This post is from a local park that includes a walking path, some tennis courts and a playground for the youngsters.  It includes some marginal palm plantings, cycads and creative landscaping that takes full advantage of the steep hills in the area.

The playground entrance:

Some of the experimental palm plantings, including a Licuala, Coccothrinax crinita and a few other local favorites like Dypsis decaryi:

Walking up the hill around the outside of the park, you can get some sense for the natural grade of the land and a nice view of the cycads on the border:

Palm companions like crotons and bromeliads are represented as well and add color:

A view from the top of the hill:

You can see over the whole playground from the fence:

With the use of large stones and the change in grade, this area has a "not in Florida" feel:

 

If you want to Google Maps around the area to get a feel for the rest of the area, you can start here: Common Ground - Lakeland, FL

Looks nice.  I don't remember seeing any hill around that area though...

1 hour ago, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

Looks nice.  I don't remember seeing any hill around that area though...

The whole area is an incline/decline down to Lake Hollingsworth.  Try using the Google Maps link to go down Buckingham Ave. to the lake and you'll see what I mean.  You could also go down Cleveland Heights Blvd. to the Country Club (formerly the Yacht Club).  Same hill, same grade from Edgewood Ave. down to Lake Hollingsworth.  The screen capture below is from the Country Club looking up Cleveland Heights Blvd.  You can "drive" it here: Cleveland Heights

Swing by next time you're in town.

A few updates on the palms here after a year and a half.  A few I wasn't 100% sure on so I put asterisks beside them:

Licuala peltata 'sumawongii'

Licuala grandis

Lytocaryum weddellianum *

Beccariophoenix alfredii

Carpoxylon macrospermum

Coccothrinax - unsure of the species, but miraguama is commonly planted in public gardens here

Coccothrinax crinita - There is a much larger one just down the street near the Lake Hollingsworth boat ramp.

Thrinax radiata *

A few more:

Areca catechu Dwarf - these must be a bit hardier than the normal variety since this has been here for two winters already.

Chambeyronia macrocarpa * double

Caryota mitis variegated

Who plants these palms? Is there a palm lover that works for parks and rec or for the city forestry dept? That is great to see in Lakeland, hopefully it inspires residents to imitate these beutiful plantings. 

@chinandega81

The names that tend to come up when you nose around city circles is Bill Koen and Pam Page.  They were a big part of starting the Lake Wire palm collection with help from CFPACS members Tom Broome and Doug Morrison back in 2005 when I moved over this way.

https://www.lkldnow.com/transformation-marks-city-beautification-winners/

https://portal.clubrunner.ca/3386/stories/bill-koen-lakeland-s-horticulturist

Bill is still the contact for the city beautification awards.  They award them monthly and give one each for residential and commercial properties that are nominated for the awards.  Some of the properties have more of a "Legacy Lakeland" look to them, while others are absolute tropical jungles.  There is no doubt that the city gardens have helped move the needle.

Wanted to add this to see if I got it right... Kerriodoxa elegans (?)

The gardens at Common Ground and the Cleveland Heights Country Club were tested and the photos below showcase photos before and after the February 2026 Freeze. Note that this thread was started in 2019 and many of the palms can be seen in their youth in the first few posts.

Cleveland Heights - Roystonea regia: This palm was a showstopper on the 2022 CFPACS Fall Meeting here in Lakeland. After walking up a steep hill from the parking lot behind Common Ground, tired tour-goers were treated to this beast; a stout royal palm. We had to cut Lake Wire from the fall tour because cameras were flashing for almost half an hour when the group got here. Unfortunately, the palm was heavily damaged. Since this was a focal point in the garden, this palm has since been removed. The first photo is as a perfectly healthy specimen in November 2024. The second photo is from February 8th, 2026; seven days after the worst day of the winter.

Common Ground - Roystonea regia: This Roystonea took the beating and was allowed to recover. The first photo is from January 2026 after several cold fronts had already arrived. The second photo is from August 2026, showcasing the recovery in progress.

Common Ground - Chrysalidocarpus pembanus: While the giant canes of this palm were damaged and infested by borers, the advantage to clumping palms is that they have a good shot of coming back from the ground. In the first photo, you see the palm in question with a Latania lontaroides (Red Latan) to the right. The Red Latan didn't survive, but you can see the new growth coming from the base on the Chrysalidocarpus. The first and second photos are from January 2026, while the third is from August 2026.

Common Ground - Carpoxylon macrospermum: Unfortunately, this one did not fare as well as the one at City Hall in the Downtown Lakeland thread. It is now deceased. In the second photo, you can see the remains of a Licuala grandis and the Latania lontaroides mentioned above. Photos are from January 2026 and February 2026, respectively.

Common Ground - Kerriodoxa elegans: Unfortunately, this is only a before photo. It was removed and the area around where it was at was cleared. There's now no way to know if it was dead beforehand, or if it could have recovered. Mine in my yard is recovering. Photo taken January 2026.

Common Ground - Thrinax radiata: This palm was heavily damaged but recovering. You can also see the Red Latan stump and the recovering Buddha Belly Bamboo in the second photo. Photos from January 2026 and August 2026, respectively.

Common Ground - Dypsis decaryi x leptocheilos : I believe this is a Tri-bear. If you think it is not, please let me know what you think it is. It took a beating, but is progressing nicely through its recovery. Photos are from January 2026 and August 2026, respectively.

Common Ground - Beccariophoenix alfredii + Chambeyronia macrocarpa + Caryota mitis +Licuala grandis + Allagoptera caudescens :

This is only the after photos from August 2026. While the Beccariophoenix alfredii looks to be coming back strong, the Allagoptera (front left) is starting to put out some green, and the Caryota mitis clump will come back from the ground, the Chambeyronia macrocarpa double in the center is dead. Wish I had better news from this location, @SubTropicRay. The Licuala grandis stump in the front is easier to make out in this photo as well. Keep in mind that this location is a short 5 minute walk from the Lake Hollingsworth boat ramp area where the Allagoptera was doing relatively well. Siting makes a big difference. The second photo shows the overall size of the Caryota mitis and all of the seed stalks that it put out as a "Hail Mary" for species survival.

Common Ground - Euterpe oleracea (?) : This is thought to be Euterpe oleracea, but may be Euterpe edulis. I had to dig deep in the archives to find a photo more recent than the 2019 photos starting the thread and earlier than the 2026 freeze. The first photo is from November 2023 and the second is from August 2026. It took a little bit of damage, but is doing a lot better than the bulk of the other crownshaft palms in the area.

Common Ground - Zamia furfuracea : These held up remarkably well considering the wind speed and low temperatures. This is a hedge that self-seeds here. There are thousands of these here that serve as a border between the sidewalks and the street. Unfortunately, all of the Clusia that were used on the opposite side of the sidewalk took heavy damage and were removed. There are Clusia coming back in various locations, but it will be a while until they are a bush again.