An old nursery in a temperate zone

[happypalms]

A nursery visit to see what they had in the way of palms, and nothing special but some nice kentia palm. This stock is pretty well much the standard palms grown in my area and it’s been this way ever since palms become popular as garden plants. Such a shame the buying public have such little choice for there garden, the only good thing is it wasnt a chain store and a nursery still surviving. There are so many beautiful cold tolerant palms out there yet they continue growing the same common ones. Supply and demand I guess! 

[gyuseppe]

Richard, even here, the few nurseries that remain always have the same palm trees, never anything new, and yet there are so many palm trees that can be grown in my region.

[Harry’s Palms]

We have a nursery in Ventura that has different palms . Rhopalostylus Sapida , Chrysalidiocarpus Decaryi , Chamaedorea Plumosa , Costa Rica , Chambeyronia Macrocarpa  , etc. The big box stores are terrible with only Queen , King , and Pygmy palms ….occasionally Howea for steep prices. 
  Years ago the big box had some really nice palms but they stopped selling anything of interest . In our warm temperate climate we can grow so much more . Harry

[peachy]

At those prices for a common kentia, what would they charge for something more unusual ? Many of these small nurseries are their own worst enemies. People will pay way above the odds for something different but it has it's limits.  As a young bride I wanted a palm for the terrace and found a Phoenix roebellini. about 80cms overall height (not that I knew what it was back then) A mere $300 at the time or about 1 months salary at the time.  No I did not buy it !

Buying palms now is an expensive operation. With the lack of nurseries now,  most purchases are online, so you pay for your palm then a small fortune for postage. Then to be of a mail packaging size they are never really big enough to plant.

Peachy

[happypalms]

34 minutes ago, gyuseppe said:

Richard, even here, the few nurseries that remain always have the same palm trees, never anything new, and yet there are so many palm trees that can be grown in my region.

Yes it’s a shame, the retail stores just want what the general public wants. New home owners and garden make over buyers. Such a shame. Frost does determine a lot of what can be available in certain areas. 

[happypalms]

1 minute ago, peachy said:

At those prices for a common kentia, what would they charge for something more unusual ? Many of these small nurseries are their own worst enemies. People will pay way above the odds for something different but it has it's limits.  As a young bride I wanted a palm for the terrace and found a Phoenix roebellini. about 80cms overall height (not that I knew what it was back then) A mere $300 at the time or about 1 months salary at the time.  No I did not buy it !

Buying palms now is an expensive operation. With the lack of nurseries now,  most purchases are online, so you pay for your palm then a small fortune for postage. Then to be of a mail packaging size they are never really big enough to plant.

Peachy

Hello my possum. I wish I could get that for a kentia and if I could I would soon ditch the exotics and grow kentias. I want to buy a small plant that’s $10 dollarss and $20 for postage the poor seller loses out to the chain stores, oh the world has gone to the pack house in a big way. 
Funny you mention being a bride I was at a wedding on the weekend! 
Richard

[happypalms]

10 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

We have a nursery in Ventura that has different palms . Rhopalostylus Sapida , Chrysalidiocarpus Decaryi , Chamaedorea Plumosa , Costa Rica , Chambeyronia Macrocarpa  , etc. The big box stores are terrible with only Queen , King , and Pygmy palms ….occasionally Howea for steep prices. 
  Years ago the big box had some really nice palms but they stopped selling anything of interest . In our warm temperate climate we can grow so much more . Harry

The big chain stores did that for a little while went with the odd exotic, I even heard of chain stores in cairns selling Johannesteijsmannia palms. I guess climate dictates what will sell in certain areas as well. 
The best selling palm I can sell to a local hardware chain is lytocarum weddlianum they sell of the trolley as I wheel it in! 
I guess when you really grow a palm for so long and look at what it takes to grow in years and labour and costs, no wonder kentias sell for $800 bucks. 
Richard

[Harry’s Palms]

I prefer private growers that sell small palms for reasonable prices . Mostly backyard operations , cash and carry. A certain PT man comes to mind , 🤔. Really cool stuff and super healthy palms. Harry

[happypalms]

4 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I prefer private growers that sell small palms for reasonable prices . Mostly backyard operations , cash and carry. A certain PT man comes to mind , 🤔. Really cool stuff and super healthy palms. Harry

Your my kind of customer, drop in anytime!

Richard

[gyuseppe]

8 hours ago, happypalms said:

Your my kind of customer, drop in anytime!

Richard

Richard, I'll stop by your place too, but on one condition: no money! (I'm joking, of course). You work so hard and with so much love for plants, and you deserve a fair reward! 👌

[happypalms]

22 minutes ago, gyuseppe said:

Richard, I'll stop by your place too, but on one condition: no money! (I'm joking, of course). You work so hard and with so much love for plants, and you deserve a fair reward! 👌

Palm talk members get wholesale rates and access to a few rare varieties, which rare varieties you may ask depends how rare!🌱