By adding a focal point to the space in front of the garage. The tree-form vitex (left) and Texas Mountain Laurel (right) were not quite enough of a focal point. The vitex blooms once briefly in early spring then goes dormant through the winter months and the evergreen Texas Mountain Laurel doesn't quite fill the gap. The Agave ovatifolia also needed a silvery friend to connect silver foliage from across the yard.
That's where this Bismarck Palm comes in.
Palm trees need a wide planting hole, look at all those rocks that had to be dug out.
Palms are very drought tolerant so check the planting level to make sure it isn't too deep.
We filled in around with a sandy loam top soil mix, watered it in slowly, and mulched to keep the roots cool. Our current brief respite of a few partly cloudy days and somewhat cooler summer will help too.
It holds the light like a catcher's mitt and connects the silvery foliage from around the yard, including the sages on both sides, and numerous smaller plants like gray santolina. Cold tolerant in our zone, it should do well with just a bit of protection in the first few years.
It also plays well with the palm next door
Shares nicely with the Agave ovatifolia
The patterns and contrast of foliage add interest to the area
There's the focal point, it has plenty of room to spread out and should grow above the roof line within a few years. Palms don't provide a lot of shade so the perennials in the bed below will continue to get sun here too.
The spot in front of the garage now feels like it has a focal point and the silvery plants are better connected. Besides all that, I've always thought a palm tree would look nice there.
Perfection!
ReplyDeleteI am also insanely jealous, that palm is a favorite and I so so so wish I could grow one.
Oh my, Loree, I'm glad you like this choice. We'll see how it does over time.
DeleteI like it! Gorgeous from all angles. LT
ReplyDeleteThanks LT.
DeleteThat did the trick! Nice job. I can appreciate the difference.
ReplyDeleteI've been hunting for a front yard focal point too, but unfortunately, in my space it needs to take shade. It seems that most shade plants don't provide the structure and architecture I need so I'm on the look out for a garden fountain instead, perhaps a non-working one that I can plant with annuals.
Yeya's on Commerce is a good place to check for non-working fountains and other yard stuff. The other idea would be to wait for some of the fall sales at the gardens centers when they mark down stuff significantly.
DeleteThere you go again....proving that a garden is never quite 'done'.
ReplyDeleteIt looks great.
Wonder if something like that would work where my zapped yucca was. I'm afraid to invest in another yucca there, since the snout nose monster struck.
I did consider the Yucca Rostrata but they are more expensive and slower growing to say nothing of the other issues. I probably will get a smaller one on sale this fall.
DeleteA palm just might work there, but you might be in a colder zone. There are some hardier palms too.
You bucked the trend on yuccas...very nice. I like Bismarckia palms!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the pro validation of the choice. It might have been your posts on yucca overload that sent me looking for alternatives.
DeleteI'm decidedly untrendy too.
Shirley, that was the perfect plant for that spot. It's beautiful! I thought the area looked quite nice in the before spot, but the palm completes the look.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem to add that one more thing, but I'm pretty sure I'll stop with that. Any new plants will be low growing perennials.
DeleteWell done. When my son lived in SA last summer I was going to plant the same palm with some loquats for a tropical fell around his pool. Alas, he moved to OKC and now I'm considering a more cold tolerant palm such as windmill.
ReplyDeleteWindmill palms are great and seem to survive the coldest of winters. We had yuccas in our zone 6 yard in Virginia so that might work too.
DeleteIt fits the bill perfectly!
ReplyDeleteThat palm is gorgeous! And the prep work for that hole looks great. To make something like that here takes quite some time and energy:) The caliche.....ugh!
ReplyDeleteYou really have made that area beautiful. I know you are still working on the back yet, but your front area is a piece of landscaping art. Nice work....and those trees are gorgeous!
Mr. R-O-D spent about 3 hours just digging the hole and the entire process took most of the day since we installed the palm after dinner to give it a better start.
DeleteWe have a ton of work to do in the back yet so I'll probably go into maintenance mode in the front for a while.
You have really educated me on the beauty of desert gardening.
ReplyDeleteGlad I could help Mary. The desert actually begins several hours west, but we borrow from several regions that converge here.
DeleteThat spot was calling for that palm. Perfect!
ReplyDeleteRagna
Thank you!
DeleteWhat a great choice. It really made the scene.
ReplyDeleteThank you, it looks even better as it settles in.
DeleteYour front garden look great. The palm was a fabulous addition.
ReplyDeleteThank you, I really appreciate yours and all these positive comments.
DeleteI love the way the addition of this palm transforms your garden. It's a great lesson in the power of an appropriate focal point. -Jean
ReplyDeleteIt had more of an impact than I even expected.
DeleteGreat choice & what a tremendous difference this addition makes. The mere sight of a Bismarck palm makes me weak in the knees. And now I'm drooling on the keyboard. Yikes! Like Loree, I wish I could grow that gorgeous thing here!
ReplyDeleteThis palm seems to be a PNW thing. I'll be sure to do follow-ups over time.
DeleteHi Shirley,
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful palm and a very rare one I might add. I only know of 2 or 3 growing here in Houston and their silvery foliage is stunning. I grow many palms but I've never tried that one. I can't wait to watch and see what it looks like in a few years as it adds more gorgeous palm fronds. It looks superb as your focal point!
If you'll permit me, I'd like to give you one piece of advice and this comes from experience; even though palms are drought tolerant it will take at least a year for that root system to get established and resilient against drought. Be sure and keep the root ball moist. I'd say check it daily. I have lost two palms thinking that since the 'native' soil in the hole was moist that the 'potted' soil was just as moist. Instead I was shocked to find that it was bone dry. Most of what growers use is pure bark mulch with a few additions. Their 'soil' seems to dry out quickly compared to our native soils. Sorry for being a worry wart, but your landscaping is so beautiful I'd hate for you to end up with a nasty soil surprise like mine.
David/:0)
I had been concerned about this issue so very much appreciate your advice since this is first palm we've planted. We did soak the roots before installing the palm and are trying to keep it wet. I'll check the grower's medium regularly. Good to know that a year is about the time needed to establish. We've not selected the best planting time, but it seemed easier to keep going in the ground.
DeleteTrying to keep the root ball moist is a problem with so many plants, I should probably get a moisture meter.
Perfect focal point. Your eye is drawn to it in all the photos. Very nice.
ReplyDeleteWe were surprised by the impact as well since everyone thought the yard looked good before.
DeleteYour silver Palm looks amazing! I need one now...I really like the way it looks among your other plants and with your roof - pops! How tall and wide have you seen that variety get?
ReplyDeleteThey do get quite large and the estimates vary so I'm planning on 30' tall and 10' diameter.
DeleteHUGE! too big for my spot...
DeleteHave you seen any yucca rostrata 'sapphire skies' around town? I found some nasty rotten'ish blue beaked yucca at the garden center, but I really want the sapphire skies because of its smaller footprint. I would consider a "normal" yucca rostrata....any tips on where to find either. I am getting super discouraged ...I GOTTA HAVE ONE. it is that bad! ;) I am sure you are out and about at garden centers a lot too and I am hoping you have seen one.
I've seen Y. rostrata in various sizes at both locations of Rainbow Gardens and Schulz on Broadway. I really haven't looked at them that much lately because I wanted something faster growing.
DeleteThank you shirley! much appreciated :)
DeleteThat palm is a stunner for sure. I've seen a couple in Austin over the years, one on a garden tour and one in the display gardens at the Great Outdoors nursery. I think the latter succumbed to the deep freeze we got a couple of years ago. But S.A. is a bit warmer than Austin, so I bet it's hardier in your area.
ReplyDeleteI was glad to read David's tip about keeping a palm, even a drought-tolerant one, well watered the first year. I've had trouble with a couple of silver Med. fan palms, and maybe that's why. My sole survivor is finally putting out nice growth after a couple of years of struggling along. I think our wet winter and spring helped.
We might be a few degrees warmer on the coldest days and those two very cold winters in a row took out all but the hardiest fan palms around here too.
DeleteI saw the garden tour story and did wonder how that palm was doing now. The first few years I plan on wrapping lights to keep the trunk and roots warm if extreme cold is predicted. We usually get a good warning so that helps.
I've been drip watering every other day to avoid leaving it wet.