Palm Info

Garden Club Sponsors New Plant Collection at the

Dallas Arboretum January 2006

Starting this year the First Men's Garden Club of Dallas will join forces with the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society to sponsor a new plant collection to be titled the 'Hardy Palm and Tropical Plant Collection.' This collection is the brainchild of Jimmy Turner, Director of Research at the Arboretum and Tony Cerbone, palm expert and Dallas garden club member.

This unique collection will be the centerpiece of a new program to revitalize areas that have not kept up with landscape changes and new plant introductions over the years. This new plant collection will consist of more than two dozen varieties of cold hardy palms that will prosper in the Dallas climate. Also, included in the collection will be dozens of tropical plants such as ginger, aralia, oleander, bamboo and other hardy tropical plants. These plants are, for the most part, winter hardy and will provide a distinctive landscape style for the homeowners who are interested in a fresh look.

Groundbreaking is scheduled for the end of January with completion slated for late June. Jimmy Turner of the Arboretum staff will oversee the deconstruction, preparation and planting of the area adjacent to the ‘water walls’ feature at the Arboretum. Landscape architect Johnette Roundtree Taylor, President of Roundtree Landscape is the designer for the project that will also include hardscape design elements, such as moss boulders and stone pathways.

The Dallas club raised funds for this project from the sales of their hit gardening calendar, “The Men of the First Men’s Garden Club of Dallas.” The popular “beefcake” calendar featured club members posing with strategically held garden implements, a shovel here, a potted plant there. The men were featured on local and nation television programs as well as numerous other national media. The calendar was a sensation from 2002 to 2005. The men are taking a year or two off before deciding to publish another calendar for the future.

The total grant for the Dallas Arboretum project is $100,000. Providing matching funds for the collection is Nancy Wilten, Master Gardener and sister to club member Tom Wilten. In addition to Mr. Cerbone and Mr. Wilten other club members coordinating details on the project are Bob Grossman and John Hunt. Both members were instrumental in bringing the original concept to the attention of the club for sponsorship consideration.

See more details about the project at the club website; www.dallasgardeners.org

The Plan	Press	Press

Left to Right

Tom Wilten, member of the Dallas Men's Garden Club Jimmy Turner, director of research at the Dallas Arboretum John Hunt, member of the Dallas Men's Garden Club and liaison to the Dallas Arboretum.

The project is called the Hardy Palm and Tropical Collection. The $100,000 cost is a gift to the Arboretum, provided by the First Men's Garden Club of Dallas and Ms. Nancy Wilten. Approximately half the cost is earmarked for the installation of the garden, the other half being placed into an endowment to provide perpetual care. Groundbreaking will commence in January 2006, and the garden should be completely installed by late summer. The garden area will provide much detailed information about palms and plants of subtropical origin that can be planted in the Dallas area.

The First Men's Garden Club of Dallas and Ms. Nancy Wilten have signed a commitment to provide a gift of $100,000 to the Dallas Arboretum for a new plant collection to by named the "Hardy Palm and Tropical Plant Collection" Groundbreaking will take place January 2006. The approximate 1 acre area could be completed by July. The collection will showcase many secimen palms trees and hardy subtropical plants that can be grown in the Dallas area. Presentation of the check at the Dallas Arboretum 7/26/05. From left to right; John Hunt, FMGC-D member, fund raiser and liaison to the Arboretum. Johnette Roundtree Taylor, President of Roundtree Landscaping. (Designer of the new planting area) Dave Forehand, Vise President of the Arboretum. Nancy Wilten, Fund co-contributor and Master Gardener. Tom Wilten, FMGC-D member and committeehead. Charles Thompson, FMGC-D past president. Jimmy Turner, Director of Horticulture Research at the Arboretum

Main palms to be used in area;

QUANTITY	SCIENTIFIC NAME	COMMON NAME
1	Brahea armata	BLUE HESPER PALM
3	Butia capitata	UPRIGHT JELLY PALM
6	Chamadorea radicalis	DWARF BAMBOO PALM
6	Chamaerops humilis	EUROPEAN FAN PALM
3	Chamaerops humilis 'Cerifera'	SILVER EUROPEAN FAN PLAM
4	Jubaea chilensis	CHILEAN WINE PALM
7	Rhapidophyllum hystrix	NEEDLE PALM
3	Sabal X Texensis Brazoria County	BRAZORIA COUNTY PALMETTO
6	Sabal Louisiana	LOUISIANA PALMETTO
6	Sabal Minor	DWARF PALMETTO
1	Sabal palmetto	CABBAGE PALM
6	Trachycarpus fortunei	CHINESE WINDMILL PALMS
3	Trachycarpus wagnerianus	MINIATURE CHUSAN PALM
9	Washingtonia filifera	CALIFORNIA FAN PLAM
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