PalmsNorth.com

Hey Everyone,
As most of you know I've been in the process of starting a new tropical plant business so I've been working 12+ hours everyday trying to get everything going. The last thing I want to do is fail at something I'm truly passionate about, new businesses are a tough thing but I think I'm going to be alright.

All that aside here's some a bunch of pictures of all my front yard beauties that I overwintered and some new tropical friends to join them. If the neighborhood didn't think I was crazy before, they do now! Hey what ever makes you happy right

So here we go. The first few are to get the general lay of the land and after I'll zoom in on specific specimens.

From right to left. New plants only will be labeled. Three frostproof gardenia's, one tree fern tucked in behind stair platform, 2 large sago's, behind 3 allamanda's in a triangle with a musella lasiocarpa in the middle, a huge 45 gallon double bull needle in back, a ghetto basement overwintered red tiger sikkemensis (top of window 1st floor is 10 feet from ground)


Followed by sabal birm from Gary in NC in front of trachy's, three firebushes around a huge cormed musa velutina, far left in another bull needle (r2d2) with three dwarf oleanders, a yellow angel trumpet, shell ginger and two Huge basjoos which will hit the 14 foot second floor window with no problem along with the red tiger.


Around the corner behind the unprotected nathchez crepe myrtle is a four trunked 65 gal. totally root bound minor (my new baby) followed by six oleanders, two indian hawthorns, one jasmin, six tri color oysters, a totally blue butia, and five newly planted basjoos. My old poor dug up a million times adams needle decided to push up 3 stalks this year next to the butia.






Here's the zoom in pictures of one of the four trunks of the old minor and the two different bull needle trunks. You can see the seeds on one of them but they are one both all the way around the trunks. The minor is pushing up tons of spike too.





Here's a picture of my overwintered hardy pink oleander and new sabal birmingham, my oldest trachy just about five feet of trunk, a good angle at how big the washy fronds are, and a up and coming tree fern with a over wintered (unheated) minor in front.






Thank You All for looking at my giant post,
Many, Many, Hours and Sweat went into making this garden what it is today

Bill

Here's the center shot photobucket can put thing in strange places sometimes



Bill

Bill,

Just beautiful... How old are your needles? They look very well established....

Rob

Bill,
let me be the first to say, wow!
I have a dozen questions and comments, but I'll save some until I read other replies.
First, what is a "bull needle"? Yours look like my new needle palms, but with much thicker "trunks" with many more needles.
Second, love the fire bushes (Hamelia patens). One of my favorites.
Third, what kind of tree fern? How do you keep 'em alive?
I'll ask questions 4-12 after I read other replies....
--Erik

Bill,

How old is your Natchez? Looks beautiful, I am just wondering if it will grow to a 30 feet tree...
Your garden is marvelous!!!!
Rob

Perfect!

Everything look super duper nice!
The leaves on that one Washy are ginormous!



Nice going Billy boy!

Wow Bill... Looks amazing!

Simply awesome Bill! What a way to promote your business, prove how it's really done in a big way! I have a feeling you are going to do quite well...

Speaking of business, you might want to look into an SBA loan (if you have not already). As I'm in the midst of acquiring another business myself, it is nice to see the SBA fee is currently waived and SBA Express loans (can go up to $500k) are super easy to get and if $350k or less there is NO collateral required to be pledged (real estate, etc). Good luck man!

Very impressive. Love it all but especially that Butia.

are you sure your not down south some were.

Very nice!

I forgot to mention in the other post, but yeah.. I'm going to be disipointed when I arrive in Mass in two weeks if you're house isn't there and you actually live in South Carolina or something!

Awsome Bill. I thought I had the palm bug. Your over the top with all the palms you have planted. All the best in your new business. I have my own hobby business called Okanagan Palms. Do you have a name picked out yet?


John

Bill
It's obvious you love what your doing which is the primary need for success. Great job!

Good job Bill !

Great yard!

WOW BILL
(*bowing down* I'm not worthy! LOL! )

You sure are in the right business and what better job than doing what you love! I didn't know you were starting one up, congratulations and all the best, it's obvious you'll be a great success!
LOVE LOVE the beautiful Washy!

Heidi

Rob,
I'm not really sure how old the needles are but if I were to guess I would say 15-20 years most likely. I just put those in this year so they'll take some time to get used to being away from there Florida home. The roots are very large so I don't think they'll have a problem getting settled in. As for the Natchez I planted it from a 30 gallon last year. I think it will be a long term survivor here where I have it planted.

Erik,
I'm pretty sure they use the term bull needle that grows more of a trunk and doesn't pump out the babies from the main plant. That's a least what I've always thought it was. As for the tree fern its a copperi, and I have know intention of leaving it in the ground for the winter. I left it in the pot so I can just pull it out. Jim has the in the ground tree ferns covered for this winter coming anyways Ask as many questions as you want man

Jim,
Yeah those washies are going to be fun to protect next year for sure. Last years method will not cut it for the size of them already. Never mind at the end of summer. Good thing I have plenty of time to dream up a new plan.

Eric,
Thanks man! So what's happening with your cacti bed? Did you post pictures and I missed them or have you just been to busy? Keep me posted.

Kory,
Thanks for the nice words, and the advice on the SBA loan. If all goes well I'll be looking for some cash from somewhere for sure.

Jack,
Thanks! Yeah the blue on that butia is really nice, it wasn't the biggest one I got but the color was just to nice! I had to plant it, I have a problem

Aaron,
I'm in the South of my state that qualifies me in the south right! That's how I justify all of this stuff. Thanks!

Scott,
Don't worry Bro I'm here! Maybe we can work out a trade some "house plants" for some Cuban cigars? It will be nice to hang out for a little while!

John,
Oh you have the palm bug too, you just hide your addiction better then I do I remember the pictures of your garage full a few years ago. How much room do you think you'll have this year? All in good fun, there is something magical about having a place full of tropical plants for sale. The name of my company is North East Tropicals. I'll work on the website, or I should say my buddy will when things slow up so hopefully Sept.

Penny,
It sure does help starting a business when it's stuff I do all the time anyways. I'm hoping that minor of mine takes off, in time I hope it will look as nice as yours.

Cameron,
Thanks, I hope some of this nice weather make it's way up there, the ten day looks pretty impressive here some I sure you'll be loving it too.

Tim,
Thanks man! I hope that washy of yours starts doing something soon for you. That would really be a giant bummer if something was wrong with the roots. What about the lava rocks you where talking about last year or the year before? Or something dark that would allow heat to get to the roots, that might fix it too. Hopefully it's something like that and not a root issue. Good luck with it anyway.

Heidi,
Yeah it always helps to do some kind of work that you like and it really doesn't seem like work "unless I'm digging" that sucks until it's over. Those washies are pretty cool, sometime the make me question what Doing! I measured a couple of the fronds and there are two that are 52" wide Bring on the summer heat! How's that trachy of your doing, anything new?

Thank You All for the nice words!!!

Bill

Yeah for sure Bill.. Two weeks yesterday. I'm sure the weather will be nice! It's been freekin how here! I love it!!! I'm still drooling over your pics... See ya soon..

WOW Bill 52" wide, that's awesome! Thanks for asking about my Trachy. I'm worried about the bugs in the crown, other than that the 2 new spears shooting up seem to be okay so far, I'll have to see in a while when they start opening up. Guess it's a waiting game. I'll keep you posted and take pics of the new spears soon.

Heidi

Holy cow, Billy! I'm speechless at how beautiful your plants and landscaping are...probably 'coz my jaw's still on the floor.
Wishing you much success in your new biz...heck, people just have to SEE your place to know it's possible.
Great company name.
Looking forward to seeing your website in the Fall.

What a labor of love you created.
The plant locations are perfectly situated for both size, color and interest.

Well done, buddy.
The sore back was worth it, I'm sure!

Barb
PS--John's too modest. He had a double garage FULL, plus a carriage house, plus an upstairs in the garage, plus inside his house and planted outside.
You two could be brothers!

Thanks a lot Barb!

The traffic was ok this weekend but there was nobody around here, you couldn't even here rte 1! It's hard for me to gauge though because I'm always on Cape Cod with the rest of the people. The beach weather was perfect so I'm not surprised at all.

I need to snap some pictures tomorrow of the back yard in between the thunder storms. Nice a day off from watering

I new John had a lot of stuff hiding around his place

Bill

Hey Mr.Bill

Can you put together some of your pics and add some others of each side of your house,
which way it faces and then some of your back yard?

For some reason I have a hard time picturing the whole lay out.

Looks awesome

Yeah, I'm well overdue plus I keep promising I'll post nursery yard picture too.

Sorry guys! Scott got to see it at least

Bill

Scotty could at least post some pics!!!
Since you haven't.

Can't wait to see the nursery yard.

Scotty's holding out on us Bill

Scotty,
can you post to YouTube what Bill's garden looks like?
--Erik

Scott didn't take any pictures in his defense. I have a guy's night party in my yard with a bunch of friends so Sunday will most likely be a good day to take pictures and actually post them.

More news the three trachys in Providence RI that had zero protection at all and in a poor micro climate to be kind are all alive and growing well if you can believe it. I was there yesterday taking pictures so They'll be in there too. This gives me hope for my semi protection plan if I don't chicken out, which I most likely will.

Bill

Even though some type of semi-protection is what I am going for,I think
in some ways it's harder than just covering them.

Much to my surprise though my Waggie that I basically tried to kill in March did the best of the lot coming out of the gate.


So,I think I will try uncovering earlier and covering earlier as Trachys are really quite bomb proof once they have adjusted to the cold.
It's the early cold in fall/winter that does them in, a very important discovery as far as I am concerned!

very nice!