Landscaping the right way!

[Breadfruit Bill]

I am speading the rare palm disease...

My parents, like most others in South Florida, had a landscaper come in and plant their yard up real nice with really boring (in perspective) plain plants...  In the island created by the driveway, there was some lariope, leadwort plumbago, and a nice big fat Phoenix caraniensis in the center of it all(which blocked the head on view of the front door, but that's another topic)...  The tree lived there for about 7 years...  It was tranplanted as a 15 foot planted height tree and was happy... until Wilma came through and tore everything apart...

Now, the Phoenix was really beat up, BUT, I really think that tree could have made it...  But in a typical moronic "landscaper" fashion the tree was hurricane pruned because of "aesthetics" and left only about 15 leaves poking out of the top of it right after it was shredded by the hurricane. (Within a week he was no longer wokring this account!) There is an offspring at the site today that I will pot up and hopefully be able to save for a future generation...  It was a beautiful tree...

OH WELL!!!

Continuing on, My mother is a very well internationally known Interior designer...  Her company is very full service and caters to her clients (Shameless plug - DeBoeDesigns.com).  Her company has been known to fulfill landscaping plans in addition to working on houses in order to completely satisfy her customers needs...  I have succesfully passed on the palm bug to my mom, through a couple South Florida Palm Society meetings and a sale or two here and there...  She was hooked!  I talked her into letting me relandscap the island and she gave me a blank check (1. what were you thining mom, and 2. yes Palmtalk friends we already had agreed upon a limit)  So here's what the island looks like during cleanup...  Pops removed all the plumbago and most of the rotted rootball from the Phoenix.  The laropie still needs to be removed...

[Breadfruit Bill]

I went down to Homestead to a very reputable dealer and purchased some spectacularly large palm to put in the island...  My mother will use this display to show clients just how dramatic and unusal her landscaping talents are...  And somehow I get the feeling my weekends are getting booked up as we speak...   :cool:

Man, those are some beauties!

[Breadfruit Bill]

Here's the roughly sketched plans... We decided against the Coccothrinax borhidiana as we didn't want the hybridization between them and the C. crinita...  Shes got a real copy of these plans at her office...  The big trees on either side of the door are Carpoxylon's...  Couldn't find any really monterous ones...  I have 3g size that will be planted out...  Hopefully it will only take a couple years for them to get some size.    

[Breadfruit Bill]

I'm gonna be the one to get these things in the ground, probably over the weekend, and will post some more pics as the progress continues...  But here's a couple photos of the loverly palms in their containers for your viewing pleasure...

[Breadfruit Bill]

Coccothrinax crinita

These are so shaggy!  My mother was petting them when I got them home last night...  She is so hooked!

[Gbarce]

You've got two Coccothrinax crinitas i see.  Good choice.

Can  I suggest you also add some Coccothrinax Borhidianas?  My personal favorites.

[Gbarce]

Didn't see your post - you've ruled the borhidianas out.

Cant wait to see how your project turns out.  I have to say that the plants you have are impressive!!

[Breadfruit Bill]

Allogoptera arenaria

[Breadfruit Bill]

Chambeyronia macrocarpa

Even a little bit of red on this one!

[Breadfruit Bill]

That's all for now folks, I will update later as the project progresses!  Happy Growing! :cool:

[Dave-Vero]

One of the best books for south Florida is Georgia Tasker's "Enchanted Ground, Gardening with Nature in the Subtropics" (Fairchild Tropical Garden).  I don't know that anyone's written clearly on how to create a decent landscape that will satisfy homeowner associations and survive routine maintenance by the lawn crew.

I can imagine someone having the landscapers strip the trunk of a Coccothrinax crinata because it "harbors vermin".  Those are beautiful specimens!

Thinking of Coccothrinax, my young Coccothrinax x Zombia, which nearly died of a fungal infection after it was planted, is showing lots of silver on the underside of its newest leaf.  You'd never know it had been sick.  The nearby Thrinax radiata is even busier putting out new leaves.

[Breadfruit Bill]

(Gbarce @ Jul. 11 2007,09:51)

QUOTE

I have to say that the plants you have are impressive!!

Thanks, but the real test is to see how well we keep them looking!  ::

[Trópico]

Excellent! Looking forward to seeing the progress reports. Don't throw away those liriopes, they look nicer than my anemic looking ones.

[deezpalms]

Nice palms Billy boy!! I can't wait to see the "planted" pix!!

[Breadfruit Bill]

HAHHAHAHAHHHAA!!!   Moms just called to let me know this morning when she woke up she put on a robe and some slippers and snuck out to the trees and petted them and had a nice talk with them! Maybe she really is getting the palm bug too!!!  I'm gonna see if I can get her to hug the Crinitas :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:  

Frank, your more than welcome to come pick up those lariope...  You dig em you keep em!  

[PALM MOD]

Bill,

I'll be looking for your Mom's registration request here on PalmTalk any day now.  

[TikiRick]

(Dave-Vero @ Jul. 11 2007,10:12)

QUOTE

One of the best books for south Florida is Georgia Tasker's "Enchanted Ground, Gardening with Nature in the Subtropics" (Fairchild Tropical Garden).  I don't know that anyone's written clearly on how to create a decent landscape that will satisfy homeowner associations and survive routine maintenance by the lawn crew.

Funny you should mention this book. At the time she was writing this book, she asked to take some photos of my (then) garden in Coral Gables. Many of the photos are of my garden at the time.

[JeffreyApolloBeach]

Ricky,

Is this your old garden?  I noticed that the website address has the name ricky on it...but it also says this is in Boca Raton....   beautiful garden anyways.

http://www.fawnridge.com/ricky/r_garden.htm

[Breadfruit Bill]

Ok, I'm all kinds of warn out I worked on this project all day Saturday and for a portion of the afternoon today, Sunday...  Here's a couple pics! :cool:

Yeah, that's right, I'm no dummie... One word, SHADE

That's Pops, he worked hard all weekend too! It was 96 degrees in the shade!  That doesn't even mention the humidity...  We both wrang the sweat out of our shirts several times, and drank lots of water...  Moms even made some Fresh Limeade, it was muy muy delicioso...  We only had to reroute 2 sprinkler pipes for this job...  Why does it seem the sprinkler pipes move underground to where you're digging?

[Breadfruit Bill]

We got the Coccothrinax crinita planted...  and one of the Carpoxylon macrospermum(the Carpoxylons burned pretty badly...  They are still a bit small for full sun and things were so blazing hot yesterday...  We will keep them WELL watered for the next couple weeks regardless of the restrictions, SHHHHH!)

And then we  planted out the Chambeyronia macrocarpa...  and the other Carpoxylon (you can see this one got worse sun burn)

[Breadfruit Bill]

A couple other views from a little further back for perspective...  You can see the Allogoptera arenaria in this photo  (I want a panoramic lens now!)

[Breadfruit Bill]

Here's a head on view...  Looks alot better than the one large Phoenix sp. that obscured the doors...  I'm hoping the Carpoxylons survive and quickly gain height where they are planted...  They should make for a great planting there!

Edit: Sorry Frank, that big ugly pile on the left is all the lariope... you just weren't quick enough ::

[Breadfruit Bill]

After all that work we turned on the sprinkler system for about 5 hours on that zone and really just soaked the whole island...  

Today, I went back in with black pipe and adjustable micro-bubblers and gave each plant with the exception of the Allogoptera arenaria it's own bubbler...  To finish off the acclimation we will use a soaker hose on a timer...  It will run 6 hours a day for the first two weeks and we will slowly taper the water back and ween the palm trees onto the sprinkler system with the new bubblers....  Pray for rain!

[Breadfruit Bill]

Before I left, Mom said she wanted more palms (hook, line, and sinker) but she could only do one at a time, here and there!  Couldn't get her to hug the trees yet, I'll work on it...  ::  

So, how do you think it turned out?  I think it needs to be mulched and some kind of very low ground cover needs to be put in, nothing over 4-6" high... Don't want to obscure the door...  Anyone have suggestions?  I don't know plants outside of palms..  How about low palms for groundcover?  Suggestions?  This is a full sun area, only the sahde of the palms we put in over the weekend will provide any cover...

[PalmTone]

We got our fingers crossed for you. Looks nice.

Maybe in the very middle of where the palms are located (where there is the most shade) you could incorperate some varieties of crotons. There are hundreds of different varieties, so shop around.

Also, bromeliads work very well. Make sure the ones you get can take full sun. Bullis Bromeliads down in Homestead carry excellent quality bromeliads.

Ti Plants (Cordyline sp.) are also nice plants that fill in gaps. They grow more vertical then horizontal and depending on the variety, can be small (3-4 ft. tall), medium (4-6 ft. tall) or large (6-12 ft. tall).

There are endless possibilities for that area. Let me know if this information helps.

Again, project looks good. I like the tent idea to stay in the shade while you dug the holes.

Keep us posted,

Tony S.

[ruskinPalms]

Oyster plants seem to be a neat ground cover. They add a lot of color and grow pretty easily. I am sure there are a lot of other great ground covers out there too that I have not even heard of.

[BS Man about Palms]

Fantastic Work!!!  

[RadPalms]

William you are non stop....Your Mom and Dad will love your labor of Love.....You could stop by my house next if you'd like.....Oh...I finished the frame work on the shade house I am constructing and waiting for the shadecloth....once finished I'll post some pictures.....I didn't know you guys had such strignet codes to get by in FL.......but it makes sense

[Kris]

Dear William  

great job my friend and convey my regards to your dad !

and that's a preety neat job with all those shades on top..

and i still feel that lot's of space is left in the middle of those

newely planted palms.your house main door way or enterance

is preety open to the outside world ?  

some cycas like Macrozamia Moorie,revoulta,breha's dwarf varities,or a cement pot with lipsticks or even giant birds of

paradise(White flower) or a travellers palm will add more

beauty to your house as seen in hollywood movies which

show locations in L.A or Beverly hills mansions ?

think about it,there is still space to give that palm island

kind of look,at the momenet i feel some plant is still missing

that needs to go in there...

thanks for the illustration,

love,

Kris  

[Gbarce]

Looking good.

I like your "functional approach" in being conscious about views blocking the door.  I have the same appraoch in planting around our house because I want the house and the plants to be seen in a certain way.

The front of your house with the palms framing your door does look good.

I had a lot of debates with my parents about that because there were some of trees that had to be removed  because they were in the wrong place to begin with.  Luckily, just like wilma a storm knocked them down.  I simply opted not to put them back up in the same place.

[Gbarce]

Here is a suggested plant  - Its impressive when it gets big and would contrast well with Palms.  

It'a a bromeliad.  Though it looks like a tillandsia its actually not --   I think its called Alcantarea Odorata but I am not sure.  I'm sure others in teh forum would know.  

Picture is not so good but the leaves are extremely silvery white.

[palmmermaid]

Looks great.  I know how hot it was this weekend.  I worked in my yard some and I kept running back to my outdoor shower to get soaked and rinse the salt out of my eyes!  Who said Souther women don't sweat!

I would put some bromeliads with the palms.  Aechmea blanchettianas have a wonderful orange or gold color and only grow about 2 1/2 - 3' feet tall.  Red ivy makes a wonderful ground cover.  Ground orchids are also good.  My bloom 10 months out of the year in any soil and full all day sun.   They come in several colors.  The native Epidendrum orchids would also be good.  You could put a rock in the center and have fireball bromeliads and orchids on and around the rock.  Just some ideas.

[Gbarce]

Another shot just to show the scale of te specimen.

This was in the annual Horticultural show in Manila.

[Walter John]

Excellent work, the palms look great. With those leaflet shapes, I'd offset in the middle a sweet lil' Dypsis baronii plus cordys and crotons. Perhaps a cycad is not out of the question for balance too. You'd still see to the front door okay. I'd use red cypress mulch for colour effect and of course it's a great mulch imo.

well done and mum ? It only gets worse from here, the palm disease that is. We need all the enthusiasts we can get for these endearing princes of the plant kingdom.

[Gbarce]

oh you meant 4 to 6 INCHES.  I thought you meant 4 to 6 FEET.  HAHA my bad!

well to keep it neat you could go with mondo grass and some rocks/boulders  just to add some contrast. I also agree with the others about bromeliads  particularly neoregelias.  there are a lot of varieties with great colors but a lot of them can't really take full sun - their leaves get burned.  But if the spot gets protection on the hottest part of the day on your island they could do well.

[Gbarce]

These are pictures from a garden show that might help you generate ideas.  These set ups are "artificial" though in the sense that you don't know how they will look after a month.  Some of these combinations are of plants with very different requirements.

This one has sansiverias as ground cover.

[Gbarce]

Some bromeliads.  These are neoregelias.  The variegated ones probably cant take full sun. I grow mine under nets.

[Gbarce]

This one used mondo grass for the ground cover.  Very neat looking for wide areas.  Here its a bit cluttered by all the other plants.  

The whole setup looks "too busy"

[Gbarce]

another set up

[Gbarce]

Can't wait to see how your project progresses in the coming weeks.