For information about growing and maintaining
palms, we offer several free Fact Sheets. If any of these
Fact Sheets interest you, please contact
us for a PDF version, or ask when you next visit Rob's
Rare Palms.
#01 Outdoor Containers
Imagine, if you will, a relaxing afternoon on the patio, a
refreshing breeze blowing in, a drink nearby and a spectacularly
panoramic view of… dull, brick paving- oh, and the neighbour's
fence, of course!
A garden along one side, or in a corner, is definitely a more
attractive idea. However, the size of the area, or possibly
even the expense involved, makes forming a garden simply too
unlikely. What is needed is a way of having an attractive
plant integrated with that area, without the accompanying
expense or trouble of changing the area.
Whether we have large yards or small, or whether we have a
pool or paved area of some sort, a palm or two in one of those
large terracotta pots can be as attractive an option as they
are attractive to look at. However, this holds true only when
the plants are managed with care, attention and responsibility.
#02
Pool Planting
Okay, so the hole is dug and the pool is ready to go in. Right,
what should we do next: fill it up with water and jump in,
or first provide a bit of shade for the people who'd otherwise
have to swim under the hot sun? Thinking ahead, and creating
some shade, would seem a better option. But, it automatically
raises its own questions of what sort of shade to provide.
Something with shade cloth or shade sails would seem the most
obvious answer. It would also guarantee the extra trouble
and expense of wading through council regulations and then
having it built.
A far more reasonable option is to consider landscaping of
some kind on one, or several, sides. Fact Sheet #01 Outdoor
Containers, in this series, discusses the use and maintenance
of plants in containers; and palms in containers can fit right
in beside the pool. But, what should be done when in-ground
palms are called for; when something larger and more shady
is to be placed near the edge of the pool to provide as much
shade as possible?
There are many palms that can be grown near pools. All that
is needed is a respect for the space and health needs of each
palm and an awareness of the potential difficulties that can
arise otherwise.
#03 Planting Palms
Step 1: dig a hole.
Step 2: put in plant.
Step 3: fill in with soil.
Professional gardeners make it look so easy; annoyingly so
when we try to follow suit and end up leaving a trail of destruction.
"But we did it exactly like we were told…"
and the palm still died.
So let's investigate that, shall we.
#04 Landscaping With Palms
For those of us in the nursery industry, it is puzzling why
landscapers of new housing estates always seem to plant the
same type of plants. It isn't as if there aren't that many
plants available. Nevertheless, why does every yard in these
estates seem to resemble the others? Is there supposed to
be a theme? Is it possible to have a feature- perhaps a gorgeous
plant or a leafy arbour? Why should every driveway be either
poured concrete or of Tuscan design?
Of course, I'm generalising. It would be nice, though, to
drive through suburbia and see a different theme or a different
attraction in each yard.
An impossible dream? Not really. Landscaping is easier than
might be thought. After all, most of the work is done at the
planning stage.
#05 Palm Habitats
Palm habitats are as variable as the climate and the weather. Not all palms are rainforest species;
many thrive in very adverse climates from deep jungles to open desert regions.
About two thirds of palm species grow in rainforest environs. These palms consist of canopy or emergent
palms, which form the forest canopy to understorey varieties on the forest floor.
Other areas where palms occur include the mangroves in most tropical areas, coastal regions in many
parts of the world, streams and watercourses in all rainforests and bush areas, deserts of the world and even in the colder climates.
#06 Cold Palms
When we think of palms, we usually think of coconut palms,
stretching their long, elegant trunks out over the sparkling,
crystalline waters of the Pacific. So, it must come as something
of a surprise to learn that the Tibetans have a word for palms-
shing tala.
"Tibet! Palms in Tibet! But, Tibet is a land of ice and
snow. Since when do palms grow there?"
In response, it could also be pointed out that Date palms
(Phoenix dactylifera) have been cultivated in the middle east
for centuries, despite the frigid temperatures of desert nights.
Palms vary significantly.
Therefore, even some palms that don't naturally grow in colder
climes can, with a bit of assistance and ingenuity, help to
create a tropical look in an area of regular winter frost.
#07 Indoor Palms
Modern Australian home designs often have one or two rooms that connect with the outdoors- that bring the outdoors indoors, as it were. Admirably innovative as this may be, it is not an option available to many. For most, a plant or two in containers outside the door are the closest it gets.
With care, and the judicious selection and placement of indoor palms, a similar effect can be achieved in any home.
#08 Palm Features
“Laminae? What on earth is a laminae? And what does a crownshaft do? And what’s this inflorescence thing? Rachis? Search me!? What, after all, does monocarpic actually mean?”
In any branch of learning, there is always a jargon of terms specific to it. Palm growers, familiar with such words, occasionally find themselves forgetting that not everyone else is.
In this fact sheet, we have attempted both to describe the basic features of palms and to use the academic terms in a way that explains both the palm and the words used to describe it. Unfortunately, the demands of space have limited the choices of terms but, nevertheless, there are still many terms here that will have the palm buyer nodding along in understanding with the palm seller.
#09 Palm Uses
Next to grasses which include the Bamboos, the palm family is the most important in its usefulness
to man.
Many species of palms supply food, shelter, clothing, building materials, fuel, starch, sugar, oil,
wine, wax, dyes and countless other useful needs of many people in the third world.
The industrialised world still depends on palms for certain vegetable oils and waxes.
#10 Palm Health
In many ways, palms are just like people. For example, it
is when they are physically stressed that they are at their
most vulnerable. This might be when they have just been transplanted
or moved into an unfamiliar geographical zone. Unlike people,
though, palms will not tap you on the shoulder and sneeze
in your face in order to let you know they're ill.
Vigilance is always the key. If a particular palm looks odd,
it isn't always because it has the wrong label attached. It
may be ill and it is up to the gardener who values their plants
to check for any of the pests and diseases that might attack
palms.
#11
Screening Palms
Good fences make good neighbours, so they say. But, what should
we do when the fence is just that bit too low to prevent you-know-who
from watching what's happening over this side? Also, how can
we have the benefits of a high fence (or any fence) when our
beloved neighbours don't want one, or want a different type?
Alternatively, how can we provide shade, or wind protection,
block an unsightly view, and keep out a prying world?
There are, of course, several products available that can
do some, or all, of these: think shade sails, wickerwork screens
and the humble ol' fence. Yet, how many of these can create
as visually appealing a replacement as screening palms? To
put it another way, why replace an ugly view with a mundane
fence or screen? The advantages of palms in this area simply
abound.
#12 Feature Palms
Here we are, walking along a garden path edged with flowers. We stroll beneath the grand old monarch of the garden, dappling the sunlight. We brush past soft greenery. We feel the cool, feathery touch of a breeze ahead of us. We turn a corner… and there it is…
It could be a fountain. It could be a statue of Michelangelo’s David. It could be a bird bath amid a flicker of feathers or a pergola of fantastic views, a leafy arbour, a fabulous work of art that reflects the nature of the whole garden…
It could, however, be a palm. It could be a palm planted with such respect and consideration for its shape, surroundings and orientation that it stands out, in the subtlest possible way, as the one feature that makes this garden truly exceptional.
This is your garden…
#13 Creating a Rainforest
"Let's create a rainforest," someone exclaims, "in
our own yard!!"
At this point in the story, the reader might think that the
character pouring forth all the exclamations is a handle short
of a shovel. After all, surely it isn't possible to construct
a rainforest in a residential yard!
But what is a rainforest? The answer: whatever you want it
to be. If it contains tropical or subtropical plants higher
than one's head and attracts wildlife (albeit suitably tame-
and clean- wildlife), then chances are that someone somewhere
will refer to it as a rainforest. Rain isn't even a necessity
in a personal rainforest, though it sure lowers the water
bill!
#14
Dolomite
Many palms are sufficiently hardy to tolerate both acidic
and alkaline soils. Nevertheless, if the palm doesn't appear
to be growing as well as it does in its natural habitat, this
may be due to insufficient alkalinity. In other words, the
soil is too acidic.
There are several options to deal with this problem but none
are as simple and as effective as that described below.
#15 Companion Plants
It is quite possible to develop a garden consisting solely of palms. Palms vary and can provide a range of textures, colours, heights and forms. For extra variation, though, many types of companion plants can synchronise or contrast with palms. The following tables list just a few of the many companion plants available
#16 Palm Safety
Palms, just like other plants, have their sinners as well as their saints. Like a pet budgerigar, they’ll sit calmly in all their elegant attractiveness. Then, when we least expect it- OUCH!
Although this is a very good reason to take care, it does not make palms any less desirable than, say, thorny roses or poisonous potatoes. It simply means that certain species require that little extra care and thoughtfulness.
#17 Palm Sizes
Like many other plant families, palms are sufficiently diverse
to cover a broad spectrum of types. Whether we're looking
for a variety of colours, contrasting textures, or harmonising
forms and shapes, there is almost always something suitable.
Size, and by this we mainly mean height, is also a major consideration.
The tables in this fact sheet don't list every palm. That
would be an unending task! What I have tried to do, though,
is to sort a variety of species according to the average height
they can be expected to reach in cultivation.
#18
Tropical to Subtropical
Here we are, browsing along the shelves, looking for a book
about palms; preferably one with gorgeous colour photos. Eventually,
we find it. Inside, there's lots of big words with little
pronounceable resemblance to the Latin they claim to be based
upon. That doesn't matter, though. What we want is the garden
of our dreams, and here we find it. Big palms and small. Red,
blue and yellow and every other colour in the rainbow. Here
is every palm we've ever wanted and more besides. And there
it is… the perfect palm! The one palm that's guaranteed
to turn the neighbours green with envy.
Isn't it annoying when we learn that it thrives anywhere other
than here?
Fortunately, there is hope. Not all palms are weak. Some tropical
palms can grow in the subtropics. There are also several that
don't need more than the simplest of precautions to ensure
their survival.
#19
Palms for New Gardens
How many times have some of us bought a palm only for all its fronds to die within a month of planting?
The soil is fine. The fertiliser is sufficient. There is adequate water- neither too much nor too little. The palm is tolerant of our climate. So, why won’t it grow as well as it should?
Interestingly, retail nurseries must also deal with this problem, and the good news is that you can too.
#20 Soil Management
Here within south-east Queensland, the climate doesn't vary
overmuch. Summer is just as Summery and Winter just as Wintery
in Caboolture as it is in Brisbane. So, it might be reasonable
to assume that plants that grow in Samford would also succeed
in Sandgate. This, however, is a fallacy.
Even discounting the obvious variation between Sandgate's
coastal breezes and Samford's hinterland rurality of atmosphere,
there is also the soil to consider. Many different soil types
are present in south-east Queensland and they are each suitable
to their own range of palms.
#21 Bromeliad Care and Culture
If you want to add a little extra mystery and colour to your
yard, look no further than bromeliads. These tough and diverse
things can grow almost anywhere. Depending on the species,
they are epiphytic (growing on trees), saxicolous (on rocks),
terrestrial (in ground) and xerophytic (survives aridity),
an evolutionary achievement boasted by few other plant families.
Bromeliads can harmonise with any garden, adding that spot
of colour on a rock wall, in the fork of a tree or peaking
between a patch of bedding plants. They can even succeed quite
well in pots on patios or verandas. All that is needed is
a sound knowledge of the basics of bromeliad care and culture.
#22
Powerlines
As some of us leave our homes on our way to work and elsewhere,
and as we arrive back home later, we notice our front fence
lines. More importantly, we notice how low the foliage is.
"Don't plant trees under powerlines!" we're always
told. So, we don't. Instead, we stick to flowers and the smallest
shrubs.
You might ask, "Surely there has to be something else
we can grow safely under powerlines." And there is: palms.
You might then exclaim, "Palms!? They can't grow there!
They get too tall." And you'd be mistaken.
#23
Water Conservation
Water is increasingly becoming one of our most precious resources. However, water needn’t just be conserved in the home. There are many ways to save water in the garden as well. Saving water, though, needn’t mean only watering one or two favourite plants once a week.
We don’t only have to be water-wise. We should be water-efficient as well. Plan for your garden’s watering needs and your garden will thrive.
#24 Moving Palms
At this moment, someone, somewhere in the world, is looking
out from their porch and wondering whether it was really such
a good idea to put that palm there. I didn't think it would
get quite that big. And it is far too shady here now, not
like it used to be before… So, chop it down!
But it's such a nice palm. It's not spiky. It doesn't drop
fronds. It's clean. It really adds to the garden, and I can't
get rid of it… So, relocate it!
And this, folks, is where the fun begins. Digging, pulling,
digging some more because it won't budge and then finally,
after much sweat and toil, dropping it into a new hole only
for it to die within a month. Fortunately, with a little careful
planning and a step-by-step approach, relocating a palm from
here to there needn't be as hard as it might seem. Read on…
If you need any of these Fact Sheets, please contact
us for a PDF version, or ask when you next visit Rob's
Rare Palms. |
