Horrorwinter 2012.

[Alexander]

I have Magnolia grandifolia Brackens Brown Beauty here, no damage! Well a bit brown on some leaves but thats all. They are probably hardier then some forms of Prunus laurocerasus!
Here in Leidschendam at sheltered places in gardens Trachycarpus fortunei is still fine, well with a bit brown on some leaves but certainly not that bad. And that after 14 days subzero weather with very cold nights!

Alexander

[Exotic Life]

I have Magnolia grandifolia Brackens Brown Beauty here, no damage! Well a bit brown on some leaves but thats all. They are probably hardier then some forms of Prunus laurocerasus!
Here in Leidschendam at sheltered places in gardens Trachycarpus fortunei is still fine, well with a bit brown on some leaves but certainly not that bad. And that after 14 days subzero weather with very cold nights!

Alexander

Hi Alexander,

I seen the similair damage as well. The palms that where more open and seen that cold freezing east wind has much more damage then the sheltered ones. There a quite a lot palms around here and they do look all alive so far. Last weekend I was in someones house in the middle of Schiedam with neighbour does have a big Trachycarpus as well. It's very sheltered because the surrounded building and doesn't even got a brown leaf tip. It was the first time since they lived there that their water tap in the garden was frozen. Even those colder winters the last few years he had to do nothing.

I do agree that those Magnolia varieties are quite hardy. I saw even some perfect ones in Schiedam with has seen those freezing winds. Where every Prunus laurocerasus showing burn damage because the winds or frost those Magnolia's don't or just a little.

[Alexander]

Well at least one thing you know right now. Well thats my opinion, focus on HARDY exotic plants and leave the tender stuff as second choice, or for frostfree overwintering. Saves you a lot of money.

Alexander

[Exotic Life]

Well at least one thing you know right now. Well thats my opinion, focus on HARDY exotic plants and leave the tender stuff as second choice, or for frostfree overwintering. Saves you a lot of money.

Alexander

I'm going to do that if next winter will be cold again, if not then I don't know why I should do that. Before that coldwave I had almost no frost and it was just looking like a "normal" winter. Only hardy exotics give me not the fun as growing a Washingtonia and Phoenix with still does look good and surviving. At the moment it looks like just one plant (Trachelospermum) died the rest is surviving. The most really tender stuff has been whiped out in the cold winters before.

Even if you have only Trachycarpus species in your garden, the garden would be hopeless now. This coldwave was quite unsual, it says enough that on official KNMI stations records has been broken from 40-50 years ago. The first 10 days in the bilt has the coldest average since they start recording. So what's hardy then... I guess we should go back to roses then.

Well otherwise everything what i'm writing now about plantings in my garden will be useless before a big winter will hit us again. I hope that I will be gone to a warmer place by then...