My Garden on Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, Bahamas

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It’s been a while since I’ve posted a garden update, but since the garden is 10 years old I thought it was time. Background for this garden can be found in my original post (http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/22827-my-garden-on-green-turtle-cay/#entry380885), but since most of the pictures in that post have disappeared I’ve included some ‘Then’ & ‘Now’ shots. I live for the most part in Vermont and only get to visit/ work on the garden about ~2-3 x’s/yr., so I haven’t been able to make a big impact on the garden design except choosing companion & understory plants, and a lot of bushwhacking (referred to by my husband as 'trimming'). Hopefully that will change soon!

Green Turtle Cay is a small ‘key’ off the island of Abaco in the Bahamas ~ 135 miles due west of West Palm Beach, FL. It's zone 10b-11. The house was finished in late 2005 and most of the foundation plants were planted in 2005-2006. There seem to be very few native palm species on the cays (several species of Coccothrinax and Sabals) and there isn’t a lot of availability of nursery palms beyond the standard Coconuts, Royals, Bottles, and Adonidia merrillii, except at some of the small resorts who have their plants shipped in from the US. Individuals such as myself can’t bring anything in without subjecting them to quarantine, which almost always results in the death of said plant. I have on occasion skirted those regulations, but most of those plants were given to friends to raise to planting size with similar results! I’ve had better luck bringing seeds and cuttings back here. In fact I’m raising 3 gorgeous Bismarckia that I sprouted from seeds I was able to collect from Great Abaco that are doing quite well in pots, but of course have a limited future.

I finally got a couple of ‘specialty’ palms through an in with the landscaper of a small resort and these are my Pseudophoenix sargentii and finally a Bismarckia that I’m thrilled about, but turns out to not to be very blue (the ones I have at home are bluer). Oh well, at least I finally have one. Any possibility it will get bluer as it gets older? And I took a big risk in 2014 & transported ~50 ‘Cat’ palm seedlings I got from Meg (PalmatierMeg) in my suitcase and planted them in a couple of community boxes in Oct 2014 and just planted ~ 24 of them out to become maybe my only understory palms (if they thrive I may have to do some ‘relocating’, but I’m hoping that a few of them do well in each location.

We are limited not only by lack of availability of time & nursery stock, but also by our location which is on a steep west facing slope of coral rubble & limited topsoil, but also by wind and salt spay as Green Turtle Cay is a tiny barrier island off the coast of the much larger island of Abaco. The continental shelf is only a mile offshore. There are also limited full sun locations on the property, and there is no irrigation for the garden because (up til last year) all water was collected off the roof and stored in a cistern. Last year a pipeline to the mainland was laid & we will soon have town water! But putting in seedlings has been a problem as they often died in the dry season. So everything we’ve planted or will plant is sorely tested by these factors. The one palm that survives & celebrates these conditions is of course the Coconut Palm! And for the first time this coming winter, I hope to be spending at least 2 months with my tropical garden!

Hope you like the pics!

First up are of the Entry Gardens

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More of ther Entry Gardens

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Side Gardens 1

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Side Gardens 2

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Lower Garden 1

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Lower Garden 2

[Really full garden]

Beautiful place. Allagoptera arenaria has been a "bullet proof" palm for planting on the beach where it gets full blasts of salt spray and wind.It will also grow in partial shade.

Have you tried planting seeds? Thrinax radiata sprout all over my garden with no special care. Bismarckias also germinate with no care .Do you use any slow release fertiliser like osmocote?

[NorCalKing]

Amazing garden!

[GTClover]

Thanks Scott, I've planted seeds without much luck so far, but I really hope that once I'm spending more time there a lot will change. I've definitely got to get some more seed from the Bismarckia on Abaco! I have a photo of it here somewhere. Also I'll see if I can find an Allagoptera arenaria. Salt and wind have really been the main issue with things we've tried. The middle entry garden had a number of Cordylines, a small Phoenix sp. (which died), & Elephant Ear, but they always looked completely tattered! Bromes do quite well but they are hard to find. Many other things have come & gone for the same reason! & I have up until last year fertilized with pelleted 'Palm Fertilizer' but now the local hardware store says they can't get it anymore, so I have to find an alternative.

And thanks NorCalKing!

[Yunder Wækraus]

I love it!

[Jeff Searle]

A great job and your dedication proves it!!!

[GTClover]

Thanks Jeff! BTW Searle Brothers Nursery is on my bucket list.