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DaveE
02-09-2010, 11:35 AM
I am working on a DIY landscape project at our new house. The pictures are part of last summers work. I have a few things to tweak and can't wait for everything to fillout this year. The after pictures were of course taken in the fall before the three days of cold weather we had.

Now that the weather is getting warm, I am getting the itch to get started on phase 2 and 3 which is the east and west sides of the house. My wife and I drove up to see Jimmmy, from the forum, this last weekend and picked up a few different types of Bananas to get ready. I ended up with a few Saba, Double Mahoi, Dwarf Orinoco, Ice Cream, Red & Green and RajaPuri to get me started. I had a nice visit with Jimmmy and his wife and they took good care of us.

I am still looking for a few Bananas like Basjoo and maybe one of the large Ensete subspecies as well as other sub tropicals, so I would love to get in touch with other local banana enthusiast. I would also appreciate any input on the above types as far as sun exposure so I can decide what I am going to plant where.

Dave

Before

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29615&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29615&ppuser=6909)

After

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29558&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29558&ppuser=6909)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29557&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29557&ppuser=6909)

DaveE
02-09-2010, 12:23 PM
Here are a few more after pictures.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29616&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29616&ppuser=6909)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29619&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29619&ppuser=6909)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29620&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29620&ppuser=6909)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=29622&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=29622&ppuser=6909)

Dalmatiansoap
02-09-2010, 12:28 PM
Wow Dave, this is just AWESOME
:woohoonaner:

djmb74
02-09-2010, 12:29 PM
Looks Great!

conejov
02-09-2010, 12:52 PM
That looks really nice Dave

Abnshrek
02-09-2010, 12:57 PM
Nice Job :^)

revensen
02-09-2010, 01:39 PM
Looks really good!

Greenie
02-09-2010, 07:21 PM
very nice!

Abnshrek
02-09-2010, 07:24 PM
You do any of the rock work or just the landscaping? :^)

DaveE
02-09-2010, 09:03 PM
You do any of the rock work or just the landscaping? :^)

I had Kieth Zars from San Antonio do the pool and the rock work. I did all of the landscaping myself to save money.

Dave

CookieCows
02-09-2010, 09:42 PM
I'm speechless! That is beautiful!!!

Deb

palmtree
02-09-2010, 10:11 PM
It looks great. When everything grows in its going to look even better!! Good luck!

LilRaverBoi
02-09-2010, 10:35 PM
WOW! Quite the improvement from the grassy field you had before (not that it would have taken much for 'improvement' but you certainly went the extra effort!). Great job...very beautiful! Can't wait to see how it looks in a year or two!

cherokee_greg
02-09-2010, 10:35 PM
very nice great job

Randy4ut
02-09-2010, 10:44 PM
Dave, it looks like something that would take MANY years to complete instead of one year! What an amazing transformation you have done! This has to be THE crispest, cleanest landscaping job I have seen in a LLLLOOOONNNNGGGG time. Well done, and please be sure to keep us updated to its development!!! You and your wife should be very proud of your accomplishments!

DaveE
02-10-2010, 12:10 AM
Thanks for all the positive comments everyone!

Dave:bananas_b

Kevin
02-10-2010, 12:19 AM
Wow! That's an amazing tranformation! Great job! Would it be possible to label the plants in your photos for us? From left to right, on each photo (mainly the bananas and palms, unless there is something else cool that I missed)?

Henry
02-10-2010, 01:16 AM
Very nice, look like a tropical oasis. I would add some coconut plants; Imagine sipping coconut juice lounging next to that pool in the hot texas summer is awsome :02:.

island cassie
02-10-2010, 06:25 AM
DaveE - that is very impressive, and you didn't make the mistake of planting too densely - you have obviously done this before because the result is so great. Great vision!

DaveE
02-10-2010, 09:15 AM
Wow! That's an amazing tranformation! Great job! Would it be possible to label the plants in your photos for us? From left to right, on each photo (mainly the bananas and palms, unless there is something else cool that I missed)?

Kevin,

The palms under the Live Oak tree are Sagos. When you look to the left of the waterfall there is a Sago and a Texas Sabal in the background. To the right of the waterfall is a small Sago underneath a Canary Island Date and another Texas Sabal in the background. In the pictures of the right side starting in the back moving toward the house is a Mexican fan (should have went with California as they seem to take the cold better), Sago, Very small and larger Texas Sabal, Mexican fan and then several more Sago.

Dave

DaveE
02-10-2010, 09:53 AM
DaveE - that is very impressive, and you didn't make the mistake of planting too densely - you have obviously done this before because the result is so great. Great vision!

IC,

Ten years ago I landscaped our house, and a small courtyard area for a neighbor, when I lived in Del Rio. I didn't have any experience, just a vision of what I wanted it to look like. I did a little plant research and started digging. We ended up selling that house a short time later and moving to Wisconsin for career reasons. Even though I missed our palms and bananas, I never even thought about planting bananas there. We did have a garden and a couple flowerbeds to play in. When I moved back to Texas last year I couldn't wait to start planting. There is something about palms and bananas that is good for the soul.

Dave

Kevin
02-11-2010, 10:25 PM
Cool! Do you mean Cycas revoluta (not a palm)? I don't think I've seen those used in landscaping before. What kinds of bananas do you have?

DaveE
02-11-2010, 11:39 PM
Cool! Do you mean Cycas revoluta (not a palm)? I don't think I've seen those used in landscaping before. What kinds of bananas do you have?

Kevin,

Yes, they are commonly refereed to as Sago palms here in Texas even through they aren't. They are very common here, I don't think you can drive through a neighborhood with out seeing a few. Even though they are very common they are a great plant and really help achieve that tropical look/feel.

The banana plants in the pictures are Orinoco I believe. In the original post I listed a group of plants I just picked up to use in other ares. they are doing great and I can't wait to get them in the ground.

Dave

Patty in Wisc
02-12-2010, 12:23 AM
That is a beautiful yard you have there Dave, but I can't figure out how you did all that in one year. It normally takes years to get a yard to get to that point from your 1st before pic.
I'll bet you really appreciate living there so you can have palms & nanas inground all year. I have several palms (incl canary Isl. date) & nanas but have to dig 'em up or haul them in the sunroom for winter....YUK. But it sure is worth it for that summer 'Tropical look' which I love.
Your yard is really nice! :)

DaveE
02-12-2010, 12:39 AM
That is a beautiful yard you have there Dave, but I can't figure out how you did all that in one year. It normally takes years to get a yard to get to that point from your 1st before pic.
I'll bet you really appreciate living there so you can have palms & nanas inground all year. I have several palms (incl canary Isl. date) & nanas but have to dig 'em up or haul them in the sunroom for winter....YUK. But it sure is worth it for that summer 'Tropical look' which I love.
Your yard is really nice! :)

Thanks Patty!

We moved into the new house the first of July, so most of the planting was done in August with the exception of the grass which was put in right before the picture was taken in October.

I do appreciate the warm weather especially after spending the last seven years up in WI. I lived near La Crosse, so I definitely know what you are going through. Stay warm!

Dave

Overgrown
02-14-2010, 05:09 AM
Sweeeeeeeeeeeet! :0519: