Backyard Resort Essentials – Island Music

August 4th, 2010

Island and Caribbean MusicIf you’re going to create that tropical vibe and attitude, you just have to have the right tunes.   I listen to all kinds of music, but a key part of that Caribbean ambiance that I love so much when I go down to the Islands is the music.  So, of course, I want it at home in my little Backyard Resort.  And I’ve figured out how to get it.

Now, you could just go out on itunes and try to download a bunch of reggae or Caribbean music, or the essential Jimmy Buffet.  But, if you’re like me, you don’t always know the artists well enough to do effective digging and downloading.  Here’s what you do …. and you’re going to thank me for this if you don’t already know about it.

Fire up itunes on your laptop and go to Radio on the top left.  Kids, there are literally hundreds of radio stations out there, and there is one entire segment dedicated to Reggae / Island!     Uninterrupted music, with few or NO COMMERCIALS.  There are several stations actually broadcasting from the Islands.  Just think, a direct pipe to the Caribbean music scene.    What more do you want?

An old (technically obsolete) laptop with a wireless internet connection is a key component of my sound system.  A simple RCA adapter from the headphone output on the laptop to my receiver was all it took.  Most newer receivers probably can accept USB directly.  I’m not going to try and get into all the technical setup stuff here.  The point is that the great music is there, and you can easily tap into it.

Plenty of reggae, Caribbean, and Island sounds.  Oh, and check out Kenny Chesney’s No Shoes Radio.  I’ll admit, I’m not a huge country music fan, but I really like Kenny Chesney and his station is his take on that Island vibe.  Very cool.

Time to enjoy my tropical backyard resortCheers …

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Pool Maintenance Gem – More Enjoyment, Less Stress for your Backyard Resort Pool

August 2nd, 2010

I’ve been hearing from a lot of frustrated people about swimming pool challenges of late.   There seems to me to be entirely too much time, energy, money being spent on cleanup, chemicals, and services. It pains me to hear about it.  How dare cloudy, ugly water and unrepentant algae that is seemly immune to a low grade nuclear device detract us from the full enjoyment of our Backyard Resorts.

Pool Perfect PhosfreeWell folks, I have no such problems and I’m going to try and save the day for some of my fellow Backyard Resort’ers.   If you don’t know about it already, check out this post I did over a year ago about a product call Pool Perfect + Phos Free.

And for all you cynics, I’m not hocking any product and I don’t make any money from recommending this product (hmm… maybe I should).  It works beautifully for me, freeing up time and money for things that matter (good drinks, good tunes, good relaxing times) and I’m simply passing on a great find to you.

Let me know how it works for you …

Time to enjoy my tropical backyard resortCheers …

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4 Lessons Learned from Last Years Winter Damage to my Tropical Backyard Resort

July 19th, 2010

I’ve finally had to accept reality.  For the first time ever in the history of my Backyard Resort, I lost 2 large fan palm trees here in Dallas due to damage sustained last winter.  I’ve been watching one of them that still had signs of green, but the grim reality is that is is gone.  That palm was close to 30 feet tall and had been in the ground for at least 12 years.  I planted it when it wasn’t more than knee high.  I lost banana plants and several other things that had been thriving for years too.  Believe me, it’s been a kick in the gut. 

However, yesterday as I was lounging by the pool with a really un-manly tropical drink, I decided to just not sweat it.  My self-therapy is telling me that as much enjoyment as I get out of my backyard resort year in and year out, I should be willing to accept a little heartache now and then.  I knew from the start that, with my severe case of zone denial,   a freak winter like we had last year could cause me grief, and one finally did.  But, it could have been worse.  Sure, I lost a couple of beloved palms, but I have 5 more that came through just fine.  Banana plants are inexpensive and easy to replace.    I felt better already …. and decided to go make anotherMai Tai …

I then decided to take a step back and look at this as yet another backyard resort learning experience.  So (another sip), I started jotting down what I had learned and how might I do things different to keep it from happening again.   Here are a few things I came up with ….

  1. Use the fan palms in areas that have some natural protection … micro climates.  Use Windmill palms and Sabal Palms, both of which appear to be absolutely bullet proof,  as major palms (foundation tropical). 
  2. When I know abnormally cold temps are coming… and I did know … take the time to go out and water everything thoroughly.  It matters and can help get them through.  I make this point in the Backyard Resorts Ebook, but didn’t follow my own advice last winter.  I had before, but I know last winter I just got lazy.  Any guarantee it would have saved my big palms??   Nope, no guarantee, but it just might have and then I could have been writing about how smart I was ….
  3. Mulch, mulch, and mulch some more.  Now, I’m almost 100% sure I could have saved ALL my bananas with this one.  A thick layer of mulch would have been a game changer.  Again, the Backyard Resorts Ebook makes this point over and over and I’ve written an entire article on banana protection in the winter!  What did I do … I got lazy and didn’t take this simple little step. ( At this point, I went in to make another Mai Tai, a little stronger this time)
  4. Don’t let 3 or 4 mild winters lull you into thinking that normal (or worse than normal) winters aren’t going to happen.  They will.  Do the basics and things will likely be fine.  Don’t …. and, well, you could be lamenting your sins just like me.   But the Mai Tais sure are good ………

 So, there are 4 simple lessons that I’ve learned or, more correctly, reinforced when it comes to my backyard resort.  Does this take anything away from the joy I get from mine?  Nope, not at all.  It just reminds me to do the simple stuff that I know needs to be done to keep my Backyard Resort thriving.  Winter cold is our only enemy …  and it is an enemy that, with a little effort, can be vanquished. 

Any war stories, or success stories from fellow Backyard Resort’ers??

Cheers …

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5 Great Container Plants to Kick your Tropical Backyard Landscape up a Notch

July 11th, 2010

I had some friends hanging out at the pool today, and got a lot of questions about some of the plants I’m using in pots.  For those of you who have gotten the Backyard Resorts Ebook, you know I advocate a layered approach to build your backyard resort.  Start with the base foundation, add the tropical foundation, then the tropical flash, and finally the finishing touches.  The more I refine my approach, the more I think containers fit in the tropical flash AND finishing touches category. 

The containers themselves can make a big statement if you want them to.  You could go for a purely Caribbean look, or spice things up with an old-world Roman or Greek look.  There are all kinds of possibilities.  But, let’s talk plants here  … container plants that will really make a statement for your tropical backyard resort ….

  1. Tropical Hibiscus.  I know, I know … everyone already knows this one, but it is simply not optional.  It’s hard to think of a more reliable flamboyant flowering plant.  The fun here is that there are hundreds of varieties, all kinds of sizes, colors, and textures.  Look for some of the wilder colors … think bright ORANGE … it exists.  Your local big box home and garden center may not have them, but other specialty brick and mortar and online nurseries will for sure.  I treat these as annuals as they’ve always been very slow to come back if I try to overwinter.
  2. Plumeria.  Think Hawaiian Lei flowers.  Like Hibiscus, there are many varieties and lots of colors.  I have a candy stripe variety that is a show stopper.  A couple of years ago, mail order was the only way to get plumeria, but now I see them at my Home Depot, although they seem to be a bit pricey.  You can find many varieties sold on ebay even.  I’ve grown mine from 12” cuttings to multiple 6ft tall plants.  Now, I can propagate my own.  Even though the pots are big, I make the effort to bring mine into the garage before the first freeze.  It’s well worth it.
  3. Angel Trumpet.  Here’s another one that I used to have to mail order, now I see them regularly in garden centers, although they can be pricey too.  This one is a real show stopper with its huge 1 foot long trumpet shaped flowers.  I have yellows, but there are many colors available.  And another little bonus … the flowers have an eerie, but very pleasant, scent.  The quirky thing is that they only put their fragrance at night and put it out, they do!  Just ask your neighbors.  Use a good sized pot as they can get top heavy.  Shade and lots of water for this one.  Like my plumerias, I bring these into the garage to overwinter.  They come back quite nicely. 
  4. Canna, Tropicana or Bengal Tiger variety.  I have cannas in the ground all over the place at my backyard resort, but I like to use these two varieties in pots.  Both are very flamboyant and flashy and can really make a statement.  Maybe it’s just me or the terrible soil we have here,  but Tropicana cannas in the ground tend to bleach out in the late summer here, and not look so great.  Not so in containers.  I just keep watered and they keep putting on a show until frost.
  5. Bougainvilla.  OK, I know this beasty has those nasty thorns and can be a hassle to tame, but what a show it can put on.  I have never been able to get bougainvilla to bloom reliably in the ground here, but in good sized containers …. Wow!  Don’t overfeed or overwater as they guys seem to thrive on a little stress.   Again, lots of different colors available, but I like the bright reds.  I treat mine as annuals just because I don’t have room to overwinter everything. They are very fast growers anyway, and inexpensive.
  6. Bonus.  Go to the houseplant section of your favorite garden or home improvement center.  You know, there is really no such thing as a house plant, right?   Plants want to be outside.  I would say 90% of the houseplants are understory tropicals.  Put them in pots on the patio or other shaded areas, and just watch.  They’ll grow twice as fast and look twice as good as they would if you had them in your living room.

There you have it, some of my favorite container plants to play with.  Join the conversation.  What container plants do you use to make a statement in your Backyard Resort?

Time to enjoy my tropical backyard resortCheers …

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Nature Plays a Dirty Trick – Dead Palm Trees in Dallas

May 21st, 2010

Well, I guess it had to happen sooner or later.  Here in the DFW area, we just had one of those once every 50 year winters where it was  very cold, very wet, for a very long time.  I saw temps for days below 20 degrees, falling all the way to the low teens.  We had 6 inches of snow … TWICE!!!   We’re really just now starting to feel spring/summer, and that means I can take stock of the damage, and folks it’s not pretty. 

My big kick in the gut was the loss of a 12 ft California fan palm.  It’s a clear goner.  A sharp tug on what was left of the cone told the tale when it pulled completely out.   It had been in the ground for 7 or 8 years so who would have expected that.  And, I see plenty of other Fan palms all over the city whose owners I’m sure are hoping for the best, but if they’re not showing signs of life by now,  they’re goners.    Gotta face reality. 

More bad news … I probably lost half my banana plants.  The ones that did survive are just now starting to come on strong.   Now, I have to admit something on the bananas ….  I talked the talk (See Banana Plants in the Winter), but I didnt walk the walk.  I’ve gotten so spoiled with mild winters for the last few years that I didn’t do the basics, like applying that thick layer of mulch going into the winter … and it cost me.  If I had just followed my own advice I probably wouldn’t have lost a single one.   Get lazy and you can definitely get caught …

Everything is very slow to come back this year, but other than the above at least it is all coming back.  Windmill palms, of course, showed ZERO ill effects (See this article for a good discussion on cold hardy palms).  My 40 ft Mexican Fan Palm pulled through.  My big Sago Palm made it.  It looks like all the Ginger made it and, to my great surprise, an Angel Trumpet (Brugmansia) I had in the ground is coming back.  I did take the big potted plumeria into the garage, so no worries there. 

I suppose it could have been worse.   I’m bummed out over the losses, but I guess this is just one of those times when nature plays a dirty trick on we Backyard Resorters.  Was the terrible winter an anomoly?  Probably.  Is there anything practical I could have done to save my big California Fan Palm?  Probably not.    There …..   I feel better now.  I’ll just plan on enjoying my slowly recovering backyard resort for our first 90 degree weekend ….

Time to enjoy my tropical backyard resort

Cheers …..

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Palm Trees In Dallas?

February 6th, 2010

Visit the Dallas (DFW) area March – October and you would think there would be no problem at all having palm trees, or any other tropical plant you wanted in your landscape.  Visit those other months, and you might get a surprise though.  It might be 70 degress, or it might be 25 …. and therein lies the challenge.  The sad fact is that is does get cold in Dallas. 

I constantly get visitors from the Dallas area to the www.tropicalyard.com site, and people I know and meet that are surprised they really can have palm trees around their pools, or just a little tropical oasis with palms in their backyard.  Especially on one of those 25 degree days, with the lingering threat of that once or twice a year ice storm.   Making it worse, many have fallen victim to the “too hard to pass up” sales on big, exotic looking palm trees at garden centers, only to find that they were killed by the cold the very first winter.  Sadly, many garden centers sell palms that have not the slightest chance of living here …

Windmill Palm

Windmill Palm

The good news …. you can have palm trees around your pool in Dallas.  Just pick the right ones, and give them a little extra TLC they need.  Look for Windmill Palms or Sabal Palms.  If you’re in the southern part of the DFW area, you’ll likely have no trouble with a Pindo Palm.  Mexican Fan Palms and California Fan Palms can be grown here too, just keep in mind that they will likely not look so great in the winter.  The bad news is that some of the palms I mention can be a little tough to find, but they’re out there. 

Even with palms that will grow in Dallas, take the time to do a little homework before you put down your hard-earned money.  Learn about micro-climates, the proper way to plant, when to plant, fertilizing, and winter protection (at least for the first couple of seasons).  If you get this right, it can be very rewarding … and you’ll be well on your way to that tropical pool landscape or Backyard Resort …

umbrelladrinkCheers …

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Lets Talk Swimming Pool Landscaping

January 28th, 2010

tropicalpool1Landscaping around your pool … “cement pond” to tropical oasis

So, you have a swimming pool in your backyard. You’ve have had it for years, or maybe its brand spanking new.  When you first decided to put in that pool, you had visions of laidback fun days with your family or friends, some good Jimmy Buffet music or maybe some fun Reggae, and, yea, one of those fruity drinks with an umbrella.  Maybe a nice hammock out there to enjoy summer evenings too.  Ahh, the good life.

Did you get all that?  Or, did the new wear off pretty fast, leaving you with just something else to take care of?  Do you hang out with family and friends at your pool, or does it rarely get used?  Are you really getting that enjoyment you envisioned? 

RELAX … here a sure way to make that original vision real.  Creative landscaping around a pool can turn that “cement pond” (and yes, I admit it, I’m a fan of granny from the Beverly Hillbillys) into an exotic, tropical oasis, and you can have a lot of fun doing it.  Take a step back and envision your pool surrounded by palm trees, maybe a clump of banana plants with those huge exotic leaves, and brightly colored flowering tropical plants everywhere. And, what the heck, let’s put one of those cool Tiki statues out there too.  Get the picture?  Landscaping around a pool can turn that “cement pond” is now your favorite room in the house, your laidback, relaxing tropical oasis.

Now, if you’re new to Backyard Resorts, you may be looking out the window at a temperature below freezing thinking I can’t do that.   Think again …     There’s a real good chance you can.  That’s what backyard resorts and www.tropicalyard.com are all about.   Windmill palms and other varieties are completely hardy at temperatures well below freezing.  Bananas, well anyone can grow and create a tropical pool setting with bananas.  All those tropical flowering plants like hibiscus, mandavilla, and bougainvilla …. yep, you can use those too.  And let’s throw in an Brugmansia, with flowers about a foot high that put out the most eerily pleasant scent, but only at night.  Let’s get a little taste of Hawaii with some Plumeria too.  Get the picture??

Interested?  Think your friends would be impressed? Think you and your family would enjoy your pool more?   Trust me, you’ll get the Wow factor, and you will get the enjoyment.  Tropical landscaping around a pool, to me, is just the way it should be.  There is no other answer.  So, get creative, get educated,  and create that tropical pool oasis …. your Backyard Resort.

umbrelladrink

Cheers …

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The Winter Doldrums for my Backyard Resort …

January 14th, 2010
The Bright Side - It could be worse !!
The Bright Side – It could be worse !!

Well, we finally got that big once or twice a year artic blast here in the Dallas area, and it was a brutal one for us, and for my beloved backyard resort. Temperatures fell into the low-mid teens for 3 straight nights. Up until this point, we had light freezes that had knocked bananas, cannas, papayas, hibiscus, and other tender tropicals down, but my palms all looked like they were just passing another day swaying in the Carribbean sun. No more.

Much to my chagrin, my big Mexican fans and California fans show clear and major damage on the foliage. As does my prized 7ft Sago. Did the cold actually kill them? Not likely. They’ve all been in the ground many years and have had time to acclimate. But, they really do look pitiful now. I just take this in stride, as I know the pleasure my backyard resort gives me most of the year more than makes up for a little grief now. Yes, they’ll take just a little longer this season to get in Backyard Resort shape. Of course, I’ll be helping them along with a little extra fertilizer, water, and TLC as I have no intention of being deprived of the full glory of my backyard resort for very long.

Worried ...Now, this does give me pause. What if we got one of those once every 30-40 year cold snaps and dipped to low single digits? Could my “marginal” palms survive that? They have been in the ground a long time, and theoretically have acclimated, but what if? The thought of losing my 40ft Mexican that was barely knee-high when I planted it just makes me ill. So, I shall choose not to think of that, and just look forward to my 2010 Backyard Resort season.

Oh, on the bright side ….. my two big windmill palms show no damage whatsoever. If you’ve read the Backyard Resorts Ebook, then you know these bullet-proof beauties are my favorites. Just like that laidback caribbean lifestyle … No Worries …..

Cheers …

Visit www.tropicalyard.com

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Taking stock so far this Backyard Resort Season …

August 7th, 2009

Well, for those up north, people are starting to talk about the end of the summer. Not so here in Dallas. 100+ degrees, as is typical for August. But more than that, my Backyard Resort season in many cases runs into November. We’re good until the first frost. So, I’ve got several months left.

Now, how has the BYR season been this year? Well, I can safely say “not the best”. Things got off to a slow start with cooler than normal temps in March/April/May and lots of clouds and rain. Banana, cannas, papayas, castor beans, and other tropicals were definitely slow out of the gate this year. Then, we get some sun and heat and things start going. Then, bang, we immediately flipped to day after day of 102+ degree temps and little or no rain. Folks, most of the plants I recommend (tropical and non-tropical) like the heat, but very few plants tolerate continual 100+ degree days well. This is further aggravated by little of no rain. No matter how much you water, you just can’t keep up.

So things were not looking their best, looking a little tired, before we finally got a break from the heat, and got a little rain. Now we’re hot, but back to a normal range and things are starting to look really nice. And by the end of the season, I may come back and say that it was a great season. We shall see.

Like a lot of things, with Backyard Resorts, some years are better than other. The last 3 at least were just fantastic. This one … a little tough. BUT, even when my backyard resort is not at its best, I can compare to my friends and acquaintances’ back yards with their IMHO normal/boring/common landscapes…. and still smile a great big smile ……. It really is still something special ….

Cheers …

Visit www.tropicalyard.com

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Jumping the Gun …

April 9th, 2009

One of the things I love about my Backyard Resort is getting started at the beginning of the season. New plants, new ideas, and the fun of watching everything come roaring back from the winter season.  With a lot of the fast-growing tropical plants (Bananas, Cannas, etc), every days bring noticable progress.  Well, me, I’m the impatient type.  I’ve written in other posts about how I protect my banana plants to give them a headstart. 

Another thing I do is get the potted plants and annuals that go in the ground out as quickly as possible.  Hibiscus, Angel Trumpets, Bougainvilla, Coleus,  all the showey colors and flowers that make such an impact.  A couple of weeks of warm weather (70s and 80s) here in Dallas is usually what triggers me getting to work.  Well, we got it, and last weekend I rolled up my sleeves, put on my tanning lotion and got after it.  Lots of tropical hibiscus in pots and coleus in the ground. 

I was very proud of myself and looking forward to watching all this stuff take off  … until, that is, I watched the weather forcast on Monday.  Low and behold, a late season freeze warning for my area on Tuesday.  Unbelievable,  it was 80 degrees yesterday …..

But really, this is not so unbelievable where I live.  A little later in the year than usual, but we get these wild swings in March.  Pretty normal stuff.  So, here I go, 11 oclock at night, watering everything real well, covering what I could, moving things onto the patio where it was feasible.  I actually move my big plumerias into the house as I can’t stand the thought of losing those 6ft beauties.

Did I grumble and complain.  Yea, quite a bit.  Might there even have been a little bit of, shall we say, salty language?  Most definitely.  But I got it done and had little or no damage. I probably did more than I needed to .

It all came back into perspective though. All spring and summer and well into fall, I get to enjoy a beautifully exotic setting that noone else around me has.  I decided, as I do every year, that, yep,  my Backyard Resort is well worth a little inconvenience.

Cheers …

Visit www.tropicalyard.com

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