Add to that Physocarpus. Some Eryngiums resemble agaves and are much more reliable. Hardy Cyclamens are good performers at the foot of a Trachycarpus too.

I do like that Sedum :) I got hold of a small piece 2 or 3 years ago and it's leaf dropping has ended up with it propogating itself in every nearby plant pot. It's reliably coming through our winters in the cold frame so I may propogate some more to plant out alongside other cold hardy succulents re...

]Found a pic of the little variegated americana from Spring last year [attachment=0]GrevPlants 2012 080.JPG[/attachment The mass of roots from the large Phoenix canariensis_CIDP growing above have really slowed down the growth. Still not much bigger this year. Forgot the little utahensis at the top...

Here you go Rod. Not the best of specimens. It's spent most of its life to date in my conservatory which is actually quite sunny. Maybe this species' massive range makes it quite variable in form. I'd swap your plant for mine anyday lol .

For agaves and cacti check out Seramis or use 2-4mm grit mixed 50/50 with John Innes No. 2 for outdoors. They should be fine in a coldframe.

Defo a good deal if you have space for them. Cleistocactus strausii is very cold hardy if kept dry. I think you have Opuntia robusta there as well which isn't quite totally winter hardy for me but could plant out and protect in situ. One or two of the smaller ones at the front look like Echinocereii...

126m

Mo, A. americana plain green is only hardy to around -9 if kept dry and the variegates maybe -5 or -6. if you do plant one out, create a corrolux or twin wall poly frame or at least overhead protection through the winter.

Looking good Kris. I have lots of E. bicolor seedlings this year from last years flowers. They don't self seed for me as they do for others further south. I keep meaning to try E. comosa from seed. These would probably be plain green unlike Sparkling Burgundy but a good size and the seed catalogues ...

Some stunning Agaves there :shock: Re. growing from seed, it is a slow process. I started 6.5 years ago with my first Agave parryi seed in a windowsill propogator. Of the two plants I got from my first sowing, one was planted out spring 2012 but didn't make it through last winter after it's cloche w...

I've got a plant from seed which is 6 years old. It's just spent it's first summer outside and will come in soon. The foliage is very long and lax compared to other Phoenix but I'm hoping a spell outside might change this.

A Coir pole sounds like a good idea. I have a several wired onto an old tree stump. Spagmum moss comes in handy as does wire and a spray bottle to keep them damp filled ideally with rain water.

Here's a pic of the two I got through last winter planted out as they look tonight. I also found a seedling growing out of the patio earlier which is now potted up. Had a look for seed but not east to identify.

I think I may have been lucky last winter (about 50 miles east of you Cordy) but I got two plants through in my front garden protected with fleece - 1 10m length of it. I drove 3 x 6ft roofing lat timber with end sawn to a point into the ground sloping around the plants and then wrapped the fleece o...

I followed Andy's advice with mine and protected with Corrolux (corrugated clear plastic roof) last winter and it came through unscathed and has had a 6ft lipstick pink flower spike all summer. I tried to detach some pups when I planted it out last spring but only 1, the biggest rooted. Just hoping ...