Those are really beautiful! It looks like some of the palms are in pots; what do you do with them in the winter?

And how do you overwinter the banana and the vegas cactus? I notice the Christmas tree lights on the windmill palm -- is that for warmth or dramatic lighting?

The house looks beautiful, by the way!

Just curious how your palms fared with the nasty winter we had. I'm considering getting my first trachy - haynes stiffie or a fortunei

Hi Jurassicdaryl,

My palms overall did pretty well. The windmills have some of their oldest fronds burnt but will be just fine. The pindo palm is perfect not even a scratch. I did lose 2 yuccas(recurvifolias)and the magnolias have some bronzed leaves for the first time since being planted 4 or 5 yrs ago, as well as some hollies.

Dion

I lost a couple of yuccas and a bamboo. Not sure about my bananas yet. I wouldn't be surprised if the puesdostems have rotted but the corms are probably ok. I'll have to look for a pindo palm. I just ordered a windmill - haynes stiffie

Here is a link that might be useful: my garden

Hi, this is Andy from Portsmouth, just down the road. I had a nice little trachy takil in the ground for two years growing fast, until this last winter :( however, I think it was my fault for it dying because in my pitiful attempt to keep the spear dry I put plastic over it. Of course, this only caused condensation and rotted the spear. (dumb) So I am eager to try more hardy palms. Do you have any suggestions on some I can try and how to properly protect them until established? I know I can grow things like palms, bananas, etc. because I have been successful with a sapling slash pine growing well, ( the southernmost growing pine in the southeast)a camellia, a nice big crepe myrtle as well as loblolly pines and magnolias.

Jurassicdaryl your garden is absoulutely beautiful. i strive to come close to even a minuscule of what you have achieved! Bravo!!!! my hat comes off for you!!!aplause aplause!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Andy,

Sorry it took me so long to reply.
I grow butias, windmill palms, yuccas, agaves, magnolias, etc. I have been doing this since 2002 and have had good success with the techniques I use. The pindo palms (I have two) one of them is planted permanently and the other is in a 1/2 whiskey barrel. The one in the whiskey barrel is stored in an attached garage along with other potted palms, crape myrtles, etc. The one in the ground is covered around thanksgiving, I tie up the fronds, wrap the trunk with mini christmas lights, then drape net lights over the fronds then the whole palm is covered with a mini palm house I use from year to year. The palm house is built using 2x4's and clear plastic sheating, the lights are controlled using a dusk til dawn sensor(although there is usually a period in the winter where I have to keep the lights on continuously maybe 1-2 weeks). I do my windmill palms the same way and all have came through winters perfect.

As far as the bananas go, I wait til a frost burns the leaves and then I cut them back about half and using 4 stakes, clear plastic, and a staple gun build a quick wrap around them filled with leaves.

I will have current pics soon.
If you have anymore questions e-mail me and I will be glad to help. Be sure to give me your e-mail address, if you post through garden web it won't allow me to e-mail you directly.

Dion