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Planting suggestions
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Posted by greathawks SE Qld (My Page) on Sun, Mar 28, 04 at 5:08
| I have a garden bed that runs along a retaing wall between my property and my neighbours. The wall is treated timber sleepers and is about 1 to 1.3 metres high. I am on the high side. What I would like to do is plant palms along the top edge but I am worried about roots and trunks damaging the wall. Does anybody have any suggestions?
Thanks
Greathawks |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Planting suggestions
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| What palms have you been having in mind? Normally, they do not damage retainer walls. What do you want to achieve - shade or screening? What height is desired, how much sunlight does it get? |
RE: Planting suggestions
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| Bernard, I am after some screening as well as shade - have a highset house behind - no windows but a blank brick wall. The position is full sun. My knowledge of palms is very limited - golden canes, fishtails, alexs etc. I would like to create a tropical look. Thanks
Greathawks |
RE: Planting suggestions
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| For minimum cost and fuss,i would go the golden canes ,they will do the job very well. |
RE: Planting suggestions
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Sorry, but I have to disagree with Richard. I have dozens of Golden canes in my garden and also a large number of the far more beautiful Macarthur Palm (Ptychospermum macarthurii). This is a much more elegant palm than the Golden Cane and has the added advantage of being a native. It is multi-stemmed, like the Golden Cane but with a far more attractive leaf structure. It is also a lot tidier than the Golden Canes which seem to require constant cleaning out of the dead fronds. The contrast between the two is really pronounced when in fruit. The Macarthurs will be visited by all sorts of fruit eating birds, but the Golden Canes are like a desert - nothing comes near them. Macarthur Palms are native to North Queensland, but they will grow in Brisbane and I have seen them quite cheap at a palm nursery down there. Alexandra Palms(Archontophoenix alexandrea) are another beautiful native palm. They are particularly attractive when planted in irregular clusters. Quite fast growing
Grant |
RE: Planting suggestions
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| Grant, I have researched the Macarthur palm and it looks very attractive, but is it as as thick/bushy as the Golden cane?
what sort of birds like it, and is it fast growing?
Thanks |
RE: Planting suggestions
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Hello Anthirum,
Both Macarthur Plams and Golden Cane have a similar structure. The mature palms consist of ten or more individual canes sprouting from a dome shaped base. To the casual observer they may appear to be similar palms, but the Macarthur has a very different and much more attractive leaf structure and a more subtle colour, being a very light yellow/green. Golden Canes consistently send up shoots from the base and from the stems of the main plant. If left unkempt these shoots form a very bushy undergrowth that forms an effective screen. This is completely absent from Macarthurs which have no undergrowth of new shoots whatsoever. No, it is not as bushy as the Golden Cane.
I have seen many of the common fruit eating rainforest birds in my Macarthurs feeding on the ripe fruit, including Metallic Starlings, Rose Crowned and Superb Doves and Pied Imperial Pigeons. I have yet to see any bird in the Golden Canes - I guess they just don't like the fruit.
Grant |
RE: Planting suggestions
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| When i suggested Golden canes ,you may note"for minimum cost and fuss",I too prefer Mcarthurs however they are relatively uncommon in nurseries down in Brisbane and Golden canes can be aquired very cheaply in outlets such as Bunnings etc. |
RE: Planting suggestions
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| I would think about Macarthur palms, maybe some Alex or Bangalow and a clumping fishtail for interest. Golden canes are totally over-used in my opinion. Don't forget to include some foliage as well or your area will look funny with only palms. Since your are is in full sun, I would plant some large growing Heliconias as well. |
RE: Planting suggestions
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| Thanks for the tips. Do the roots of the golden canes or Macarthur palms cause problems? How far away from the egde of the retaining wall should I plant these? |
RE: Planting suggestions
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Golden Cane roots can be extremely intrusive. I have one growing near a brick wall where the roots have penetrated under the bottom course of brickwork, lifting the whole wall about 100mm. Not so sure about the Macarthurs. I have several, and a number are in close proximity to structures without any obvious problem. If your retaining wall is not a solid masonry construction then I would suggest 1.2 to 1.5 m clearance.
Grant |
RE: Planting suggestions
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- Posted by mick_Q zone 10 - SEQ (My Page) on
Thu, Apr 15, 04 at 6:12
| Have you thought of clumping bamboo instead of palms.We grow many bamboo varieties - ONLY clumping - and Bambusa Heterostachya varigated, [3 metres high and 2.5 cm culm diameter]would suit your purpose and position beautifully. |
RE: Planting suggestions
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| I would suggest some cordylines between the palms. The leaves come in a myriad of different colours and they would complement the palms beautifully. Also their roots are not invasive, they are easy to prune and the prunings strike readily to give away to friends or sell. They look very tropical. |
RE: Planting suggestions
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If you really want some golden canes, you can come and dig up the ones at my place!
Tony |
Pruning golden canes
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Hey there,
I would like some advice if I may on how to go about pruning golden canes and can I replant what I pruned? |
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