JD: Those are wonderful big rocks! I wish I had some (so long as I don't have to move them myself). You've made a very good start with your perennial mounds. I'm looking forward to seeing the next stage. I like your cairns. Last winter we had to have our septic tank pumped out (sorry for the unpleasant image, but there's a good side). They had to dig into the edge of a flower bed to find one manhole and they disrupted a number of stones I had bordering the bed. The cleanup guy was ready to haul the stones across the street, but I asked him to just pile them up in place after he backfilled the holes. I figured I'd use the stones to mark the location of the manholes until I could landscape in the spring. I didn't hang around for the backfill, and when I went out after they'd left I discovered two cairns marking the manhole locations. Not at all what I expected, but I was delighted. Those cairns cheered me up for weeks but the squirrels kept knocking them over so I sadly relocated the stones. Claire

I would plant it as soon as possible. Most palm seeds are not known for all periods of viability (am assuming coconuts are similar here). Use a VERY sandy, well-drained soil, place the seed about half way into the soil (not more), lenghtwise probably best. It may take a while mind you--up to six months! Of course, high temps and bottom heat help, but I've had one germinate at room temperature (planted in July, it germinated and started to send up a leaf in December). Found mine in Key Biscayne. Good luck!

Thanks everyone for your kind words. orchiddude, is that the name of that Pine tree? I planted it years ago and it shot up like a rocket. mastiffhoo, I do like to label everything. Here's some more photos of the front yard: Left to right: Bottle, Coconut and Spindle. The coconut is in a pot and gets moved to the greenhouse in December. (Right to left)Far right: Euterpe edulis, Reinhardtia paiewonskiana, Chambayronia macrocarpa (triple) and Normanbya normanbyi. Dypsis decipiens

Frmmi, yes I may be interested in your coldframe. How big is it? What city are you in? Palmlover, a robusta would not survive in zone 6 without a heat source, even if it were heavily mulched. I can't even get my basjoos to come back from the roots in zone 6 even if they are heavily mulched. My windmill survives because it is a zone 7b palm, while a robusta is a zone 9 palm. Any palm in a pot in zone 6 would also need a heat source to survive. If the roots are frozen, like Jimhardy mentioned, then they can't take up water and will die. You're best off bringing the pot inside for the winter, or at least into a garage with windows.