The Garden Nerd
Planting Suggestions
Prepared for Mary Ann Adams
Area 1
West of the patio, between the Tipu tree and the Royal Poinciana
Recommendation
Fern of the Desert tree
This tree has leaves that match the Tipu and the Royal Poinciana, and it won't get too big to where we'd have to remove it down the road. It's native, doesn't take much water, and loves sun and reflected heat. It's also a legume, so it will help improve your soil over time.
Other option
Verawood
Has yellow flowers like the Tipu, so it's worth thinking about whether you want that same color repeated in this spot.
Area 2
Bamboo against the wall by the pool (wall faces east)
Recommendation
Oldhamii bamboo — the kind you already have
We talked through a few different kinds of bamboo for this spot, and oldhamii ended up being the best option. We'd do two, one on each side of the existing vine.
Area 3
Where the two peach trees are
Recommendation
Florida Prince peach + a shade canopy tree
This is two trees, not one or the other. The Florida Prince peach is a for-sure, and then we bring in a larger tree right in the middle of the yard for shade canopy. A few options for that second tree below.
Shade canopy options
Banyan tree
Ken at Jungle Nursery has beautiful ones — I bought one for him. These trees obviously want to get big, but it takes years and years before they get to that size.
Cassia fistula (Golden Shower tree)
Colvillea racemosa
Ken has these as well.
Silk floss tree
I have one in my yard, growing pretty fast. It tends to struggle a bit the first year or two in full sun — canopy just isn't as full — but I've seen them do just fine in full sun once established.
Verawood
If we don't end up using this one in Area 1.
Area 4
Back corner, against the walls that face northwest
A few ideas here
Desert willow + bananas
Since you have the native passion vine in this corner, we could lean into keeping it native with a desert willow. They can be kept as a single trunk and trained to a high canopy so it fits the corner well. Then bananas to the west of the tree.
Sugar cane + bananas
If you'd rather not do the desert willow, sugar cane instead, still with bananas to the west.
Area 5
In front of the dead Jamaican cherry — where a few things haven't worked
African Tulip tree
Ken has these.
Jujube
Jamaican cherry
Ken has Jamaican cherry too, so we could replant here. I still think it will do good in this spot.
Area 6
Next to the canna
Recommendation
Vetiver grass
To help shade the canna. I think the two of these together would work well and look good.
Area 7
Corner by the gate, against the walls that face southeast
Options
Same idea as the other corner — desert willow, sugar cane, or verawood would all work here. Plumeria would work in this spot as well.