leaves, 35-60 vs. 9-12 for the Archontophoenix.

I also wonder about Agave attenuata. It's apparently not grown much in Florida, so I'm surprised at there being a spineless, child-friendly century plant.

[PANGEA EXPRESS]

Thanks NApalm

Dave- thanks for the book title, looks like a great source of info and inspiration.

Part of the assignment was to show the plants at about 7 years growth from planting. Idk how much a Archontophoenix would grow from a 1 gallon in 7 years in the bay area so i guessed it would be about 10 ft/ 3m diameter? should probably be bigger :/

Agave attenuata seem to do great in the bay area, i wonder why not in Florida?

[SubTropicRay]

^{Looks very good but some overall garden dimensions would help.}

[virtualpalm]

Thinking of your well-presented project, I've taken a quick look at Planting: A New Perspective by Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury. The second author has some useful background in plant ecology, while the first is evidently a hugely in-demand garden designer. The book seems pretty well grounded. BTW, I was impressed by Kingsbury's excellent and highly readable book on plant breeding.

I wonder about Livistona australis having a larger crown diameter than Archontophoenix cunninghamiana. Dowe's Australian Palms has L. australis with leaf petioles 150-250 cm long, lamina 100-130 cm long, for a total of 250-380 cm. A. cunninghamiana leaves are up to 4.5 m long. Of course the Livistona has lots more leaves, 35-60 vs. 9-12 for the Archontophoenix.

I also wonder about Agave attenuata. It's apparently not grown much in Florida, so I'm surprised at there being a spineless, child-friendly century plant.

Dave, Agave attenuata is quite popular here in south Florida. We grow it at our nursery.

[George Sparkman]

Wouldn't the Cyathea cooperi cause a problem with the spa filter ?

[PANGEA EXPRESS]

Wouldn't the Cyathea cooperi cause a problem with the spa filter ?

How so? Fronds falling in? Spores? I would assume that a cover would be used

[doranakandawatta]

I want to come in SF bay area and stay in this garden for a nice afternoon, reading a good book and bathing before having a bloody mary...

Then watching the sky with the moonlight through the fronds of the Cyathea...

Thank you for the invitation!

Regards

Philippe

[Kailua_Krish]

Wouldn't the Cyathea cooperi cause a problem with the spa filter ?

How so? Fronds falling in? Spores? I would assume that a cover would be used

I don't know if anyone else has this problem but I find that if the leaves get bumped the fuzz off of them irritates my throat and eyes. Also I wonder about using a Caryota in a small narrow yard that would eventually need crane access to be removed once flowering. Other than those two things it looks good!

[Palm crazy]

This design would be perfect for a retired couple thats not into gardening but wants something that looks nice & easy to take care of. Other than the generic plants the design layout is very nice and I like what you did with the spa area. I agree tree ferns are not in the right location.

[Dave-Vero]

I don't know about growth rates for Archontophoenix cunninghamiana in California. They might be slow in the cooler parts of the Bay Area. In Florida, which is if anything steamier than coastal Queensland in summer, my tree started small, no more than 1 gallon, in 2003. Its trunk (below the crownshaft) is now over 10 feet. Here it was in July 2010, to the rear, on the right. That's a younger A. tuckeri to the left.

The Agave is simply something I haven't noticed up here. We tend to have older plantings of nasty century plants, which eventually disappear. I do have a couple of Yucca filamentosa, a beautiful native accent plant that probably wouldn't like California, in the yard, but the one that's been here since about 2006 still hasn't flowered.

[Bags]

Very nice. What software do you use? I am thinking of taking landscape design class as well.

One thing I will say is that walkways do best when they follow the natural path you would walk to get somewhere. People might just end up walking through the planters to get to the spa. I think the trick is to make it hidden and easy to get to at the same time. But really nice job.

[PANGEA EXPRESS]

palm crazy-do you think Dicksonia antarctica would be a better alternate to Cyathea? My idea was exactly how Philippe described, to have the moonlight/stars filtered through the fronds at night.

Bags- the software was a drafting board and some pens/pencils lol but i put the names in with photoshop

You are correct on how people will just walk a direct path to get somewhere but the idea was that the dense bamboo and squishy groundcover would deter them lol

[Alicehunter2000]

Excellent use of space to make the yard feel bigger. By walking the length of the yard twice through nice landscaping to get to a hidden spa is a great idea. You might want to consider making the path even more meandering rather than a strait path. Maybe put a visual barrier about halfway on the top and then again just before you get to the spa. Make it even more hidden so that you don't see it unti you round the last barrier. Or, just leave it the way you have it....looks fine.

[Palm crazy]

palm crazy-do you think Dicksonia antarctica would be a better alternate to Cyathea? My idea was exactly how Philippe described, to have the moonlight/stars filtered through the fronds at night.

D.A would be worst since they are much slower growing and have a more dense canopy.

I would replace with another plant to give the desired effect your after, or a pergola over the spa (made of wood or metal) with climbing vine. How about replacing the grass with Leucospermum or Leucadendron to jazz it up? What can I say… I like color in my garden.

Edited April 27, 2013 by Palm crazy

[doranakandawatta]

It's not photoshop, but fronds I liked in Hakgala Sri Lanka:

[PANGEA EXPRESS]

i will stick with the cyathea for design sake, i doubt my professor would even notice a problem anyways lol The pergola trellis thingy would be cool too.

some protea action would indeed jazz it up! Any recommendations for vines along the back fence besides passiflora?

now thats what im talking about Philippe! Araucaria and tree ferns

[monkeyranch]

Fragrant plants are pleasing while relaxing in hot tubs. Jasmine or clematis armandii would be good, but not too vigorous vines for the wall. Hedychium, amarcrinum, daphne, cyclamen, or sarcococca would be be good fragrant tropical-ish understory choices. Gardenia would be nice if this location would get enough heat for good bloom.

Maybe some bromeliads in the succulent mix for color? Here's a list of bromeliad hardiness results in the Bay Area.

Be sure the B. multiplex variety you choose is one of the upright growers. Some types tend to flop outwards until they get taller, possibly restricting the walkway. 'Silver stripe' and 'Alphonse Karr' stay erect. There are others.

Its also nice to have a waterproof bench to sit on near the hot tub for cooling down between soaks, and putting clothes or shoes on. Faucet/sprayer is also helpful for rinsing off before and after. Maybe a cut-out in the bed where the words "mixed succulents" are written.

Are ferns OK with hot tub chemicals in the steam and splashing water?

[doranakandawatta]

Is "Queen of the night " Cestrum nocturnum ok in SF area?

It has a wonderful fragrance we feel while sitting in the veranda of Doranakanda in the night.

Hedychium coronarium grows wild in river banks in the jungle.

[Jubaea]

Jasminium polyanthum might work for another vine but I am not sure about the heat requirements. I wonder if Kentias would give a similar effect as the tree ferns? From my experience with tree ferns they would not be something I would want to have rub up against bare skin.

[Benjamin D.]

There are some more interesting bamboos, such as Chusquea that I cannot grow because my climate is too hot. You should find a bamboo that is really colorful or that has neat texture. And also, I cannot tell if there is supposed to be bamboo around the spa or if all of that green is succulents. If it is bamboo, I think that one Livistona will be swallowed up.