The Garden Club at Palm Coast

Tom and Sue Armstrong of Cimmaron Drive have been recognized as May 2021 Selection of the Month by The Garden Club at Palm Coast.  The Armstrong’s moved to Palm Coast from Georgia in 1999.

They grow over 105 different bromeliads and Tom can list them all by their scientific name which is pretty amazing!

The front yard beds have a variety of plants such as dyckia bromeliads that resembles a succulent but they do not store their water in their leaves.  There are rain lilies (Zephyranthes), yellow dancing lady globba ginger as a ground cover, shampoo ginger, a pink silk floss tree, a pagoda plant (Clerodendrum), yellow butterfly ginger, pink crepe myrtle, pink pentas and a bottlebrush.

As you go towards the back there are yellow devil bromeliads (Neoregelia), red blooming bromeliads (Quesnelia testudo), large live oaks, sable and sago palms, coontie, white bird of paradise, and a pony tail palm. Tom planted a two year old fast growing Tipuana tree in 2007 and now it is 30 feet tall with orange blossoms.  This tree originates from Bolivia, Peru and Argentina.  Besides bromeliads they have a variety of plants: agapanthus, foxtail agave, pencil cactus, bougainvillea, shrimp plant, crown of thorns, red spiral ginger (Cheilocostus), desert rose, staghorn fern, burning bush, rubber tree and lemon grass.  Of course, more bromeliads, such as queen’s tears (Billbergia nutans), and pink flowering bromeliads (Portea alatisepala).

Attached to the house is a large green house where they have many varieties of succulents and various plants they propagate for planting.  They have collected several bromeliads from many trips around the world to have such a large collection. The Armstrong’s live at the end of a canal with large trees that provide shade and shelter and they had a rare visit from a mother manatee who gave birth to her calf!

Submitted by Nancy Iandoli

Selection of the Month

Jim Lyman of Fernmill Lane has been recognized April 2021 Selection of the Month by The Garden Club at Palm Coast.

Originally from Connecticut, Jim has been in Palm Coast since 1998.

He was a mason by trade and now enjoys reading. Since his retirement he has been working in his yard to keep himself busy.  He has several varieties of trees and bushes and he is doing his part in helping Palm Coast continue to be the Tree City.

What caught my eye was the thicket of Heavenly bamboo, (he started with only two) that he keeps nicely trimmed and is an entrance to a tranquil sitting area with several art features, including white marble Flamenco dancers, a fountain, a spectacular wisteria arbor, sun dial and a light house.

His front yard has a large Norfolk Island pine, (which he is attempting to propagate) and a variety of palm trees. There are topiary shaped Schilling holly bush hedges and holly trees throughout.  An orange flowered hibiscus, elephant ears, rose bushes and pineapples add diversity. Near the front door are large pots of philodendron and an elegantly curved purple bougainvillea, two potted purple and blue flowering bird of paradise, slim cedar trees and some podocarpus.

The back yard welcomes you with gardenias, small-leaf magnolias, bottle bush, cedar trees, two century plants, red oleander, orange knockout roses and orange blooming succulents.

As a former mason he decided to cover his wooded picnic table with tile on the table and the seats since he has had to replace two tables due to weather damage.  He is designing a new garden area along the side of the house that has pavers. He has put sea shells into the concrete and will eventually add large flower pots to complete the area.

He has a large area in his side lot which he tried to make into a putting green, he made a large    hedge of trimmed Schilling holly bushes in a circle, however, he is having a hard time keeping the grass green like a golf course.

Submitted by Nancy Iandoli                                                                                                                   Selection of the Month Committee