20 YEARS OF WAITING, WILL IT MAKE IT?

I will keep everything crossed for you Angela , you are braver than me I haven't had the courage to buy one I'm convinced it would die for me , the weather must change soon surely ,mustn't it ? then Florence will enjoy your lovely garden and be the Belle of the ball :o))

Spring seemed to be well on its way last week, with a few sunny days and the crocus's and daffodils opening. How could anyone think that winter would make its vengeful return? I am keeping everything crossed for you and let us know what happens.

Amy, thanks for that, I had saved up for a long time, it was money to go towards a log burner!! at least that would have kept us warm lol as you say it cannot last much longer?
Lijemc I did get lulled in to thinking Spring had come, I should have known better really!!
I will keep you all posted re Florence.....

It should be fine DD, are they old fronds or new (a bit early i think) mine are fine in the unheated Ghouse with fleece stuffed in the crown. They were before this cold snap anyway :))) have you felt for any new knuckles, mine are there..

Oh A! Could you not bring it indoors with some fleece around it so it doesn't get up your nose? Or find a spot in a shed for it for a few days? Oh blimey, I am worried now. I remember my beloved Holly Standard....spent a fortune on it and it just keeled over. I know how that felt....another victim of the cold I think. I do hope you don't have to face that. Tonight is going to be extemely cold down your way. Give it a blanket....that might help! Bring it inside the front door for a few days eh?

That is great DD - least the cold came before you settled them in and had to cover them in this naughty weather ! Hope they go well as I love these too - await the pics :)))

Oh DD I shall keep thinking about poor Florence but how can she not put down her roots when she is obviously so loved. :)))))))

Oh crumbs Dd, I hope it makes it through for you, if its tucked away and wrapped surely that gives it as good a protection as a cold g'house would, mentally crossing my fingers for you, its bad enough losing any plant but an expensive one like that would really worry me...........

Hope Florence is OK....fingers crossed for you (and her!)

There would be know problem removing the fronds they would die back in spring anyway if it meant it was easier to store.

Oh dear....ha ha! Impulse buying at it's best.Have you not got a shed or garage to put it in?

Hope its survives for you Dd....

BJS we could cut off the fronds as you say, only problem the porch is full of tender plants with heat and just no floor space at all, and our garden room is full up and no room at all we have to eat in there so all the plants are on the one side and us on the other lol
Louisa thanks.....Lincs I just dont know what else I can do, mind you just had a brain wave........the neighbours have a large shed, now I wonder if there would be enough room?
Stroller, thanks for that, I can not believe that the weather could change so quickly....
Paul, I hoped to put on some pics the other day, but all you can see is fleece and bubble wrap and fronds sticking out of
K we only have sentry sheds with shelves with hardly any floor space unfortunately, if I bought it inside the front door we would not be able to get in or out lol it has a fat trunk, I have racked my brains today thinking of ways to keep it safe, at the moment it is turning the security lights on........
YDD I think they must be old, although they are very green, it must have been kept in a poly tunnel, I really should have found out, another stupid mistake.....if yours can survive in an unheated glasshouse, with a bit of luck mine can......fingers crossed.

Paul no garage, no shed suitable, thanks Motty.....

Meadow, we have a small area with ferns (well established) and other woodland plants, and it will hopefully go in there if it makes it lol keeping a beady eye on it.

Fingers crossed for your tree fern - they are beautiful. Tried a small one years ago with no luck!!
I've a rather large Cordyline that has been wrapped up since October, stupid purchase by my mother - we can worry together!

Scottish I know they can be difficult to get through a bad winter, but, normally with protection a large one should make it.
I hope your Cordy survives, ours are still inside the garden room, they will be planted up this spring, and fleeced until they can cope with the cold.

o dear .. o.h wood love a large one , as we lost our in the last horrid winter ... good luck with it ..

Out of all the plants in my garden my TFs are my biggest worry but they are tougher than we think, Mine made it through the winters of 2010/11, this year and last must feel like a tropical forrest to them :)))
Did you know they have there tops cut off when dug up, shipped over lying on top of each other like logs? I know a lot of tropical gardeners store them lying down in there garages over winter!!! I couldnt do that, Noooooo..

PS, last years leave's are still green, i just untied them so the new fronds can grow straight, ill have to check on the knuckles as there's still fleece stuffed in there!

YDD we decided to plant it out today as the weather was sunny, it is all done up like a dogs dinner, a bit like a mummy, it has fleece in the crown and over the trunk,and the fronds, and then bubble wrap over the trunk as well, it has gone in the top of the garden with the other ferns to keep it company, had to water it before we put it in as it was very dry!! all I can do now is pray!! I must be mad!!
Cristina thanks, keeping my fingers crossed....

They are tougher than u think DD, it has a good chance, try not to worry too much, listen to me, i would have no nails left on me fingers haha, You are warmer than us up here, i would love to plant mine out permenantly in the borders but they wouldnt survive, yours will tho :)))

PS, just been on my Tropical forum for info and it seems like you have done the right thing by planting and the watering, fleecing etc, some have planted there's out in feb, so, u can stop worrying now Phew.

YDD thanks for that, very kind of you, it is waving about in the wind, longing to get all the wrapping off, so I can see what it looks like, but the forecast is so up and down....

Lovely to have some Tropicana in the garden Dotty. Can't wait to see the picture of it out in the intended spot.

Lindak we uncovered it today, it needed some rain, as it was very dry.......fingers are still crossed.

I had a small tree fern in a pot and placed it into the garden every summer but after ten years it died. We used to put it into the greenhouse during the winter.

Have you felt inside the crown DD. Mine are out :)))

Hi YDD yes I have and I can feel some lumps, so I am hoping they are some new fronds, glad you have some too. thought about you today, took delivery of a very nice Waggy, bought it on ebay, will post a pic soon.......

Ooooh lovely, looking forward to seeing it. Yes the lumps are the new fronds, count them. I had 10 on one of mine last year, ive only felt 6 upto now.

10 you lucky devil, I can only feel one.......:-( hope a few more come along, I have been looking at my friend's TF... I took lots of pics of her lovely garden last year, and she has 3 large ones, but the trunk looks very different from ours, this one is really hairy, can you pop a pic on of yours for me please, even the ones I have seen at the nurseries are not hairy!! I am getting paranoid lol

Do you mean inside the Crown DD (hairy bits) ill take pics of crown and trunk tomorrow..

Thanks YDD no, not the crown, the whole trunk is very hairy!!