A couple of photos for you to enjoy :)

12 years ago

A few years ago, I went through a palm craze, which slowly gave way to more drought tolerant succulents and cacti in more recent years. Of course, I can't simply get rid of the palms, and despite receiving less water than they're used to, the palms look great, especially at this time of the year when the weather begins to cool. Here are some pictures for you all to enjoy :)

This is possibly the most water thirsty group of plantings in the whole yard. The Passiflora Edulis helps shade the garden and also protect it from cold winds in winter. I have Pygmy Date palms, white Bird of Paradise, Aloe Arborescens, Monstera Deliciosa and many, many succulents.

{{gwi:1178836}}

This is a Howea Forsteriana that use to be one of three planted together. This is the only survivor of the last freeze we had in 2007. There's also a Cyathea Cooperi behind it, Blechnum Gibbum, a Tibouchina Urvilleana shrub, and lots of clivia and spathiphyllum underneath in the shade.

{{gwi:1178838}}

Here's a Majesty palm that started off as a houseplant. I was under the impression that it would simply die in our winters, but here it is 4 years later :)

{{gwi:1178839}}

Here's a view of the yard, showing a little more of the drier parts of the garden and more of the succulents. You can also see century-old Washingtonia Robusta and Phoenix Canariensis in the background.

{{gwi:718433}}

Lastly, here is a shot of a red tailed hawk (upper roof) stalking it's next meal, the pigeon on the rooftop below. I saw them on my neighbor's roof and had to take a photo.

{{gwi:1178840}}

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

tropicalzone7
12 years ago
Great pics! Your plants all look great! That majesty palm looks very healthy and so does the kentia! I really like succulents too, but they are hard to grow in the ground here since we get a ridiculous amount of rain and humidity and to top it off, the soil doesnt drain any of the water!
You have a really nice view. Even when you look beyond your fence, you have 100 foot tall washingtonias in the distance!
-Alex
Central_Cali369
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks Alex! You might want to try out the Manfreda species as well as the Beschorneria. Both are very hardy species, tolerating some degree of freezing, and neither one minds the additional water either. I have Manfreda Macho Mocha, and Manfreda 'Spot', as well as Beschorneria Yuccoides and Beschorneria Albiflora. They're worth a shot where you live. Especially the B. Yuccoides. It is the hardiest of the Beschorneria species and is reported to tolerater less than 15 degrees. The bloom spike is spectacular.

Manfreda Spot is not the most spectacular plant either in size or bloom, but the foliage is interesting. It is native to the Virginia and other east coast regions.
Related Professionals
Cottonwood Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Glendora Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Simi Valley Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Taylorsville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Harvey Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Wake Forest Landscape Contractors · Kaysville Landscape Contractors · Lantana Landscape Contractors · Tinton Falls Landscape Contractors · Palos Hills Landscape Contractors · Greenfield Landscape Contractors · Brighton Window Contractors · Miami Springs Window Contractors · North Hollywood Window Contractors · Oviedo Window Contractors
jimhardy
12 years ago
Your garden looks really great!

Click for weather forecast
tropicalzone7
12 years ago
I definitely have to try B. Yuccoides! Looks almost like a small agave both in bloom and leaf form. Probably best as a zone 8 plant and up, but I have lots of zone 8 plants that do well with some extra protection, so if I get a B. Yuccoides, I will probably give it some winter protection, especially rain and snow protection! I dont think any plant likes wet and cold combined!
So far the only cactus I have gotten to survive in my soil all year long without protection is eastern prickly pears (native) and out of about 20 pink lace cactus, about 3 survived (they were flooded in water and even frozen in solid ice for a good part of the winter and spring so I give them a ton of credit for surviving that!).

-Alex
islandbreeze
12 years ago
Your Majesty is looking great! I remember when you first posted about planting that palm. I still can't get a majesty to look that good here, even being brought indoors in the winter.