What should I get to fill out my "bulletproof" garden

[Justin]

On the "plants wanted" forum I posted something yesterday, indicating I'm going to go on a 1 gallon shopping spree to fill out my "bulletproof" garden. It's been four years since I took out the lawn and installed a bunch of small palms in the garden, which is the first thing you see as you drive in to my driveway. I made sure to plant it with palms that look good year-round and don't yellow during either the summer or the winter. Right now it's full of Ravenea rivularis, Ravenea glauca, Rhopalostylis, Chambeyronia, Dypsis decipiens, Dypsis onilahensis, and Dypsis leptichelos.

They're all big enough now that I'm ready to plants some more, preferably 1-2 gallon palms underneath. I was contemplating getting some of the following - please let me know if these are appropriate, or whether they'd be better suited for another part of the yard (there's plenty of room in other areas):

* Dypsis ambositrae

* Dypsis saintelucei

* Beccarophoenix alfredii

* Sabal mauritiiformis

* Euterpe edulis

* Burretiokentia hapala

* Laccospadix australasica

Also, if there are other, better palms that you recommend for my area (8-10 miles inland, but still constant ocean influence), please let me know. Here's some pictures of the bed, taken about a year ago, to give some context. The bananas are on their way out, since they look like crud during the winter, so any palms that can take their place, let me know that too. Thank you all in advance.

[Matt in SD]

Hi Justin,

The only one on your list that I'd be at all concerned about is the beccariophoenix alfredii, only because they really thrive in full sun. But it would probably look OK in some shade, just would grow slower I think, hard to say what will happen long term.

A couple other you should definitely consider:

Cyphophoenix elegans and nucele, these are really underused palms around here I think, definitely look good year round.

Heterospathe glauca, pretty new palm for Cali, but they seem to be easy to grow and look great with a little shade.

Burretiokentia khogiensis, dumasii, and grandiflora. I think these will all be as easy or easier to grow than hapala.

I've got extras of a few of the palms on your list, but all in 5g.

Matt

[Justin]

Thanks a bunch Matt, good suggestions. I was contemplating the Cyphophoenix myself, but I didn't know enough about them to know whether they'd look good year-round.

[DoomsDave]

Everything you have will work, though the D. ambostrae (either fake or real) and B. alfredii will be better in more sun. The Sabal is going to get big with time, though it will add to the canopy.

There's a lot of other palms to choose from: Chamadoreas will be great if they're shaded enough. C. ernest-augustii, metallica, brachyopoda and stolonifera all have simple bifid leaves, and I've got all four under other palms at my place. There's also a flock of understory Dypsis. Wallichia oreophilis rocks the house at my place under the Prichardtias . . .

Rhapidophyllum hystrix is good too, yeah, I know, hardy, but a LOT prettier than you might think, especially when they're small. Chuniopheonix nana is adorable and small. You could also try some of the clumping Pinangas or Ptychospermas . . .

If you really want some ideas, come and see my garden, it's what you're trying to do, just a bit further along.

dave

[Peter]

Justin, those Louis Hooper Raphis crosses are bulletproof and look great year around. Lots of chamadeoreas look great as well-ernest augustii, tepelijote, deckeriana, klotchiana, etc... as long as there's enough shade in that bed. Also, not a palm, but what about a Cycas deboensis?