Palms

Warrnambool Borough Council commissioned William Guilfoyle to provide a plan for the Gardens and approved this plan in1877.  The plan provided for wide winding paths, a lake with islands and tropical foliage.

Guilfoyle used palms extensively in his designs.  The Canary Island Date Palms, Phoenix canariensis, were planted in the gardens and as street trees.

Palms now hold the status of a 'significant collection' in the gardens as reported by Jo Wilkins

Palms are a familiar presence in William Guilfoyle’s gardens, their bold, lush forms a complement and counterpoint to the trees. The grand old Phoenix canariensis at Warrnambool Botanic Gardens are one legacy of this vision. Over the last four years, I worked alongside former Curator John Sheely to fulfil that vision, providing advice to the Gardens and supplying new palm specimens. The dozen species once represented has expanded to over a hundred - the largest public collection in Victoria.

Yes, that’s a surprising number of palms for not-notably-tropical Warrnambool. But cold hardy palms are found in many habitats and microclimates around the world - mountains, deserts, rivers, coasts and forests.  Mountain and desert habitats are both major sources of these palms. Extremes of heat and cold, combined with high UV, produces species that are very resilient in our climate.  Maritime and cloudforest palms enjoy milder temperatures and humidity, preferring to grow in protected locations.  Within the Gardens, there are several microclimates created by the shade canopy, slope of the land, masonry and permanent water. Palms were sited to most closely match conditions ‘back home’. 

There are now many rare species in the collection, including palms only discovered and brought into cultivation in the last few decades. For example, Trachycarpus is a genus with one familiar member (T fortunei, the Chinese Windmill Palm). WBG has added ten new Trachycarpus from India, Nepal and China, each strikingly different in their colouring, leaf forms and scale. Likewise, the old standards of the date palm collection (Phoenix canariensis and dactylifera) have expanded to include the stately silver Psylvestris from India and other Phoenix species from Spain, Senegal, Kashmir and Laos. 

We also introduced fifteen entirely new palm genera to the gardens. The Parajubaea genus is one significant example. These are monumental hardy palms native to the Andes, with stout trunks and long, arching silverbacked fronds.  Unlike namesake Jubaea, Parajubaea are exceptionally fast growing. A trio of these (soon to be) giants grace the slope near the rotunda, purchased with generous help from the Friends.

The Gardens is also playing an important role in conserving many rare palm species for future seed collection. For example, multi-planting two Australian cabbage palms - the endangered Livistona mariae (Palm Valley, central Australia) and Livistona australis Cabbage Tree Creek form (Victoria, near Orbost). You can see the L mariae trio with their red fronds at the top of the slope near the wishing well, basking in the reflected warmth of the sandstone wall. A trio of Victoria ‘s own, the unique Laustralis from Cabbage Tree Creek, grow downslope in the shade, overlooking the lake.

As the new palms settle in, they’re starting to make a real contribution to an already glorious landscape. It’s been an honour and a tremendous pleasure, helping to create such a botanically significant palm collection at the Gardens. The staff have done a fantastic job in caring for the special plants and are a big part of the success. I’m so looking forward to seeing the palms grow on and become another jewel in the WBG crown.

Jo Wilkins

Troposphere Gardens