The Thread palm (Washingtonia robusta) is unlikely to reach the size shown in the picture in your temperate northern garden!
In its native Mexico it reaches 25-30 metres but many of us in cooler climes will be lucky to have a Thread Palm of half that height.
The tree is similar to the Californian Fan Palm, which is slightly more hardy and is better suited to more northern regions.
An ideal conservatory or sunny terrace tree, the thread palm does prefer full sun and will struggle outdoors in many UK and US gardens!
Where it survives it can grow to 10 metres tall, and is hardy to about -10 C, although it will be much happier in a large pot which can be taken inside during the winter.
It is the fanning leaves that are the attraction of the tree, which also has pinkish flowers in late summer.
Grow the thread palm in peat or potting compost, and water it regularly during the summer, but not to the point that it becomes waterlogged.
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