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^^ That house in Christchurch looks like it could easily fit here in Vancouver. The only big difference I see is the sky configuration. We rarely have clouds that look like that. Usually it's either dull grey skies, blue dome or puffy white clouds here.
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A house look that is becoming all too common in my opinion. A lot of newer suburbs with this type of house don't have a lot of character to me. Still, each to there own. At least they are warm and aren't "leaky houses"
I can only remember the one type of cloud in BC, the dull grey one. The skies had a nice clarity to them when it was clear though. Interesting cloud here at the moment, after a morning of short downpours. A rainbow, rapidly rising/disappearing ground mist, fast moving nimbostratus to the north and
cumulonimbus already forming above the hills to the west. Gotta enjoy a bit of cloud watching on top of the hill, with a cold beer. I had thought of starting a thread on clouds, but decided it was a bit pointless until I get a camera.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Asagi
South Island (notice all the tree ferns and palms)
Looks typical of the northern west coast. There is an absence of big trees (podocarps). It could be either regenerating, or too wind/salt blasted for the bigger trees to do well. Around here a lot of the Nikaus spend there whole life under the canopy, never seeing direct sunlight. Those ones have a very different look to them.
Rhapidophyllum hystrix, Needle Palm, is the hardiest palm species, although Sabal minor, Dwarf Palmetto, has survived just below zero in regions with long hot summers such as Oklahoma or Arkansas, where they are native believe it or not. The Needle Palm is just about as hardy as the Dwarf Palmetto, but seems to cope with long winters better. A few people had gotten to survive a few winters as far north as Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Zone 5b), but they croaked due to last winter's record cold winter.
I don't have any actual experience with these palms though...
I haven't really seen these palms here in Vancouver. I think it must be a summer heat issue rather than a winter cold issue though because we rarely get below 15F in winter here.
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A house look that is becoming all too common in my opinion. A lot of newer suburbs with this type of house don't have a lot of character to me. Still, each to there own. At least they are warm and aren't "leaky houses"
I can only remember the one type of cloud in BC, the dull grey one. The skies had a nice clarity to them when it was clear though. Interesting cloud here at the moment, after a morning of short downpours. A rainbow, rapidly rising/disappearing ground mist, fast moving nimbostratus to the north and
cumulonimbus already forming above the hills to the west. Gotta enjoy a bit of cloud watching on top of the hill, with a cold beer. I had thought of starting a thread on clouds, but decided it was a bit pointless until I get a camera.
Yeah most houses here are fairly modern as most of the suburbs have only really started to grow in population in the last 25 or so years. Some of the "traditional" looking houses in the mountains are built with logs similar to the one Wavehunter showed but certainly nobody in the city has a house that looks like that.
Admittedly, I don't know much about cloud types. Today was a nice day with a mix of sun and cloud (cumulus I think?) but there was a bit of stratus cloud hanging around by the mountains.
I haven't really seen these palms here in Vancouver. I think it must be a summer heat issue rather than a winter cold issue though because we rarely get below 15F in winter here.
Also, those palms are generally unattractive to most people, they're bushy and don't form above ground trunks.
Also, those palms are generally unattractive to most people, they're bushy and don't form above ground trunks.
Yeah, I mean those ones don't exactly jump out at you as being palms passing by, if you're not really into plants.
People really want somethin that evokes the image of a slender trunk with the tuft of leaves crowning it. At least the windmill palm with it's trunk stands out as a palm, even if it's not as stereotypically tropical-looking as a pinnate leafed palm.
P. Canariensis and Windmill palms are about the only palms grown here (there are a few others, but these two are by far the most common). They do look a little out of place, but it doesn't really bother me.
This is real interesting! Thanks for sharing. I had no idea that there were any palms that could make it up to anywhere near zone 5/6, even with protection. I could imagine the humid summers of Montreal or Toronto might serve them, but to go through typical 10F to 5F winters regularly.. wow.
Personally, it seems like a lot of work for many large palms from what I see in the videos and others linked to them (some videos by the same guy showed quite a lot of covers and wrapping) -- I guess some people, as you say, are willing to go to great lengths to get a piece of the subtropical landscape in their backyards.
I haven't really seen any cold-hardy palms currently marketed and sold for the garden here in Toronto myself -- maybe it's going to be the start of a fad or trend that I could be seeing more of in the years to come. Personally, I suppose to get my fix of the subtropics, I'd rather spend money and time on getting up and going somewhere warm for a vacation.
From what I've gathered on line, growing palms in high latitude interior climates (Canada, northern Midwest USA, Eastern Europe, North Asia…etc) is all about keeping them dry when it’s very cold (bud rot). While there are many palms that can take frosty temps (20’s F)….few can really take sustained cold of less than 10 F ( -13 C) for long periods of time. I think that must be the critical thing up in your country with the long severe winters and long periods of sub zero F cold weather. I think that is why, in the long term, you’re not likely to see palms above zone 7 (USDA). While there is likely many, many Windmill Palms growing with protection in many cold winter areas, you’re not likely to see one survive long term growing unprotected north of zone 7/ 8 (USDA). Yes, it seems like a lot of work to cover palms in a cold country like Canada, but still, it’s still quite amazing to see a trunked palm in Montreal, Canada.
I also do agree with the vacation aspect as well. That also plays into the “environment thing” I was getting at in terms of palms in temperate climates. While palms might look interesting in temperate climates…obviously true low latitude subtropical/tropical areas just have a different look in both the natural (sun angles, clouds, backround trees, etc ) and man made (housing style, public buildings, ext) environemnt from temperate latitudes. I guess that's why vacation is vacation...there is no substitute :
Key West:
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Last edited by wavehunter007; 04-24-2011 at 07:44 AM..
What an awesome thread and great photos! I read through the whole thing!
When I first visited the south in my 20's, I remember not liking the palm trees much. As I traveled more extensively, saw more varieties, changed my point of view somewhat!
I don't care for the look of them in a more northern climate, just my individual narrow opinion probably!
Ahhh, Key West, awesome and great place to enjoy the palm trees (among other things)!
Kind of like comparing apples and oranges isn't it???? Key West is very samll compared to the islands of Hawaii so naturally there would be more palm trees and foliage in Hawaii.
Hawaii is o.k., not one of my favorite places (and I have been there many times)! First visit for over 3 weeks was not a good thing but I did give it other chances.
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