Thanks

Thank you to all who have shared your knowledge and advice regarding our palm trees. Your advice has been accepted in the spirit in which it was offered and we are doing everything we can to ensure that these lovely trees survive. I look forward to posting pics next spring of them.

well protected

We have wrapped the trees in heat tape, then foil backed insulation, then burlap to make them look natural, and then christmas lights. so far, we have had to be careful not to over heat the trees. we also put heat tape in the ground around the trees to keep the rootball from freezing. does any one have any suggestions on what to do with the fronds???? I will post more pictures as they become available.

iowapalmtrees: palm trees should have names

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In person

Yesterday we flew to Des Moines and I got to visit the palm trees in person. Wow is all I can say. I knew that they would be cool, but even I was struck by the surreality of it. You can honestly close your eyes and imagine yourself being teleported to southern Florida (or as a guest that I spoke to said, southern California). The trees compliment the architecture of the building perfectly! I will be posting more video tomorrow!

new photos

we are really having fun with thinking about ways to market this. We have some really great ideas which will build on this tremendous innovation. If you have any ideas about what kind of fun we could have with this, please post!

The story keeps growing!

KCCI, the Des Moines CBS affiliate has broken the story about the palm trees at the Holiday Inn and Suites Jordan Creek to the airwaves!

http://www.kcci.com/entertainment/17202090/detail.html#

palm trees should have names

I think that each and every one of these palm trees should have names. I am open to suggestions! The ones we use will win a free night in the hotel!

More pictures

I will continue to add pictures as they arrive. Here is the story that ran today in the Des Moines Register: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080815/BUSINESS/808150351/-1/NEWS04

http://www.heartofamericahotels.com/HolidayInn&Suites/index.html

There Heeeeeeeeere

The Palm Trees are in!!! The new Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites at Jordan Creek has done the unthinkable! They have planted over 30 Chinese Windmill Palm trees in West Des Moines, Iowa!

at last

30 Chinese Windmill Palm trees are being delivered on Wednesday!!!!!! I cant wait to go see them.

Rain

When will the rain ever end? Yet again the weather has thrown a kink into our plans for palm trees. I will keep you posted as to when they will arrive..... meantime, keep bailing....

palm information

This is what we will be planting!

About the Windmill Palm...
Windmill Palms are considered the kings of northern palms. Gracing palaces in cold winter climates from southern Russia, to Austria, the valleys of Switzerland, and in northern France. The Windmill Palm can easily withstand annual winter temperatures dipping from 0*F to -15*F without any significant damage to its dark lustrous leaves. Its character of a slender petite trunk with a full head of dark green palmate leaves gives any landscape a classy look fit for royalty. The Windmill Palm is highly prized and considered the number one palm for growing in a northern climate and it is also great for the southern landscape as well. It is also found gracing the grounds of most five star resorts, everywhere across Europe and now the U.S.. The Windmill Palm is a tree form palm, growing to 20-30 feet. Like most evergreens it grows in spurts from year to year but one could give it an average of six to twelve inches a year, even in the North. (Grows in Zones 4-10. Refer to Zone Map.)

I do believe that Summer is finally here. I am sitting in my office watching boats go up and down the river. This is the kind of weather in which our palm trees will surely thrive! I am counting the days until they are planted!

tired of waiting

This winter that never seemed to end turned into a spring that never sprung! But it would seem that summer is nearly upon us, and conditions are indeed favorable for the planting of palm trees in Iowa! And that is about as likely as finding this car in front of your business in Iowa, but it was! So the palm trees shall come! The sun will shine, the fronds will wave in the breeze, I just hope that their presence does not cause car accidents as people pass by and stare in disbelief. Perhaps we should get a liability waiver? Will they stop in and ask us what in the world were you thinking when you planted these? Will they just shake their head in disbelief and walk away? Will they ask to have their picture taken to send to their cousin in California (saying that they left California to get away from the crazy folks and here they are, right here in good Old Des Moines....). I guess we will find out real soon.

30 days

Well, I am really counting down the days to the time when the palm trees will be here. Less than thirty and I am getting pretty excited. I walk the property and close my eyes and imagine opening them and see the trees, fronds waving in the wind. It will truly be a sight to behold.

spring?

Will someone tell me when winter will end? Snow and Sleet on Thursday. How in the world is a palm tree supposed to survive in that kind of weather. I am starting to think that maybe Iowa does not want palm trees. What do you think? Do you want palm trees in Iowa?

not so crazy after all

Well, maybe we are not so crazy after all. In doing a little research on the palm tree thing, it turns out that there are many folks that would like to have palm trees in Iowa, and one gentleman that actually does have one in the yard of his house! To learn more about this, click here: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/iowa/msg0102085120357.html . We will of course have to add to this site when we have our palm trees in. Our are considerably bigger going in, as I am told that they are 18-20 feet tall. I can't wait to see them.

Yes, indeed, real live palm trees are coming to Iowa. In the next 30 days a gentleman from California will arrive in Des Moines, Ia with 19 Chinese Tibetan palm trees to be planted at an as yet undisclosed site. What are those people thinking? What matter of insanity is this? Will they survive an Iowa winter? At least they are planting them in the spring and they will have a chance to take root...hope that Iowa next year does not have a winter like this one. This was one of the toughest winters that Iowa has experienced in many years. Maybe the planting of these palm trees will reassure Iowans that spring is truly around the corner

Is this Iowa????? Where in Iowa could we find a palm tree like this? How could someone concieve of planting a tree like this in Iowa?

The Palm Trees are coming

Belive it or not, someone has purchased 30 palm trees to plant as landscaping for a new development! I can't wait to see what they look like! who is taking bets that they will survive the next winter?