Sunday, October 28, 2007

Goodbye Palm


See this massive Canary Island Date Palm? We planted this in our front garden 25 years ago. It now towers over the power lines, causing problems every year with fronds hitting the lines. And nothing grows under it except horrible fishbone fern. We can't even get a spade in the ground the root mass is so thick. In short I hate it. Steve has a soft spot for it but I have won because I have moaned and whinged and nagged him to death and he has admitted defeat. :-)

And on Wednesday it will be gone, it's being cut down! And thus will commence the transformation of the front garden. It looks much worse now than this photo taken just over a year ago. Poor garden, it's been sadly neglected and needs some love.

We are turning it into a low maintenance low water garden. Lots of the lawn is coming out and will be paved. Low limestone walls will edge the garden beds to keep grass out and soil in. A lot of the plants will be replaced with low water natives. Except that blue plumbago hedge in the foreground. I have a soft spot for that so it's staying for now. It's pretty tough actually and can survive low water, it just needs pruning fairly regularly.

So, lots of work and organising and phonecalls to come in the near future, but I'm looking forward to the result.

And on another topic, I wandered over to a craft market today, and had the great pleasure of meeting Miss Dot and her sister, and Feli! It's so nice to put faces to bloggers, particularly ones as nice as these lovely ladies.

6 comments:

Jo in NZ said...

Dy, you know you should try seeling the pheonix palm. A few years ago you could knock one of these babies off over here for about 10 grand!! Developers like them for new subdivisions.
I see you have a cool new function on your comments box for comment feedback. Did you put that there, or did it just turn up?? Gotta love blogger don't ya?

Jo in NZ said...

the word is "SELLING"...

Dy said...

We tried that Jo, the darn palm has been under contract with an arbor company to be sold and a year later there are still no buyers. Apparently "the bottom has fallen out of the palm market". I had dollar signs in my eyes but enough is enough - it has to go!! :-)

I think Blogger must have put that new function up, I've noticed it a lot this weekend when commenting on other blogs - it's great isn't it!

Anonymous said...

I was going to say the same thing but bummer hey! and it was lovely meeting you, so sweet, you and Meshell are so similar, my sister recognised you straight away. Thanks for coming all the way out to see me, the market wasn't that successful. Not enough there and not enough traffic so many many thanks for making the long trip out to me, I hope there weren't too many right hand turns!

felicakes said...

It was so nice to meet you too. :*)

Liz Needle said...

A radical change to the garden, Dy. I wonder how long it will take to get used to. Istill miss my muklberry tree 3 years down the track.