Hardy Tropicals UK

Just thought it was about time I upped some pics of my wannabe exotic garden. Whet follows is a lightning tour beginning at the back door and ending up at the new-and-not-even-close-to-finished fernery. Hope you enjoy...

Oooh, I like it! Lots of space left and yet you have some great plants already! The trachys are nice and thick. Some of the stuff looks well established. How long has your garden been tropical?

I like the first Image..room to walk

Its all lovely and jungly. I believe Arlon has a Fernery too.

Well done Mark!!

The trachys first went in in 2002 - I think the big bamboo was already there but was still only a tiddler then - in fact at that time the garden was only tropical if you were lying on the ground, as everything was bought as small plants. The Dicksonia antarctica was planted in 2005 and was (and still is) only a 2 footer, but fits in its patio home.
Most of the rest of the plants in the patio area are in pots so they can be rescued in the winter.
Still got lots of space as you observed - I am already scheming to widen the borders all round, as budget becomes available for nice plants to fill em up...

Fantastic....

Really nice garden Mark, everything looks very healthy indeed.

Looking great Mark

Wow, Totally tropical
Regards Trudy

I remember your photos when you first joined HTUK, and I loved your jungly pathway leading into the garden, I still do.....

Great looking long narrow garden, Mark.

Is that Arisaema costatum in the first two pics? I can't see the spathe. I have one planted out by my front door for a few years now and the leaf is really sizing up now like yours.

Thank you everyone for your very encouraging comments, I will try to update with more pics as things progress...

Simon, the arisaemas are speciosum and its my first time trying these. I am very impressed with the leaf size, even if the spathes are a bit shy - you have to crouch and bend to see them. I got some nepenthoides as well but they all mushed, as did the other speciosum I had, it seems that sharp drainage is more than just a recommendation.

Are those Washys in the first pic?
Do they stay out all year, they look like they are dug in?

All looks nice, as well.

Thank you Steph. They are Trachycarpus f's actually. I tried a 'baby' washy last yer and it totally fried in december so a bit gun-shy about them now. I have a new baby Waggy from George that's in a pot which I have high hopes for as long as we don't get another December'10

Love the view down the garden .... nice 'n' jungly ..... great layout that just urges you to have a wander deeper into the undergrowth ..... Cracking job !

Re: the arisaema's and drainage, we have a few varieties including speciosum, and all came through winter (fortunately!) .... we did mix a fair whack of perlite in the planting hole for the drainage though .... also planted them really quite deep to be 100% safe !

Cracking looking trachys! do you have any closer up pics of the one on the right?

What plant is this tall fern thingy?




also what species of bamboo is that, like the fact you can see the canes with the frothy foliage top!