Monday, September 14, 2015

My borrowed (palm) view...

We've had a nice run of sunny, cool, mornings. Sunny mornings make me happy, they're the best way to start a day. Recently, on such a morning, I glanced out the living room window at our neighbor's palm, it was looking especially lovely.

Here's a better view of the palm from the window, sans blind and screen. I've been looking out at this palm since we bought our house 10 years ago, it was planted by the previous owner of the house next door and (thankfully) retained by the current owners.

I got to thinking about borrowed views and how nice it is that their tree echoes ours (photo taken from our back yard - our Trachycarpus fortunei in the foreground).

Ours is about the height theirs was when we first moved in.

It's newest leaves are straight.

Whereas the older ones bend at the knuckles.

Stepping back for an expanded view you can see a third palm on the far right, our Trachycarpus wagnerianus, aka Louis II.

Louis is looking fine...

But wait, there's more! Another palm in the neighbors back garden, when I sit on the patio I have a view of it, as well as the other three. Can you see it? Up above the agave americana 'Variegata'...

Close up.

That's lots of palms, two of mine, two of theirs.

But, it get's even better. We've got another Trachycarpus wagnerianus, that's it on the right, next to the photo-bombing Yucca rostrata, Sammy.

Five palms! I am in paradise. What's your borrowed view like?

All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

17 comments:

  1. Your view is very nice! On one side of the garden, there is a nice view of some trees in a neighbor's hell strip but mostly I just see houses.

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    1. Ya, houses and ugly garages figure large in my borrowed view landscape. These palms are really the only real feature...

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  2. It's nice that there's a sense of repetition with the planting in your immediate area, brings a sense of cohesion. And it seems that your Trachycarpus has started to rocket away now, perhaps you're already stating to get over a foot a year? Several of ours put on 18'' of trunk growth this year.

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    1. It is growing pretty fast, finally. I don't know about a foot but it could be, I should have measured it this spring. 18"...incredible!

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  3. I'm going to need to put a bigger one in my neighbors' yard to get a view like that.

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  4. I'd think I was looking at California if I didn't know better. Actually, your palms are better looking than the uber-tall types common here with the dangerous fronds that drop like bombs in high winds.

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    1. It's taken me awhile to warm up to our palms, the hairy trunks used to be a deal breaker.

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  5. WOw, your garden is looking even more exotic than it looked when I visited. The palms in the borrowed views are perfect for it!

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    1. Thanks Lisa. Hopefully maybe you'll visit again some day...

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  6. Our borrowed view is a huge evergreen with long needles (no idea about evergreens. sorry.) and a dead magnolia grandiflora. The magnolia would be so pretty if it were alive. It's huge! But since it's dead, I just get sad when I see it. Well, win some, lose some, right?

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    1. Ouch. Dead from the drought? Do you think there are any plans to remove it?

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    2. I don't think it's due to the drought because they have another one in the front yard that's just fine. It has been in the same condition since we moved here just over a year ago, so they're not in any hurry if they have plans to take it out.

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  7. I love these views of your garden -- the one of the patio and stock tank and potted plants is so beautiful...!

    My SoCal borrowed view includes mountains, a pretty, young desert willow in bloom, a stand of the neighbor's oleander (green, healthy, in bloom with white blossoms, nice privacy screen), and also uphill, above our shared wall, a stretch of same neighbor's picket fence, which is in the process of being covered with neighbor's roses and native sages. I'd complain about the utility wires along one street, but the wires do make nice perches for our (non-native) flock of parrots [trying hard to be positive about those wires...].

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    1. Thanks Luisa! Your borrowed views sound rather lovely, and thank you for the reminder to see things in a positive light.

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  8. That's a pretty spectacular borrowed view! I must say, its one of my favourites. Louis is sure a looker, eh!? Your garden is looking as lush and as beautiful as ever!!

    My borrowed view is not so exciting, except the 75 foot plus tall douglas fir trees are providing me with a nice mild/dry garden so I really can't complain.

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  9. We've spent years trying to obliterate most of the borrowed view...other than the towering trees, of course.

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