Hardy Tropicals UK

Went to London today and visited Kensington and Notting Hill. I was amazed at some of the front gardens. There were Butias, Tree ferns, indoor Yuccas outdoors, Mature green and purple cordylines which were obviously unaffected by 2010. cycads, agaves and even osteospurmums and geraniums in flower, It put my wrapped up Solihull garden to shame. London temps are obviously more suited for exotics. Tomorrow I am going to unwrap my cordylines

The heat island effect is incredible. In 2010, out here on the edge of London we got -10C, in central probably -6C, -7C. It is warmer in summer too.

I used to drive into Hammersmith for work. You could watch the thermometer on the car rise 2-3C on the way into work on almost any day in winter (More than you would expect from the normal temp change in that 45mins)

You wrap cordylines?

Some south coast locations do even better than London. However, you are unlikely to beat tropical houseplants being left out year round under sheltered south facing porches or basements.

rburrena wrote:The heat island effect is incredible. In 2010, out here on the edge of London we got -10C, in central probably -6C, -7C. It is warmer in summer too.

St. James' Park only got down to -3.9C or so in December 2010.

The built-up areas must have been even warmer.

GREVILLE wrote:Some south coast locations do even better than London. However, you are unlikely to beat tropical houseplants being left out year round under sheltered south facing porches or basements.

Maybe Plymouth at the like have milder lows, but no summer heat.

The S-central and SE coast is about as mild as London in the winter, but their summers are breezy and cool. They do, however, get more sun.

Brummie Brian wrote: There were Butias, Tree ferns, indoor Yuccas outdoors, Mature green and purple cordylines which were obviously unaffected by 2010. cycads, agaves and even osteospurmums and geraniums in flower

We have some big cordylines, yucca elephantipes, and tree ferns down here (but we have no butias, probably because of the availability of them)

We also have big mature CIDPs'

otorongo wrote:

rburrena wrote:The heat island effect is incredible. In 2010, out here on the edge of London we got -10C, in central probably -6C, -7C. It is warmer in summer too.

St. James' Park only got down to -3.9C or so in December 2010.

The built-up areas must have been even warmer.

Even better than I thought then!

otorongo wrote:

GREVILLE wrote:Some south coast locations do even better than London. However, you are unlikely to beat tropical houseplants being left out year round under sheltered south facing porches or basements.

Maybe Plymouth at the like have milder lows, but no summer heat.

The S-central and SE coast is about as mild as London in the winter, but their summers are breezy and cool. They do, however, get more sun.

The average annual absolute minimum in Plymouth (from the Met Office site) is -4.1C, so it is actually colder than central London, Southsea's average absolute annual minimum (again from the Met Office station) is -3.4C.

Cities on the central/south east south coast do get reasonable summer temperatures & are certainly not "breezy & cool"... Portsmouth gets average highs of around 22C, with 30C being acheived most years, the average summer minimums are comparable to central London with 15C in July & August...

GREVILLE wrote:Some south coast locations do even better than London. However, you are unlikely to beat tropical houseplants being left out year round under sheltered south facing porches or basements.

Well that doesn't stand up, my carport might just be less protected than a porch and my houseplants are fine (since 2012).. That takes the gloss off it for southern areas. Northern areas growing houseplants.. all you southerners probably feel the need to go and take a shower now (joke)

rburrena wrote: You wrap cordylines?

I second that - they are very wind resistant and I have never seen them protected and wonder why in this mild winter you would keep them covered?

I would argue that the Greater London area probably has some of the largest and best palms on the UK mainland as well as some of the most diverse exotics you will find with West London possibly unrivaled!

Rob S wrote:I would argue that the Greater London area probably has some of the largest and best palms on the UK mainland as well as some of the most diverse exotics you will find with West London possibly unrivaled!

I agree completely.

Yes central London has the best climate in the whole of the UK for growing exotics IMO, it gets the hottest summer temperatures, virtually frost free most winters & doesn't have the damaging salt laden winds that coastal areas have

Was in Pimlico today and spotted the famous Phoenix canariensis_CIDP that grows at Lambeth roundabout, looking pristine after the benign winter.

jcec1 wrote:Was in Pimlico today and spotted the famous Phoenix canariensis_Phoenix canariensis_CIDP that grows at Lambeth roundabout, looking pristine after the benign winter.

I wonder if it will ever grow taller? Like the CIDPs in the Med.