Hardy Tropicals UK

Plants growing on the border now.

Schefflera arboricola
Dracaena marginata*
Justicia rizzinnii
Fatshedera lizei
Thunbergia alata
Solanum capistratum
Clivia miniata
Begonia tuberhybrida x 5
Eucomis autumnalis x 3
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
Crassula ovata
Jasminum humile
Jasminum polyanthum
Jasminum x stephanense
Jasminum officinale
Jasminum beesianum
Passiflora caerulea
Passiflora 'pura vida'
Mina lobata
Bougainvillea glabra*
Impatiens tinctoria
Lachenalia viridiflora.

The * means unlikely, or not sure whether it will make it through winter even in a sheltered area.

*blog discontinued*

Why?

1. Blogs are quite hidden and I find they're not as visited as posts on the forum

2. I can get my main point across on the forum by starting topics if I need to

Just wondering, is that Schefflera hardy for you or do you protect it?

I used to have one on the balcony when I lived in a flat, it was part of the 'inventory' so not really mine. I didn't know much about plants, it was outside all the time and did just fine. But Plantfiles list it as hardy to zone 9b?

Where it is the soil never freezes, after last winter the leaves looked a little tired, but it didn't show many effects of cold. In that area it fell to -1C and hovered just above freezing for a few days duration in March. It was ok.

Stevie,

You should keep adding to your blog, its looking great.

stephenprudence wrote:Where it is the soil never freezes, after last winter the leaves looked a little tired, but it didn't show many effects of cold. In that area it fell to -1C and hovered just above freezing for a few days duration in March. It was ok.

Somehow I find it hard to believe it only fell to -1C, my super-sheltered corner got lower than that and the official lows in our area (somewhere between -3.2 - -3.7 - lows from the nearest Wunderground stations) were milder than yours (-5-ish in early December, if I remember correctly?).
But if that's true, you have an awesome microclimate, perhaps worth trying more tender / interesting things - bougainvillea, strelitzia...?

It's under a carport near the side of the house.. I also have a thermometer under there. It really did only drop to -1C. I am trying lots of tender things under there but it's mainly a space for climbers. Lowest in winter was -3.9C. The. Lowest in Spring was -4.5C outside.

I am trying bougainvillaea under there.. The soil is exceptionally dry under there, so I'm sure it'll work.

Climbers on the wall, other things like strelitzias in front.

If any of it is shaded from the strongest sun, try a Monstera deliciosa. Mine survived last winter outside in said corner (with fleecing), but the spring sun killed it.

The sun is filtered light under there from roughly April to October with shade in winter except for the part near the driveway. Funnily enough my parents got a Monstera last year and it's already getting quite big so I suppose we will plant it outside in this border when there's no option left.

Ps I still intend on fleecing things under there on the coldest nights.

Update:

In the side border most things are ok, but the Dracaena snuffed it, as expected, and the Kalanchoe doesn't look too great, as it's quite wet in the area it's planted, but away from that, it's generally looking good.

As for the garden, the front garden is ok, Euphorbia mellifera, and other plants looking good.

Back garden is a little bit of a problem, the Trachycarpus is yellowing at an alarming rate, I think, due to high ground water because of all the rain we've been having. If the ground doesn't drain soon, the Trachycarpus will die.

The other plants are ok, though the Phormium is also showing some stress as well.

If the Trachycarpus dies, I will not be growing one again, for as long as I live here. We shall see.