Swimming Pools and Palm Trees

Hi All,

This is my first post and I hope it doesn't get me LOL'd out. So here goes....

We are in the final stage of a large Ingroung pool installation and are designing the landscape now that we can see what we have to work with.

We want to make the main element of the design 5 to 7 large (7'- 10') Palm trees. (Yes you heard me right, now stop laughing).

I have done some research and found that it is possible for a few verieties of Palms (Windmill, Needle and possible Afganistan) to live in a zone 5 climate.

I'm wondering if anyone else has tried this and what was your experience or if anyone has suggestions, besides the obvious "Seek professional help and not the landscaper type".

Thanx in advance,
PH in MA

Hi and welcome sorry I can't answer any of your questions. This is a great board and you will love it here...

Wait....is that a monkey in the tree?? KIDDING! LOL

TY Dawn, oh and :-P

While we're at it I would LOVE any suggestions regarding other "Tropical" looking plants that I can incorperate into the design.

Thanx,
PH

Sorry, don't have any info on "live palms"! However a few miles from me, somebody put up three plastic(I'm guessing) palms in their backyard a couple of years ago. They seem to be handling our zone pretty well! If I wouldn't get into trouble, I'd take a couple of pics for you!
Seriously though! if I think of any plants that might work for you I'll let you know!
Ps. I've heard through another DG thread Roger Williams Park has incorporated plastic plants throughout also!! Apparently quite lifelike! :)

Ya, I heard reports of some nut trying to prune the plastic plants at Roger Williams, heard he was last seen running out of the park with an arm full of plastic branches, screaming soemthing about DeadHeads....

I still don't understand the coorelation between 60's music and plants, or mayby thats my problem, 60's music and plants..... Hmmm another problem to ponder.

PH

Hi Ph, I have shown these pictures alot on Dave's I am in zone 5.

Here's another

I plant, elephant ears, canna's, gingers, castor bean, caladiums, plumeria's for the tropical flair but also have alot of others daylilies, roses, clematis, dahlias, and this year I will be having a variety of canna's, ferns, calla lilies, coleus, more roses. It is alot of work but I have fun putting everything together and each year it gets bigger and bigger with new intro's. Oh yea, how could I forget! Brugmansia!

Dan

This message was edited Apr 16, 2007 8:53 PM

Had to google the last one...

Brugmansia is a genus of six species of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae, native to subtropical regions of South America, along the Andes from Colombia to northern Chile, and also in southeastern Brazil. They are known as Angel's Trumpets, sharing that name with the closely related genus Datura. The genus differs from Datura in being perennial and woody (Datura species are herbaceous), and in having pendulous (not erect) flowers.

Thanx for the list!
PH

I would love to have real palm trees too! but some of the ones that grow around here don't have the look that I want. Brian from Brians Botanicals and also a member that frequents the tropical forum would be one to ask about cold hardy palms. There are some for our zone. Last year I planted cold hardy banana's (Musa Bajoo) I also forgot to mention that on my list above. We will see just how cold hardy they are, we had a very cold winter here.
Dan

Make sure you get some Palmetto bugs to make it realistic!

Dan, what variety of Castor is that? I tried a few and can never get that deep red foliage. Thanks.

No thanx, I lived in the Carribean for many years and aquired a fear of Giant flying cockroaches!

PH

Oops didn't realize this image was copyrighted, Now I can't figure out how to delete it.

This message was edited Apr 16, 2007 9:59 PM

This message was edited Apr 16, 2007 10:02 PM

Aha - that explains the desire to plant tropicals. That's quite a switch - Caribbean to Mass!

That would be Pink Carmacita on the castor bean. I am having trouble starting the seed this year, I'll keep trying. Also have the zanzibar giant that really got big last year. Will start that this week. Funny picture
Dan

Grew up in MA, escaped to Carib. returned to MA.

Dan, which of the plants you have listed require special care in winter ie. do you bring your Cannas in or mulch them overwinter?

PH

I tried that one too but it was green for me. Do you fertilize much? If so, with what? Never tried Zanzibar. I have never had trouble with the seeds at all.

PH, most need care, like I said it's alot of work, a labor of love they say. I'm kinda lucky in that I have a heated shop for the winter and alot winter over in 55 degrees. Here is a picture of me taking the Brugmansia's to the shop last fall, you should have seen the stares I got!

VG, I do fertilize, usually with MG, also everything is on a sprinkler system. This year I will try something different it's called fertigate, I have a pump and will inject liquid fertilizer into the sprinkler system.

WOW! That is the biggest brug. I've ever seen. Incrediblle diamond.

Welcome PH! Don't worry, we got rid of that weirdo caught deadheading and eating Cherries Garcia at the zoo!
Dave

PH! Glad you couldn't delete it! lol! If the rain continues like it has through warm weather, that image will be all of us but with giant mosquitos!!!

Hi, PH. I'm very interested in the subject, but unfortunately, not much help. I'm planning on putting some winter-hardy tropicals in my front yard, but haven't gotten to that project yet. Looking at the same palms you mentioned and Musa bajoo. past that I figured anything with large leaves or large blooms, neon colors (fuschia, orange, chartreuse), or plants that are thought of as tropical, supplemented by annuals or tender perennials (canna, brugmansia..same kinds of things mentioned above)

Unbelievable Brug, Dan. How much does that weigh??

Hey VG, that's seven or eight individual brugs in the back of the pick up. They are in 15 gal containers.
Dan

Funny!! I zeroed in on the center trunk and thought it was one big one! Should always look closely.

Me too. I'm still very impressed!

This is funny. Sitting here still laughing. I will take the Palmetto Bug over a Coral Snake anyday..... Still laughing.

Try the "Black Magic", Elephant Ears....very happy plant and yucca - very hardy.

Good luck and I will be following your thread as it is close to my heart also.

Keywest

A previous forum note mentioned that Trachycarpus Wagnerianus palm trees were viable in Zone 6a or a little colder, and recommended a nursery site called Neotropic (neotropic@earthlink.net) as a source. Unfortunately, when I contacted them, they said that they were closed for business this year, but might reopen at some later time. Anyone know another source?

you can try hardiestpalms.com

Trying to grow a large trachycarpus in Massachusetts is a real push. They need heavy protection in the winter,. Zone 5 is almost out of the Question. Try some musa Basjoo bananas for that tropical look. they will grow 6 - 10 feet in a season. They are root hardy to -20 if mulched heavily in winter. you cut them down after frost kills the leaves and forget about them 'till spring. ( trachycarpus are windmills)