happypalms Another day in paradise in the garden

[happypalms]

On 12/28/2025 at 4:33 AM, Harry’s Palms said:

Those look lovely . So many palms but so little room here. I am getting hard pressed to find spots in my wee little slice of earth. Harry

‘Most of my near quarter acre is very steep and home to palm root eating gophers!

Nice little slice of earth if you ask me. Fantastic view palms and dont spot a friendly gopher or two! You need cycads on that hill, tough reasonably fast growing,  and are cool tolerant a lot of cycas species. And if you’re lucky they won’t be gopher food. 
Richard 

[Harry’s Palms]

Yea , only one cycad down there so far. They grow so slowly , except for the large Dioon in the front yard. Maybe a Zamia or something , the Zamia Furfuracea in front seems to grow well. I would like at least one more Livistona to keep the Australis and Chinensis company. I have about 13 palms down there now that have survived the gophers ( I have lost more than that!) and one Cycas Revoluta . Harry

[happypalms]

It’s one thing to germinate palms, but you need something to put all those little babies in, and both go hand in hand requiring both things to get any sort of results. It’s been a labour of this one project, life getting in the way has halted the completion process. Slowly getting there, this one project will be one of the better ones I have built learning from the past 3 structures refining this one to my liking. Another row of benches and then the floor and a potting bench at one end along with a storage shed the other end. It won’t take long to fill it, I know that much! 

[donpachino1983]

Looking good 😎

[happypalms]

7 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Yea , only one cycad down there so far. They grow so slowly , except for the large Dioon in the front yard. Maybe a Zamia or something , the Zamia Furfuracea in front seems to grow well. I would like at least one more Livistona to keep the Australis and Chinensis company. I have about 13 palms down there now that have survived the gophers ( I have lost more than that!) and one Cycas Revoluta . Harry

Try and get some cycas thourasii, taitugensis, lepidozamia perrofskyana, ecepharlotis all these varieties are super tough die hard varieties, Zamias are tough but require a bit of planning in regards to location. Or if that fails plant a stack of what already is down there to get that jungle look happening. 
Richard 

[Tyrone]

Yes. This is always the problem. Once we germinate 85000 palms where do we put them to get to the next point. Also since we brought them into the world at least I feel responsible for how their life turns out. A bigger shadehouse is the only answer. I’m in the process of creating a new grow on area to allow me to empty parts of the shadehouse for new youngsters. It will be full in no time and require another shadehouse or grow on area. 

[Harry’s Palms]

Wow , that looks massive! Great job on that , it should meet your needs ….for now. By the end of summer it will be filling up with more palms after all those seeds germinate. Harry

[gyuseppe]

4 hours ago, happypalms said:

It’s one thing to germinate palms, but you need something to put all those little babies in, and both go hand in hand requiring both things to get any sort of results. It’s been a labour of this one project, life getting in the way has halted the completion process. Slowly getting there, this one project will be one of the better ones I have built learning from the past 3 structures refining this one to my liking. Another row of benches and then the floor and a potting bench at one end along with a storage shed the other end. It won’t take long to fill it, I know that much! 

Richard, do you build the greenhouses yourself or do you call in workers?

[Phoenikakias]

@happypalms a fellow hobbyist in my country claims, that Australian palms do not need phosphorus or more accurately hate it and when they get fed with fertilizers contain this element, they get very shocked and even die. How true is this?

[happypalms]

5 hours ago, Phoenikakias said:

@happypalms a fellow hobbyist in my country claims, that Australian palms do not need phosphorus or more accurately hate it and when they get fed with fertilizers contain this element, they get very shocked and even die. How true is this?

Somewhat true as our soil in a lot of places have enough of it. The same with our native plants they require low amounts of phosphorus, some do require a bit of phosphorus. It depends on the soil in your area. But generally if I use a specific fertiliser I go for one that is low in phosphorus. There are a lot of horticultural crops that require it when flowering and in fruit. I guess an agronomist would give a more specific answer, I have over the years killed a few chamaedorea palms by broadcasting high phosphorus around the garden. And in my learning early days I even killed 100 marojejya darinii now that’s a jail able offence if the palm police found out that one, I was devastated when I did that! 

[happypalms]

22 hours ago, donpachino1983 said:

Looking good 😎

Just gotta fill it up now! 

[happypalms]

19 hours ago, gyuseppe said:

Richard, do you build the greenhouses yourself or do you call in workers?

I build them myself after 35 years of working in the horticultural industry you learn a thing or two, with leftover materials from work, total cost of this structure one roll of welding wire, if you work in a chocolate factory you get chocolates 🍫 

[happypalms]

It’s been a great summer holiday break and the garden is shining! 

[peachy]

Looking very healthy indeed.  With the extreme heat, the hail storms and wind, my place is looking very tattered and torn.  I am in the process of removing the hedges on the side fences.....what a chore and what a mess !  Also building an aviary so my birdies are in cages all over the patio and the plants piled up on one side.  I have given up trying to find a reliable lawn mowing service after 12 months so I bought a small cordless mower and doing the job myself.  Once the hedge is completely gone they can stick the so called  'garden services' up their lazy greedy bums.

Battered, bruised, scratched and spiked

What's left of Peachy

[happypalms]

Doing a spot of landscaping, and as usual I need to plant palms in the new garden. I will see how this one goes all i know is I had choose carefully where this one went, not a palm you plant next to path with thorns thorns that would stop  Alcatraz escapes! 

[Harry’s Palms]

A perfect spot for that special palm. 👍Harry

[happypalms]

On 1/6/2026 at 10:44 PM, peachy said:

Looking very healthy indeed.  With the extreme heat, the hail storms and wind, my place is looking very tattered and torn.  I am in the process of removing the hedges on the side fences.....what a chore and what a mess !  Also building an aviary so my birdies are in cages all over the patio and the plants piled up on one side.  I have given up trying to find a reliable lawn mowing service after 12 months so I bought a small cordless mower and doing the job myself.  Once the hedge is completely gone they can stick the so called  'garden services' up their lazy greedy bums.

Battered, bruised, scratched and spiked

What's left of Peachy

Winter will take the wind out the sails in the garden until then bring on summer. We missed those crazy storms but had the wind it was a terrible few days. Iam used to heat but I fear one day i would want to leave the heat behind and run to Port Macquarie that big retirement village on the coast.
Glad your building a bird cage (make it snake proof those carpet snakes) iam sure the birds will enjoy there new home. I cut out a huge clump of black bamboo the other day, oh it never spreads out runners they said yer right 30 years later it wants to take over my garden.Renovation of the garden is fun and you sound like your having fun scratches and all. You should write a book on gardening does and donts. Iam sure we all could provide plenty of material for that book, a true gardener never stops renovating their garden.

And whatever happened to a young bloke earning a few bucks on the weekend mowing lawns, oh that’s right there all on their computer games and phones. I dare to say in my day a job was job and a fair days work for a fair days pay was the order of the day, hard work never killed anyone. My first job was 5 days  a week for 40 hours and a pay of $20 bucks a day after tax, $95 bucks was mine and straight out of school I was millionaire on that pay! 

Richard 

[Mazat]

On 1/6/2026 at 10:30 AM, happypalms said:

It’s been a great summer holiday break and the garden is shining! 

☀️🤗🌴

[happypalms]

16 hours ago, emily rose said:

That makes sense. Deep watering with sprinklers or drip lines really helps palms establish better roots, especially in hot climates. I’ve noticed consistent soak cycles improve humidity around the plant and reduce stress during peak summer.

If you want to grow palms out of there habitat, the o my way go go is irrigation, that in combination of raised garden beds. 
With raised beds you have more control over the watering, and you can improve your soil in dry climates. 
Raising your humidity helps with all aspects of growing, iam also a fan off bromeliads in a dry climate for extra humidity in a palm garden. 

[happypalms]

The first little windows are appearing on my Gracilis seedlings. They are really starting to get a nice look about, a great palm for container production. And a nice triphylla in flower,  another beautiful little understory palm with a little cool tolerance! 

[Harry’s Palms]

Another nice understory palm that I saw at the Huntington. The windows of the Gracilis add to the unique “bow tie “ effect that is the description of this palm. If you see one in person , it captivates you …or at least it did me. Richard , I think you were the one that told me what it was . I found it off to the side with no tag . The habit is much like a dwarf Rhapis in that it stays small but makes a big statement , if you can grow it. It sure loves the glass house! Harry

The windows get more prominent as they grow.

This one was just about waist high to my 6’ body . Unfortunately the ID tag was for another plant . This palm remained a mystery until you posted a pic of one of yours . The bow tie fishtail shape is in full swing!

[happypalms]

17 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Another nice understory palm that I saw at the Huntington. The windows of the Gracilis add to the unique “bow tie “ effect that is the description of this palm. If you see one in person , it captivates you …or at least it did me. Richard , I think you were the one that told me what it was . I found it off to the side with no tag . The habit is much like a dwarf Rhapis in that it stays small but makes a big statement , if you can grow it. It sure loves the glass house! Harry

The windows get more prominent as they grow.

This one was just about waist high to my 6’ body . Unfortunately the ID tag was for another plant . This palm remained a mystery until you posted a pic of one of yours . The bow tie fishtail shape is in full swing!

They are a beautiful little palm, I first discovered them 27 years ago so an old favourite of mine I have known for a lot of years, which makes them special to my palm heart! 
Definatly a palm for your patio in a container. 
RICHARD 

[guillerman]

Hi! Just found about this one. Did you happen to crosspolinate at the end?

[happypalms]

1 hour ago, guillerman said:

Hi! Just found about this one. Did you happen to crosspolinate at the end?

No not yet, but they are both flowering again now, this time pretty well much identical in timing. So it will be interesting if they get any seeds!

[Fusca]

On 1/6/2025 at 9:45 PM, happypalms said:

Got a couple of Chambeyronia growing next to each both flowering at the same time. It’s the first time the macrocarpa has flowered the hookeri  has flowered twice but with no seeds set yet. It’s the first will be interesting to see if I get any seeds set this season I would be confident in a cross pollination if I do get seeds ( not really a fan of hybrids) either way it will e a long wait to find out if I have created a hybrid. 

Is it still considered a hybrid with a cross of two different varieties of the same species?  In your case Chambeyronia macrocarpa var. hookerii and Chambeyronia macrocarpa var. macrocarpa.  Just curious...🤔

[tim_brissy_13]

22 minutes ago, Fusca said:

Is it still considered a hybrid with a cross of two different varieties of the same species?  In your case Chambeyronia macrocarpa var. hookerii and Chambeyronia macrocarpa var. macrocarpa.  Just curious...🤔

It’s probably a matter of definition. As C macrocarpa var macrocarpa and C macrocarpa var hookeri are formally different varieties, they are considered genetically distinct so a cross between the two would be a varietal hybrid. Generally in horticulture I think the word hybrid is reserved for interspecific crosses but technically it can be used for a cross between any two genetically distinct parents. 

[happypalms]

2 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

It’s probably a matter of definition. As C macrocarpa var macrocarpa and C macrocarpa var hookeri are formally different varieties, they are considered genetically distinct so a cross between the two would be a varietal hybrid. Generally in horticulture I think the word hybrid is reserved for interspecific crosses but technically it can be used for a cross between any two genetically distinct parents. 

Then you can get into F1 F2 and so on, but I can’t see myself around long enough for some backcrossing projects!

[DoomsDave]

Chambeyronia macrocarpa seeds take C about two years to ripen. 

[happypalms]

A lovely trio of tenellas one boy and two girls, both hand pollinated and with a bit of luck a few mature seeds next season. 

[gyuseppe]

great job Richard!

[happypalms]

8 minutes ago, gyuseppe said:

great job Richard!

Couple of craftwork beads or two in there for you! 

[happypalms]

A few pics for mind and soul to ponder! 

[Harry’s Palms]

Ah , I feel better now. A nice garden break before starting my week . Looking good. Harry

[happypalms]

10 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Ah , I feel better now. A nice garden break before starting my week . Looking good. Harry

Calm blue ocean, serenity before insanity! 
Richard 

[happypalms]

On 1/12/2026 at 11:10 AM, DoomsDave said:

Chambeyronia macrocarpa seeds take C about two years to ripen. 

It’s taken these ones about 25 years to flower, if I get any seeds I will most likely germinate a couple and give the rest away to a lucky palm talker! 

[guillerman]

Love it! Definitely interested, in such a cross

[happypalms]

If ever there was a flower that looks alien, this one male flower surely would be in the running. I do get viable seeds now then. One very tough palm tree the densifolia. 

[tim_brissy_13]

Think this used to be called Wallichia densiflora, then Wallichia oblongifolia. It’s now been moved to Arenga so I assume that means it’s now Arenga oblongifolia although I haven’t actually seen whether the lumping has impacted the specific epithet. 

[happypalms]

22 minutes ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

Think this used to be called Wallichia densiflora, then Wallichia oblongifolia. It’s now been moved to Arenga so I assume that means it’s now Arenga oblongifolia although I haven’t actually seen whether the lumping has impacted the specific epithet. 

It’s still a wallichia densiflora to me, life is confusing enough for me,  and they go along it changing names just to confuse me even more! It would live for you in sunny warm Melbourne, but you would need to plant it on your roof they take up a bit space width wise!

[happypalms]

2 hours ago, guillerman said:

Love it! Definitely interested, in such a cross

I have heard if such a cross, but why hybrids and all there fuss, yes I understand the ornamental value and hardiness of such desired traits in ornamental horticulture. Yes Mother Nature does create such hybrids now and then. 
But when we interfere with mother nature’s ability, well we all know what happens if we watch science fiction movies!