Use a Variety of Palms to Spice Up Your Florida Landscape

Some Florida gardeners prefer to keep it simple with their palm selections, and we totally understand why. There are, after all, more than 2,500 different types to choose from, and they each require different growing conditions. It can be intimidating to say at the very least — and tempting to go with just a couple of varieties at most.

That said, if you put the right palm in the right place, you can introduce interesting contrasts and textures to liven up your landscape. For instance, this residential landscape designed by ArtisTree boasts a stunning mix of coconut palms, Sabal palms, Medjool dates, Cuban royals and silver Bismarcks.

That’s right: five different palms. C’mon – live big! Five out of 2,500 types isn’t a lot at all. We placed them with consideration for sun and wind exposure, frond density, color hues, height potential and crown spans.

But the biggest factor we considered was why the homeowner wanted palms in the first place. Was it for privacy? Shade? Or just as a pure design element? In this case, it was “all of the above.” They envisioned a lush, tropical design with centerpiece groupings and long linear rows. Oh, and they wanted privacy and shade, too. They got it all and were absolutely thrilled.

So start with the “why,” proceed to the “how,” then decide the “what.” It’s all about choosing the best variety for your intended usage, your climate and your personal design tastes. Need assistance? Consult with a professional designer, or even better yet, contact ArtisTree at 941.488.8897; artistree.com.

By the way, here’s an excellent full-color resource that will really get you fired up: The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms. It’s available at amazon.com, too. Happy planting from all of us at ArtisTree.

Category Landscape Design, News, Plant selection, Landscaping Tips, Palms