Hardy Tropicals UK

Interested in exotic gardening but unsure what will survive in east central Scotland. I suppose we've become a bit complacent with talk of a warming climate. However a couple of bad winters have knocked that idea on the head. I've lost a mature ceanothus and a eucalyptus because of temperatures as low as -15C, so he prospects of tree ferns and even hardy palms looks daunting to say the least ! Anyone else at this latitude growing tropicals?

Welcome.

Am in the East anglian frost pocket on the edge of the fens and we get very low temps nearby.

Would love to hear what has grown well in your garden under your conditions.

Welcome neighbour!

I have been growing exotic looking plants up here for the last 13 years. You can grow interesting things here but they take a lot of research.

However, I must admit to having given up on tree ferns and I only have one palm now after Dec 09 and Dec 10.

Welcome

Welcome to the forum spreader,

I was thinking Adam when Al replied I hav'nt seen Al's garden for a while but Adm has a lovely garden for the area he is in.

I'm in the process of accessing my needs but I'm a keen fan of tropical (or tropical looking) vines and climbers. I'm hoping to plant various ipomoea and see how they do. Does anyone have advice on whether it's best to sow indoor then plant out or to plant directly?

I would'nt plant out anything 'tropical' just now.

cold wet soil is not good.

Do indoors on windowsill.

kata wrote:I would'nt plant out anything 'tropical' just now.

cold wet soil is not good.

Do indoors on windowsill.

No I meant next spring.

Sorry spreader,

I have never grown them. Sanatic has.

I would start new plants indoors at this time of year, then harden off in Spring after the last frost.

Hi Spreader and welcome to the forum,

I can't give you any advice on what you can grow in your part of the World as I have only grown exotics down here in Southampton but There are a few forum members maybe in your area who can give good advice.


Good luck anyway and keep us all posted on how you get on.

rgds billdango

My Dicksonia still have green fronds even though we have had some frosty days...I will post a pic if that helps? I am going for lots of Phormium, Bamboo, Cordyline etc with hardy trees (evergreen and deciduous) as a backbone of my garden. Eucalyptus have not blinked at being in my frost pocker at the bottom of my garden slope. Ginger, Canna and Ensete do well in my garden. Only thing that does really badly is Ricinus, even though it has been a reasonably warm summer mine got to 1 metre at best and most of that was due to being in a greenhouse.

edit - Here is a link to Adam's garden, he also live in Lothianshire:

http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... =rodgersia

Invest in horticultural fleece, It keeps my garden going.

Hi Speader, and welcome

Blairs wrote:Only thing that does really badly is Ricinus, even though it has been a reasonably warm summer mine got to 1 metre at best and most of that was due to being in a greenhouse.

That might not be your climate Blairs, if the plant becomes pot bound they go into flowering mode even if only 1ft tall. Best to sow late and plant out young for leafy growth.

Welcome! The last few winters have been very harsh even by Scottish standards. It depends how much effort you are willing to go to get your plants through the winters? Many of us on here are now prepared to wrap/move for the worst just in case. No harm in getting some of your exotics and keeping them potted. You can always sink the pots or leave them in the boarder with the pots hidden by planting. I do this with lots of mine having suffered four winters in a row with double digit minus temperatures.

Worth having a good look back at Adam's plot, looks very exotic and lush but if I am correct takes very little protecting, he has virtually nailed it up your way.

Dave Brown wrote:Hi Speader, and welcome

Blairs wrote:Only thing that does really badly is Ricinus, even though it has been a reasonably warm summer mine got to 1 metre at best and most of that was due to being in a greenhouse.

That might not be your climate Blairs, if the plant becomes pot bound they go into flowering mode even if only 1ft tall. Best to sow late and plant out young for leafy growth.

Ah! I started them off in Feb and they did little in the ground apart from flower at 1 metre at best and with limited foliage. They had been in tiny pots and where root bound. I will try them later this year with the few seeds I got from this years crop.