ARROYO QUAD SERIES: COPERNICIA PALMS
As part of the botanical gardens at Belen Jesuit, an incredibly special Cuban palm, the Copernicia Baileyana, has become the highlight of the area adjacent to the new Roberto C. Goizueta Innovation Center. These rare and striking palms were donated by the Cabrera family for their appreciation of the Belen faculty, staff, and Jesuits who educated their children (Christopher ‘01, Anthony ‘06, Joseph ‘07, and Patrick ‘13). These stately and majestic palms now stand proudly overseeing the main drop-off entry to the school and frame the view of the dramatic Innovation Center façade.
The story begins in early 2020 when Tony Cabrera reached out to Father Willie, S.J. ‘87. He proudly told him about the amazing Copernicia palms he had grown in his Homestead nursery. Several trips were made to identify three perfectly sized specimens to fit the space. To best complement the design, I decided to use an irregular triangular arrangement and tagged specimens with 22 feet, 16 feet, and 8 feet of visible wood.
The go-ahead was given and the process began immediately. Muni Farms of Homestead was chosen to do this difficult installation job. Their first task was root pruning to acclimate the palms for the upcoming transplant. Massive and heavy root balls were cut in the marl soil; this proved beneficial later when the palms were installed without any signs of transplant shock.
Summer arrived and the big day came to do the installation. The area was cleared, and utilities and irrigation were relocated by the Belen team. The palms were brought in by semi-truck and were lifted and carefully unloaded. The moment was tense: if a palm this size is dropped, the bud breaks, and the palm dies. Very slowly the palms were driven to the spot, and one by one the giant palms were gently slipped into place and braced firmly. Everyone took a deep breath and stood back in admiration.
The design moved forward. The next contractor up was the stonemason: The Castle Maker. Danny Daniel quickly built all the oolite (keystone) curbing and installed eleven large monoliths. Over the following weeks, Muni Farms came back and planted all the other palms, shrubs, and groundcovers to finish off the design. I broke out my bonsai tools and styled the Desert Rose plants in the monoliths. Lastly, mulch was applied, and the garden was complete.
HS2G offers a hearty “Thanks!” to all who helped make this installation a success: Father Willie and the Belen Jesuit team, the Cabrera family, Muni Farms, and the Castle Maker. Thanks also for another opportunity to make a beautiful garden!
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Peter Strelkow is a Registered Landscape Architect (FL#884) with his degree from the University of Florida. As Principal of HS2G INC, he has over 35 years’ experience in Landscape Architecture with projects in Florida, the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Ecuador. He has received numerous awards and several published projects. For an expanded version of this article or more information please refer to www.hs2g.net.
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain. The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline. In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty. The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.