The city of Nanaimo had a great idea to plant a series of T. Fortunei palms near departure bay but have been getting nothing but complaints. I find it pretty ridiculous that people would complain about something like this. These palms trees would flourish in the environment and be an excellent addition to diversify the city's landscape. Whereas these people are saying they don't want the northwest to imitate California, oblivious to the fact these palm trees originate from a cooler similar climate to ours in the mountains of china. It would be nice to see some support for the project from palm society or palm tree enthusiasts in and around Nanaimo, but I can't seem to get through to any. If anyone here knows or a palm enthusiast from Nanaimo it would be nice to get the word out to the city that there are many local people in support of the project. Thanks, Eric
Eric, I imagine you'll get a few replies. There are a lot of people passionate about palms who stop by the forums from time to time. Interpret this how you may, but I get a real kick out of the plantings right at the UBC Asian Garden entrance - Trachycarpus fortunei nestled together with a Syringa, backdropped by a Quercus myrsinifolia and a native Thuja plicata that gets draped in a Clematis (C. montana, I think). I suppose I could see where people might think it could make it look like California, but that'd only be true if the planting scheme was intended to make it look Californian. It's quite easy to make it instead resemble China (as you alluded to) with a backdrop of native plants and still look good.
Sprawling commercial development with strip malls, fast food franchises and other works of Man do a heckuvalot more to 'Californicate' a town than ornamental plantings. Nanaimo has none of this, right, so the palms are a big source for concern?
When I think of California landscapes, I think more of queen and date palms and oleander. The best example of urban landscape using T. Fortunei palms that comes to mind is Tsawwassen BC.
Seems to me that we should be proud of the fact that palm trees grow in B.C. ,and especially the lower mainland and the island as well as other parts of B.C. I have a brother inlaw from Nanaimo and he can see nothing but excellent reviews from tourists and locals alike. I think we should do all we can to break this stereotipical cold mentality everyone has of Canada! I think it would be great for tourism to celebrate our individual climate from the rest of our country. I would really like someone in media show the trachy`s growing in English Bay while interviewing an athlete for the 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS! WOW should open some eyes! Nanaimo more beautiful with Trachy`s my vote YES.
Sure I'd like to see more Windmill palms (there are some in Georgia Park) planted around the waterfront. But public sentiment and whiners win out. Parksville voted those out too a couple of years ago after conciderable lobbying by a few dedicated individuals. There just isn't as many of us, as there is of them.
Interesting there would even be voting on plant selection in public places there, I think down here the parks departments etc. just do what they want.
Ron B ... Maybe the term "voting" in my last post was a poor choice to use. No one here votes on plant selection. If a proposal for palm planting is in the budget, it goes before city council for final approval. This is where the public can be heard whether at council meetings, letters or e-mail, letters to print media etc. If enough public pressure is put on council to not allow budgeting for these palm plantings, often they comply with public sentiment. Opposition to such things can occur within council itself and the proposal never comes up for public debate. You need forward thinking parks people coupled with open minded city councilors AND enough public support to get these palms planted. It's really strange, since not much ever gets mentioned when a budget for Mugo pines or Junipers attracks that much attention.
I figured that's how it was being handled there, what I meant was I've never noticed plant selection being hashed over to even that extent down here. Probably the history is actually the same down here, with specific proposals sometimes happening to come under outside scrutiny due to particular circumstances.
