Tasmanians Afoot in the Garden

[realarch]

Jonathan and his better half Monica, recently spent a few days with us in Hilo and we had a blast. Friendly, funny, up for anything, well behaved, and fond of plants. Can’t ask for more than that. Incidentally, we were returning the favor for their hospitality on our visit to Tasmania in February. 

Other than showing them our favorite haunts like a smoking volcano, the Hamakua coast, and Hilo town, we did get a chance to wander the garden for intermittent PRA’s. (Palm related activities) 

Jonathan was patient enough to give scale to the photos while I snapped away. You’ll have to look close, some of these things are known as  B_ _ A_ _ palms. 

Tim

Kerriodoxa elegans

Euterpe precatoria

[realarch]

A juvenile Oenocarpus bataua

Pritchardia martii

[realarch]

Tahina spectabilis between a pair of Crysalidocarpus carlsmithii

Voanioala gerardii, probably the rarest palm in the garden. 

Tim

[JohnAndSancho]

👀👀👀👀👀👀

BA indeed. Y'all making me jealous over there. 

[realarch]

Crysalidocarpus robustus, the Tasmanian is peeking from behind the trunk. 

Mauritia flexuosa

[realarch]

Metroxylon amicarum

Marojejya darianii, Jonathan impersonating one of the old fronds. 

Tim

[realarch]

Licuala peltata sumawongii

Joey altifrons

Should have taken more, but I think Johnathan has some to add as well. 

Tim

[happypalms]

I’ve heard about what they do in Tasmania, I suppose Hawaii would have been no different. Absolutely beautiful actually absolutely stunning, and the palms aren’t half bad either! 

[Tassie_Troy1971]

5 hours ago, realarch said:

Jonathan and his better half Monica, recently spent a few days with us in Hilo and we had a blast. Friendly, funny, up for anything, well behaved, and fond of plants. Can’t ask for more than that. Incidentally, we were returning the favor for their hospitality on our visit to Tasmania in February. 

Other than showing them our favorite haunts like a smoking volcano, the Hamakua coast, and Hilo town, we did get a chance to wander the garden for intermittent PRA’s. (Palm related activities) 

Jonathan was patient enough to give scale to the photos while I snapped away. You’ll have to look close, some of these things are known as  B_ _ A_ _ palms. 

Tim

Kerriodoxa elegans

Euterpe precatoria

Oh wow Tim 

What a treat to see your garden 

Jonathan wouldn't know what to look at first.

 

[Jonathan]

21 minutes ago, Tassie_Troy1971 said:

Oh wow Tim 

What a treat to see your garden 

Jonathan wouldn't know what to look at first.

 

Absolutely true...sensory overload is the term that springs to mind!

Tim's garden is a work of art. Aside from the obviously awesome palm collection - subtle  placement and a keen eye for colour and texture makes it second to no other private garden I've ever visited.  Mostly I had no idea what I was looking at but Tim patiently answered all my ignorant questions...poor fella!

What a great few days, the Big Island is the bomb, beautiful and dangerous scenery, perfect climate, chilled out vibe and perfect hosts. Don't go there - you'd hate it!

 

[Jonathan]

Some inspiration for any gardener:

[Jonathan]

Licuala peltata sumawongii and Basselinia humboldtiana.

[Jonathan]

A few cute little things who's identity I can't recall...

[Jonathan]

Attalea phalerata, an ecosystem in its own right and probably  my favourite monster in the garden Metroxylon amaricarum (I think!).

[Peter]

Wow Tim!!!

[SeanK]

Wow. Australia truly is a paradise. . . . Well, except for the 437 species of poisonous serpents.

[Jonathan]

1 minute ago, SeanK said:

Wow. Australia truly is a paradise. . . . Well, except for the 437 species of poisonous serpents.

Lol. True Sean, but Tim's place is in Hawaii!

[Jonathan]

The master surveying his creation, and some more jungle.

[Jonathan]

A little spotty guy, and a view from the verandah.

[SeanK]

21 minutes ago, Jonathan said:

Lol. True Sean, but Tim's place is in Hawaii!

How long a trip is that?

[Jonathan]

1 minute ago, SeanK said:

How long a trip is that?

Pretty long Sean...our trip back was four flights. Hilo - Honolulu 1 hour, Honolulu to Auckland 8 hours, Auckland- Melbourne 4 hours, Melbourne- Hobart 1 hour! Bit of an ordeal but we'll worth it.

[happypalms]

On 7/28/2025 at 7:04 PM, Jonathan said:

A few cute little things who's identity I can't recall...

Going out on a limb Calyptrogyne ghiesbreghtiana and sommiera? 

[realarch]

On 7/27/2025 at 4:53 PM, JohnAndSancho said:

👀👀👀👀👀👀

BA indeed. Y'all making me jealous over there. 

Hey John, thanks man. Give Sancho a couple of pats on the head for me. 

Tim

[realarch]

On 7/27/2025 at 10:01 PM, Tassie_Troy1971 said:

Oh wow Tim 

What a treat to see your garden 

Jonathan wouldn't know what to look at first.

 

Thanks Troy, and likewise taking the time to show me your terrific Tassie garden. Thanks again. It was a pleasure showing Jonathan around this maze of plants. 

Tim

[realarch]

On 7/27/2025 at 5:39 PM, happypalms said:

I’ve heard about what they do in Tasmania, I suppose Hawaii would have been no different. Absolutely beautiful actually absolutely stunning, and the palms aren’t half bad either! 

Richard, fortunate to have the climate to grow most anything, but you’re killing it in your garden. The palms? Yeah, not too bad. 

Tim

[realarch]

On 7/28/2025 at 4:58 AM, Peter said:

Wow Tim!!!

Wow back at ya Peter. Man we’re kind of the ‘old guard’ these days. Glad you’re still chiming in after all this time. 

Tim

[realarch]

On 7/27/2025 at 11:04 PM, Jonathan said:

A few cute little things who's identity I can't recall...

Jonathan, thanks for the posts, especially some smaller stuff. There are more than just monsters in the garden. The palms above are Calyptrocalyx leptostachys and Sommeria leucophylla. 

Richard almost nailed it. 

Tim

[realarch]

19 hours ago, Jonathan said:

A little spotty guy, and a view from the verandah.

The spotted guy is Pinanga densiflora. 

Tim

Edited July 29 by realarch
misspell

[happypalms]

3 hours ago, realarch said:

Richard, fortunate to have the climate to grow most anything, but you’re killing it in your garden. The palms? Yeah, not too bad. 

Tim

Close but no cigar! Next time Tim next  time, but seriously I will say holey heck you got one heck of a garden and I know what that takes to achieve such a garden, you only get one garden like that in a lifetime. And as one gardener to another full respect in the grow department! Now do I win any seeds for getting it half right!🤣Richard 

[Jonathan]

A couple more to keep us drooling!

[Jonathan]

A teeny weener and a crinkle cut bloke...refer to others for more information!

[Jonathan]

I found these Marojejya's growing out of solid lava rock fascinating...obviously a pretty tough palm to tough it out like that. Compare them to the one Tim posted earlier, growing in more favourable conditions at the bottom of the garden.

The second pic shows...oh, just some more palms!

[tinman10101]

W O W !!! 

Thanks for sharing Tim and Jonathan.  Insane Hilo growth ... my pipe dream one day ... 😴

[Than]

On 7/28/2025 at 11:51 AM, Jonathan said:

Some inspiration for any gardener:

Good Lord.... omg... I don't know if this is a source of inspiration or depression for me here in arid zone 9 😆 but wow, what a paradise!! So happy for you guys! Palm enthusiats reunion! I bet you had an awesome time! 

[Jonathan]

6 hours ago, Than said:

Good Lord.... omg... I don't know if this is a source of inspiration or depression for me here in arid zone 9 😆 but wow, what a paradise!! So happy for you guys! Palm enthusiats reunion! I bet you had an awesome time! 

We did have an awesome time thanks!

Don'tbe depressed...although Tim is definitely working in paradise, the detail and thought that's gone into the layout and planting is a source inspiration for any climate...just don't expect your garden to look like Hawaii and you won't be disappointed!

[Cindy Adair]

Absolutely amazing Tim! 

[realarch]

Hey Tin, nothing like sharing the garden in person with another Palmtalker. Palm tour? Oh yeah

Than, Cindy, thanks for the comments, a labor of love for sure. Such a pleasure to host Johnathan and Monica. 

Tim

[peachy]

Once you @realarch get used to the extra head, Van Diemonians aren't so scary.  Just sprinkle Camphor flakes around and give anything they touched liberal squirts of Glen 20. 

I do have a question for you however.  I have so many of the same plants, palms and otherwise as you do, so why does your glorious masterpiece look like a slice of paradise and my garden look like the clearance shelves at a discount nursery ? Okay so my glaring lack of talent, taste (and treasury) might play a small part towards my ever growing inferiority complex but sure there's a secret you are not sharing.

Turning Puce Peachy