Landscaper in Orange County - General Tiki

L laney Member orange county CA Joined: May 20, 2002 Posts: 631	L laney Posted posted on Fri, Apr 18, 2003 1:11 PM Hi elvira, If you are looking for a tropical yard you have tons of choices here in OC. Are you looking for someone to design, plant and build everything? That's bucks$$$ but if you plan on doing it (or some) by yourself Spring is a good time to get stuff in the ground. After these rains we're supposed to have, I have tons of plants waiting to be planted. I, being a palm nut myself, love all kinds but I also know they are expensive and slow growing. Unless you are looking for investment plants stick with what is available at local garden centers. For large palms I like Kings because they are self pruning (drop their fronds) so you won't have to have someone come out to cut the tall palms. Kentias are very elegant but need regular fertilizing when they get mature. I am battling with leaning sickness in two of my Kentias (these are 30 years old though) I also love Raphis these will fill an area and look similar to bamboo. I have Raphis Excelsa in front and Raphis Humilis in back. I have seen many kinds of palms at my local Home Depot including, Kings, Queens, Raphis, Phoenix Robilini, Triangle, Fishtail, even some Foxtail. I would love to buy more of these but was hit with a fatal fungus that attacks palms and there is no cure so I've switch over to collecting Cycads. They are fairly drought tolerant (once established) and have been on earth since prehistoric times (so hopefully I won't kill these) Cycads are becoming more common in garden centers too. Everyone knows Sagos (Cycas revoluta) but I've seen Zamias and others recently. I also like Birds of paradise. The giant birds make a nice background, are inexpensive and grow fast. The look similar to Banana but fair better in winds and won't look so torn up. Humming birds love Giant Birds and the regular ones. We eat breakfast outside and have counted as many as 11 humming birds one morning and all the flowers I have are Bird of Paradise. I like ferns but unless you have a lot of shade they require too much water. Good Luck and do some of the planting yourself. It will be cheaper and you'll take more pride in your garden. Here's some links to palm websites. http://www.palms.org/cgi-bin/ikon/ikonboard.cgi?s=b38e261e150541b8d306581602cdb8d3;act=SF;f=1 This is the International Palm Society Message Board. Nice knowledgeable people, similar board with palm nuts instead of tiki nerds. You may be able to find someone for your yard here. http://www.plantapalm.com/vpe/photos/vpe_photos.htm Palm Gallery-Look up by Latin/Botanical name for pictures and info. http://www.plantapalm.com/vce/photos.htm Cycad Gallery Hello Gonzo, I'm sure I've run into you on the IPS board. Wow, a palm and tiki collector acquiring Witco??? Welcome to the poor house! I am a palm nut but since Ganoderma wiped out a corner of my yard (3-30' Kings, 2 clumps Chamaerops humilis with 6+ trunks each, plus some younger Kings) RIP :( I've switched over to Cycads. My parents have been IPS members forever and I am only now getting really into it (their yard is stunning!) Recently they had a theft of several Encephalartos and a Sego with 4'+ trunk from the ground of their front yard after heavy rains. So I'm planting the rest of my Cycads in back with my Dobies! Here are some pics of my yard- please ignore the dirty pool (pool guy didn't come this week) but do notice the funky 60's amoeba shape! Also ignore the dead leaves, I'm the only one who does the yard work and my trash can is already full this week! enjoy this is a Kentia-group of 3 closer pic some Giant Bird of Paradise these are mature Phoenix Robilini when planted close to the house they will grow to curve around the roof, the trunk is S shaped. I have about 15 of these planted around my pool area. some Raphis Excelsa the giant clump of Raphis Humilis with some kings Sago-we all know these some other cycads waiting to be planted large Chamaerops humilis the only one I have left after Ganoderma took two on the other side of my yard. a little area with some bromiliads. Yipes, the longest post ever! Laney More pics will be posted on another thread about my new outdoor bar area. https://tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=3423&forum=1& [ Edited by: laney on 2003-04-18 13:13 ] [ Edited by: laney on 2003-04-18 13:30 ]

Hi elvira, If you are looking for a tropical yard you have tons of choices here in OC. Are you looking for someone to design, plant and build everything? That's bucks$$$ but if you plan on doing it (or some) by yourself Spring is a good time to get stuff in the ground. After these rains we're supposed to have, I have tons of plants waiting to be planted.

I, being a palm nut myself, love all kinds but I also know they are expensive and slow growing. Unless you are looking for investment plants stick with what is available at local garden centers. For large palms I like Kings because they are self pruning (drop their fronds) so you won't have to have someone come out to cut the tall palms. Kentias are very elegant but need regular fertilizing when they get mature. I am battling with leaning sickness in two of my Kentias (these are 30 years old though) I also love Raphis these will fill an area and look similar to bamboo. I have Raphis Excelsa in front and Raphis Humilis in back. I have seen many kinds of palms at my local Home Depot including, Kings, Queens, Raphis, Phoenix Robilini, Triangle, Fishtail, even some Foxtail.
I would love to buy more of these but was hit with a fatal fungus that attacks palms and there is no cure so I've switch over to collecting Cycads. They are fairly drought tolerant (once established) and have been on earth since prehistoric times (so hopefully I won't kill these) Cycads are becoming more common in garden centers too. Everyone knows Sagos (Cycas revoluta) but I've seen Zamias and others recently.

I also like Birds of paradise. The giant birds make a nice background, are inexpensive and grow fast. The look similar to Banana but fair better in winds and won't look so torn up. Humming birds love Giant Birds and the regular ones. We eat breakfast outside and have counted as many as 11 humming birds one morning and all the flowers I have are Bird of Paradise.

I like ferns but unless you have a lot of shade they require too much water.
Good Luck and do some of the planting yourself. It will be cheaper and you'll take more pride in your garden.

Here's some links to palm websites.
http://www.palms.org/cgi-bin/ikon/ikonboard.cgi?s=b38e261e150541b8d306581602cdb8d3;act=SF;f=1
This is the International Palm Society Message Board. Nice knowledgeable people, similar board with palm nuts instead of tiki nerds. You may be able to find someone for your yard here.

http://www.plantapalm.com/vpe/photos/vpe_photos.htm
Palm Gallery-Look up by Latin/Botanical name for pictures and info.

http://www.plantapalm.com/vce/photos.htm
Cycad Gallery

Hello Gonzo, I'm sure I've run into you on the IPS board. Wow, a palm and tiki collector acquiring Witco??? Welcome to the poor house! I am a palm nut but since Ganoderma wiped out a corner of my yard (3-30' Kings, 2 clumps Chamaerops humilis with 6+ trunks each, plus some younger Kings) RIP :( I've switched over to Cycads. My parents have been IPS members forever and I am only now getting really into it (their yard is stunning!) Recently they had a theft of several Encephalartos and a Sego with 4'+ trunk from the ground of their front yard after heavy rains. So I'm planting the rest of my Cycads in back with my Dobies!

Here are some pics of my yard- please ignore the dirty pool (pool guy didn't come this week) but do notice the funky 60's amoeba shape! Also ignore the dead leaves, I'm the only one who does the yard work and my trash can is already full this week! enjoy

this is a Kentia-group of 3

closer pic

some Giant Bird of Paradise

these are mature Phoenix Robilini when planted close to the house they will grow to curve around the roof, the trunk is S shaped. I have about 15 of these planted around my pool area.

some Raphis Excelsa

the giant clump of Raphis Humilis with some kings

Sago-we all know these

some other cycads waiting to be planted

large Chamaerops humilis the only one I have left after Ganoderma took two on the other side of my yard.

a little area with some bromiliads.

Yipes, the longest post ever! Laney
More pics will be posted on another thread about my new outdoor bar area.
https://tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=3423&forum=1&

[ Edited by: laney on 2003-04-18 13:13 ]

[ Edited by: laney on 2003-04-18 13:30 ]

Post #30798 by laney on Fri, Apr 18, 2003 1:11 PM