36" pot, 20' tall Ficus tree, hand-selected in south Florida and installed 9/1/83. Underplanted with 'Song Of Jamaica' Reflexa bushes. |
The same tree in 2006 - almost 30' tall. This was pruned from the 2nd floor balcony every 3 months - enough prunings over 23 years to cumulatively stretch the length of a football field! |
Probably our favorite photograph - A 17" pot, 12' Australian Tree Fern with Hybrid Tropical Azaleas in the front bed. This is the view tenants and visitors had from the 3rd floor balcony Another view from the 3rd floor - note the lush Tetrastigma Vine - not an easy plant to maintain, but no other vine could create such a spectacular effect - it was clearly worth the effort! |
The same Tree Fern, with Bromeliads in the Front Bed - and the Bench was custom-made in our shop, too. |
This atrium was first installed by us in 1983, just 2 years after our beginning. This is a tribute to this very special planting. This Australian Tree Fern -everyone's favorite specimen - was installed in 1986 after we filled in a small pool. Many of these pictures were taken on 12/22/07 - a month after these Poinsettias were installed and 24 years after most of the plantings were installed! |
Two more views 1) Through the Tree Fern Fronds - a view of the west planter with Bromeliads - the permanent plants are 'Song Of India' Reflexa, a Dwarf Rubber Plant, a Norfolk Island Pine, a King Sago Palm, 2 Canala bushes and a spectacular Hawaiian Rhaphis Palm. 2) From the 2nd floor balcony. The top of a 9' Poinsettia Tree is visible, below the Tetrastigma Vine. |
The two front planting beds. |
The East Bed: 5 - 6" Bromeliads - 1 'Raphael' Noeregelia, and 2 'Passion' & 2 'Irene' Guzmanias. Behind the Bromeliads are 5 - 10" 'Song Of India' Reflexas, with a Cataractum Palm on the left and a Norfolk Island Pine on the right. The 12' specimen in the rear is a European Fan Palm in just a 14" pot! |
The West Bed: 5 - 6" Bromeliads - the same varieties. Behind the Bromeliads are 5 - 10" 'Song Of India' Reflexas, with a Norfolk Island Pine on the left, behind which is a 17" pot King Sago Palm with a Rhaphis Palm in the back with a Canala Bush in the front right corner. |