WOW! That is awesome, Japie. I can certainly see how it is a traffic stopper.

HMMMM... off to find a suitable tree for my two insipid specimens.

That's a stunner Japie!
Very nice.

Sander

yes, a break slammer! How much sun and/or food? Thanks!

Wow, I've only seen one in the shade that was really tall and stretched out...and I thought that was good looking. Yours looks spectacular in the palm with bright light!

Beautiful specimen and setting Japie!

Any chance of someone pinching it in the middle of the night (or daylight)?

K

Thanks all!

Inang, the plant gets all the direct morning sun and then getting the dappled light through the canopy of palm leaves for the rest of the day as the sun goes higher. In the afternoon it is in full shade. The plant did not get any food!

Kerry, about a third of al my plants is in my front garden and there is no fence or wall around to protect them. Let's not talk about some of them deciding to go for a walk!!

Japie

I was wondering what pectinata would look like from the top, so I got the ladder out earlier today:
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Kerry, and this is specially for you! It's a bit hard to see all the broms, but if you would walk past and decided to grab one or two, you will have a tough time deciding which! My property is on s street corner, so walk around the bend with me!
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Wow! The whole place is spectacular and so tidy. Thanks for sharing.

Ok Kerry you grab the broms I see a palm i want and its all I can carry with those three trunks on it (hehe)

Japie, do you have Ae. biflora? I can't help thinking what a cross of those two might do....

Excellent photos Japie! Aechmea pectinata is a tricky plant to grow, & you seem to have found the perfect spot. Your front yard looks like a tropical oasis and the broms really do give the finishing touch.

Why thanks Japie! I so enjoyed our stroll around the bend, but I was so stupefied by the beauty that I had to recline on your immaculate lawn for a while, and take it all in.

Now I suggest you get back on that ladder, and take some more aerial shots....meanwhile, I'll just have to go "eenie-meenie-miney-mo" and grab as many broms to go, (while HDD grabs those palms), and then we'll do a runner!

hmmm...higher up that ladder Japie, higher!

Cheers,
Crafty Kerry :)

What kind of lawn grass do you have there? It doesn't look like the horrible stuff we have in Florida.

My Aech pectinata bloomed this summer for the first time but unfortunately not as spectacularly as yours but for Michigan not bad at all. That is one stunning specimen and your garden isn't bad either-awesome!!

Cache

Japie

I am sure your neighbours love to walk around your beautifully landscaped corner. Very inspiring!
How about adding a bench or two for a short rest?

Lyndi, you're welcome for a rest on either the chairs or the bench! Wow, with you resting on the bench, Kerry reclining on the lawn, HDD digging out the palm, I'll have to put out the refreshments!

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Hey Japie

lookin good man!

Cheers

Dennis

Japie that palm is superb..but the best photo is you 65 ft up the big one trimming it LOL

HDD, you want to come and hold the ladder for me, then I'll make a plant to trim these others again!

Thanks Dennis! When are you coming to Cape Town to come and see for yourself? Looking forward to it!

Japie

Sure Japie or I will climb the palm my garden tour is over LOL

Hi Japie

I am looking at next week! Maybe Wed/Thursday. Are there any plants that you are after that I can bring along?

Cheers

Dennis

Just a great idea for the billion Washingtonia's in California. Behind a good sturdy fence if you catch my drift.

Also Japie, you are able to grow Crotons? that last pic. What about bottle palms .I can't tell if that's a bottle or spindle palm. You must be able to get coconut to grow,if not fast? borderline?

Stanofh

I have quite a number of Crotons - I showed them on this forum about a year ago. When my garden was new still, I planted lots of them and they all died but they seem to like the micro climate that I created.

If you look at the tree pictures 'walking around the bend' above, in the first picture, between the Triangular palm and the Strelizia, is my Bottle Palm - still small. In the third picture, fairly in the centre, just right of the Pritchardia affinis, is my Spindle palm, a bit bigger. Coconut? Forget it! I tried, though.

JApie

Hey guys

Speaking of coconuts: I think my last soldier standing has been put to rest by the rhino beetles...three attacks in the last 3 days....its not looking pretty. They managed to "drill" about 20cm into the heart before I could get it out.

Wow! Japie

Nice, cosy corner to have tea, will you just send the air-tickets, thanks!

Japie that is very interesting to hear about the crotons. I planted 'mammy' in a very similar situation..under slight cover,surrounded by other plants in the part of the yard that warms up much earlier in the day than the rest of the property. So far no loss of leaves-in a climate (S.F. bay area)where they usually are defoliating by late October and dead by Thanksgiving(27th)Day.
One other thing.You have the most silvery Butia I have ever seen-It's Bismarckia silver.Congratulations on a great garden.

Thanks stanofh! Here is a link to the other post where I showed some of my crotons.

Here is a link that might be useful: Last days of Summer

Crotons are just one step above weeds here. If you see a house with a neglected landscape the only things surviving are crotons and queen palms. But, I think they are making a comeback as more varieties are available and people are using them a bit more judiciously. I even have some, but I inherited them.

I've been strapping little guzmanias and orchids to them but it's really hard to see an epiphyte in the interior of a croton.

neomea,if your still there-you had coconuts in South Africa? what part?.Difficult or doable- besides that beetle?
So few coconut growing stories where they are marginal..or California like weather..cool winters etc. Its either they are thriving or..like me,most likely a failed(soon to be) attempt.

Hi Stan

The majority of the South African East coast (I am in Durban, Westville) has a sub-tropical climate. Coconuts and most palms are easy to grow....V. splendida and other tropical palms grow fine...C.renda struggles in the hills where I live but is ok closer to the coast.

I live in a valley and its VERY cold (for this part of the world) with temps down to 5c in winter. Winters are dry and the days sunny and warm...mostly above 20c. So Cocos does well....EXCEPT for the d@$% beetles!

Below a pic from the garden.

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Thanks neomea. Oh,I can see you have a much warmer climate. Diffenbachia's and that tri color Ctenanthe are strict house plants for me.I'm not sure the palms you mentioned could take our cool summer nights!
When I hear the name Durban it reminds me of those nature shows on Rhino's and their last refuge.
Thanks again.

Hi Stan

I have a river at the bottom of the garden Stan, less that 100 years ago there were still hippos, crocs, rhinos, elephants and all manner of wild life unfortunitly all now long gone...there are many game reserves and private game farms within 2 hours drive of Durban...

Cheers for now

Dennis