A Horticultural Hodgepodge

THE LOT ON WHICH my house is built is shy of half an acre. For more than 40 years I’ve enjoyed growing edibles on bushes, trees, vines and other plants here. And I’ve collected a good variety of ornamental trees and shrubs, some flowering and some just visually interesting because of shape, color or some unique trait.

I am located on a peninsula, almost an island really, bordered by Narragansett Bay on one side and Wickford Harbor on another. The surrounding waters moderate the winter temperature slightly, affording me the opportunity to grow things in this part of Rhode Island that one expects to see flourishing a bit farther south. I haven’t gotten an unprotected palm tree to survive more than a single winter here (yet!). However I am now working with the Mediterranean fan palm that I’ve seen growing quite close to the Italian Alps, ; it shows some promise in helping me meet the goal that I once I had met with your basic . I have had unprotected cacti scooped from South Carolina and Virginia attained heights of 20 and 30 feet, respectively, on the south side of my house.