Planting out and Understory area in the garden

[Gbarce]

Finally decided to clear out and clean up a rather neglected part of the garden. It's a shady area so its the perfect place to try growing understory plants and palms.

Here are a couple of overhead shots

[Gbarce]

Most of the palm seedlings are still pretty tiny and are dwarfed by the other plants I planted with them

Here's a Bactris militaris

Iguanura Elegans

[Gbarce]

Licuala Mapu

I planted two of these. The smaller one is partially hidden in the shadow

[Gbarce]

I planted a few Caryotas here

Can you tell which species??

[Gbarce]

Joey Magnifica and what I think is a Licuala Mattannensis

[Gbarce]

A really pathetic Licuala Orbicularis seedling-- It wasn't doing well in its pot so I thought it might do better in the ground. I hope this works

Pinanga Aristata-- a couple of them. I planted a few Philodendron 'moon glow'(?) that were sun burned where they were originally planted. Hopefully these guys will all be happier here

[Gbarce]

A couple of Dypsis Pinnatifrons and a variegated bamboo in the background. This is a sunnier spot

[Gbarce]

After reading the Pigafetta Post I decided to plant one of the 2 Pigafetta Filaris that I have.

Here's the lucky plant that will be the first in the ground

Close up of the white thorns

[Gbarce]

Roots are bursting out of the pot

Still trying to decide on the place to plant it but I'll definitely put him in the ground this weekend.

* I checked the tag and this one is less than a year old --I think I got it mistaken with an earlier attempt with Pigafettas a couple of years ago

[Gbarce]

I'm taking a big risk with these three.

These are more suited for a temperate climate and is even known for withstanding snow pretty well. They are doing ok so far. I am hoping that they thrive in the ground

Care to guess what they are?

[ariscott]

Wow... some babies you got there... They should do well in the shade, just make sure you water them well. Although, it is still the wet season where you are, right?? I really like that L. mattannensis. mapu is nice, of course... but I think the 'normal' mattannensis is stunning as well even without mottling. Is that the big Joey that you planted? Don't forget to post again in a few months/years...

Regards, Ari

[Gbarce]

yup It's the rainy season.

Nope that's not the Joey that I showed in another post. That one was an exceptionally wider leafed J. Altifrons. THis one is an exceptionally skinny leafed J.Magnifica.

I planted a few more palms and non palms. I'll post them too later

[Moose]

Gene - I foresee an Awesome PRA at your garden in 10 years when it has matured. You are blessed with the selection of palms that thrive for you.

I am curious, do you have a local source for your palms or do you need to start from seed?

Best regards,

Ron.

[Gbarce]

Yeah--give me 15 years even. I'm so impressed and humbled when I see pictures of really mature (20 to 40 year old) gardens grown by real plant enthusiasts.

A lot of homes here have "instant gardens" and just go by whatevers easily available in the market. The owners rarely garden themselves and just have lanscapers and professionals do things for them. I guess they look good but I find them boring and lack imagination for the most part.

There are a few sources of palms here and a few vendors who specialize in the collectible stuff. The rarer stuff are obviously steeply priced and there are very few buyers of expensive palms/plants so the good stuff are few and far between. Vendors here mostly import plants from Thailand.

I grow some plants from seed too but of course time is the issue and it usually takes about a decade before you get a mature plant.

[ariscott]

Yeah... I can imagine, Gene. A lot of people has gardeners in Indonesia, so they can't understand why I actually want to go out there & get dirty to do my own gardening here in Australia. Despite the fact that we couldn't possibly afford a gardener, I found it fun too... My dad does the same. He did most things in the garden himself until recently, and everyone kept on telling him to get a gardener. But he said it would take the fun out of gardening!!

Regards, Ari

[peachy]

Looking good Gene. Was the mystery palm a trachycarpus ? You can grow all the palms I cant even afford to buy. I would like to have a gardener to do the weeding, digging, lifting, hand watering and all the boring stuff. I dont know if I am lazy, or elitist or just a wannabe delegator.

Peachy

[ariscott]

Or in my case... the mulching, Peachy...lol.

Regards, Ari

[Gbarce]

Good eye Peachy! It's a Trachycarpus Wagnerianus. I wasn't expecting it to live through summer but it did so I decided to plant it. I'll probably give it some sun protection next summer just to be sure.

I have to confess that we do have a few gardeners/handymen around. It's not like I am doing all of this on my own but I do get pretty involved and get my hands, t shirt and jeans dirty.

Last couple of shots for today I also planted a Joey Perakensis in between the 2 Joey Altifrons I planted a few months ago.

It's in there somewhere.

[Gbarce]

Here's a closer look.

It's so tiny. It wasn't doing well in its pot so into the ground it goes. Hopefully it like the ground better

[ariscott]

Hey... what's a gardener between friends... I think I am just jealous... lol. Those joey are looking great!!

Regards, Ari

[John Case]

I planted a few Caryotas here

Can you tell which species??

I have never thought of a 50 foot Caryota as an understory plant....you must have some tremendous trees

[peachy]

Gene, unlike Ari, I don't think I am jealous at all. I bloody know I am.

Peachy

[Gbarce]

Bepah -- its one of the smaller Caryotas. So that rules out the giants like maxima, gigas, no and the like.

[John Case]

Bepah -- its one of the smaller Caryotas. So that rules out the giants like maxima, gigas, no and the like.

Gene,

Just kidding.....it was too much fun!.

Thanks,

JC

[hanapalms]

Gene,

Looks like the makings of a great garden. I have been doing some understory plantings myself; problem is I am planting canopy palms to replace the trees that are currently providing shade. I don't know what to expect when it is time to take out the trees. Hopefully they won't damage my palms when they come down.

[ariscott]

William,

Don't replace your trees. They provide much better shade than any palms would. I know some people here might not agree with me... but I grow all sorts, and I find the dappled shade of trees make better canopy for those ultra tropical and sensitive palms. Besides, if you plant flowering trees, you get a bonus of burst of colours when they flower...

Regards, Ari

[Gbarce]

It also depends on what type of trees you have. Some trees might provide too much shade though. Trees that dont have too dense a canopy and tiny leaves are the best ones for creating an undestory environment to grow plants--Something like Delonix Regia.

Here's the Pigafetta Filaris in the ground. I planted her in a deep hole and left it a bit sunken so that water is drawn to the seedling when it rains

That's My Pelagodoxa Henryana that's suffering from too much sun exposure in the background. I am hoping that by next summer, this Pigaffeta can give it much needed shade.

[Lowey]

Hey Gene, nice group of plants in that section they will really add to your already beautiful garden

That pigy should power on now it's in the ground.

[Gbarce]

Thanks Bruce.

Here are some of the non-Palms that I will be planting in this area.

Anthurium Faustinomirandae

[Gbarce]

A crazy corrugated asplenium nidus

I'll have 3 of these in pots then grouped together

[Gbarce]

A couplr of variegated Dracena

[Gbarce]

A variegated Monstera Deliciosa

This was a top cut and I have been trying to establish it in a pot for about a year. Still no new growth till now but its never lost any of its leaves. There is visible root growth though.

[Gbarce]

A variegated Bamboo.

I forgot the cultivar name but it is Japanese sounding

[Gbarce]

Ive got a couple of large pots that will eventually house Cycas debaoensis and cycas longipetiolula

[Gbarce]

Some birds nest type anthuriums

[ariscott]

All nice, Gene... but I think you need more bright colour. What about some obake type flowering anthurium?

Regards, Ari

[Gbarce]

Ari- for color I will be relying on some extremely colorful foliage plants like this Philodendron that has a bright lemon yellow new leaf.

[Gbarce]

and some radically colored Agleonemas

I just have to propaget more of these.

The price on these have gone down in recent years but its still going to be expensive if you are going to cover a lot of ground.

These guys are like crotons for shady areas.

[peachy]

Red aglaonemas and variegated monsteras....now I definately hate you. Those divine looking things are just never seen here. Normal aglaonemas grow like weeds for me and I quite like them, but those red ones.....oooh la la....our local nurseries are just going to have to get off their behinds and start sourcing wonderful stuff like that for us too.

Peachy

[Gbarce]

Peachy- the variegated monsteras, I don't know where they come from and propagating them from top cuttings takes a very long time. The 2 top cuts I've made take about 2 years before they produce a new leaf.

The red colored agleonemas come from Thailand where they hybridize these like crazy and they come up with new varieties every year. THere are so many varieties now that a lot of them look the same already. The new varieties are always the most expensive but there is almost always a similar looking old variety at a much lower price. They are so easy to propagate-- just break off the top and stick it in loose and airy potting medium and they establish themselves in a couple of months. Before long your 1 plant is a dozen already. These should find their way to Australia pretty soon