I just checked the books here and on Amazon. There are dozens of them! I think I should read up on it a little before I start buying all the plants I like, which is quite a few. I would still like to hear from anyone that has tried this.
This message was edited Jun 18, 2010 9:26 PM
Tropical garden - in Chicago?
It was suggested to me to purchase Professor David Francko's “Palms Won’t Grow Here and Other Myths: Warm-Climate Plants for Cooler Areas”.
I am in a similar climate to yours. I grow one species of palm with minimal protection, one species of banana with special siting, one species of jasmine with no protection, an empress tree, a mimosa tree, a species of citrus, crape myrtles, cactus, and bamboo. :)
-Joe
We live south of you in NW Arkansas and we have successfully built a fair sized tropical garden under glass. You can read how we did it here:
http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Build%20your%20own%20tropical%20rainforest.html
Steve
www.ExoticRainforest.com
The same walk from the opposite direction.
The epiphytic plants on the fake tree over the walkway.
One of our nearly 100 Anthurium species.
It takes a few years for the plants to grow in well and the main concern is keeping them warm in winter. We chose to use Lexan Thermoclear over water proofed cedar and only have to use a single small gas heater in winter. The soil was all prepared to be tropical and even though we have many plants in hanging baskets a large number grow in the soil or around the pond and waterfall.
Steve
Well, you've seen it in person!
After I made the post I reread the opening to the thread and am not sure mableruth is hoping to build a rain forest greenhouse. There are a few tropicals that will survive the winter in Chicago but the number is very limited. If you can devise some sort of weather protection the options are wide open.
Steve
Wow Steve, that is amazing. :) Thanks for the great information too about your Lexan glazing. I want something similar, but I want to be able to remove the walls during the summer to allow air to circulate and to open the space to my back patio. You have built something truly special. :)
-Joe
If you have or know someone with any building skills I'm sure what we've done can be easily adapted. My only regret was not building it bigger! When we built the thing it looked enormous but now it is far too small to add all I would like to add!
Steve
This message was edited Jun 18, 2010 2:01 PM
I can't speak for mabelruth, but I can suggest if you have a space by a few windows, my duughter grows her tropicals inside all winter and moves them to the back deck for summer, she has pony tail palm, diffenbachia, ti plants and a corkscrew palm. I have a very large basement I use as a green house in winter, but the stairs are tricky. Begoinias are easy and very nice, so are some big leafed philos.. let us know mabel, so we can help.
This message was edited Jun 19, 2010 10:37 AM
Joe, what species of palm do you grow here? Is the citrus Poncirus trifoliatus.
Celene, hi! I grow rhapidophyllum hystrix. I am also trying sabal minor this year.
And you're correct, the citrus is poncirus trifoliata. :)
-Joe
Just checked back to this thread. The advice is much appreciated. Just over the weekend I was complaining to my DH that we have an old window standing up behind a tool cabinet and it has been there for over 30 years. He said it would go with the next garbage pick-up. Now I wonder if we should keep it !! Would it make any difference if I were to mount it on a piece old wood so that it is stading on its side to block wind? I have three palm trees now and I really like them. BTW the artiqle about Palms in this weeks newsletter by Geoff Stein is interesting.
This message was edited Jun 22, 2010 7:52 AM