I am originally from Calgary and have always been a zone pusher. I moved specifically to be able to grow even more plants in my garden. I had hoped to be on the coast but found the rain a bit much and me unable to afford a house so here I am in Penticton and am very happy to be here. The winters have been much milder but a bit gloomy though I am getting used to it. I consider my garden a USDA zone 6 though some may chuckle over that.
I still haven't tried too many fun palms, etc. though I have two clumps of Trachycarpus fortunei seedlings in my yard that are hanging in there after three years. Also my Edith Bogue magnolia is still looking pretty good too. I did finally lose my Winter Fire Camellia after our hard last winter but my Poncirus seedlings made it through the winter still in their little clump as well. Also my Eucalyptus finally died after two winters but it never looked very good but my Acoma crape myrtle is back for its third year.
I managed to kill an aggressive bamboo though I've got six others that look pretty good and are starting to fight for domination of one garden bed. My Aucuba in the same bed are suffering the aggression.
My plants have all had to struggle against my rather large aggressive Japanese Maple and huge Manitoba Maple. Even my Musa basjoo, now going on its third year is still less than a foot high. I've now thrown a Cordyline in the same bed to see if I can overwinter it as well. My plants tend to be planted much too close for comfort.
I'll try to get some photos posted at some point here.
I'm sure hoping to get many other types of yucca and palms in my yard. I did get a Musa velutina last year but have yet to plant it out to try my luck.
As an aside I bought a Trachycarpus f years ago in Arizona and dragged it around for years always hoping to plant it in my yard one day but finally killed it one winter in my Calgary house. Guess I watered that poor palm a bit too much that year.... I did the same with a Chamaerops. It takes skill believe me.
