Must haves

flounder

Re: Must haves

Post by flounder »

Cordylines, musa and ensete. Quick growing adding height in a short space of time. After that depends what takes my fancy
Simba

Re: Must haves

Post by Simba »

I reckon you could have a pretty good jungle style planting scheme with nothing more than Bamboo, Trachycarpus and Fatsia.

For me, I'd say that these three are the hardy backbone that I can then build around.

Then I would add the likes of Schefflera, Blechnum, Phormium, Yucca, Helleborus.
Shrubs and trees such as Cotinus, Photinia, Aucuba, Catalpa, Eriobotytra, Eucalyptus.
And for a splash of colour, varieties of Crocosmia and Hemerocallis.

Job done.... icon_thumright
Kristen

Re: Must haves

Post by Kristen »

What do folk think about the giant flowered Dahlias for colour?

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Emory Paul
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Re: Must haves

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

I'm a fan of the cactus and water lily types. Not so much the big doubles.
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simon
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Re: Must haves

Post by simon »

What are plants you feel MUST be in your landscape to give it a true jungle feel?

I think the most important thing to give a "true jungle feel" is to eliminate sight of fencing/boundary as far as possible. This creates the illusion of being in the thick of the vegetation. Where this is hard to achieve, painting the fence in a colour that blends with the foliage (or the shadows) rather than standing also helps. As Simba said, hardy backbone plants like bamboo, Trachycarpus, Fatsia and other shrubs and trees are essential for this. Also important is deep borders so that layers of foliage can be built up with a variety of leaf shapes and sizes. Even better than deep borders is a fully planted up garden with just paths or boardwalks leading to various small seating areas.

I don't think there is any one or two plants that are essential to an exotic garden, but it is the density and variety of the foliage that is the most important and that comes more down to the design and execution of planting than individual plant preference.
flounder

Re: Must haves

Post by flounder »

Kristen wrote:What do folk think about the giant flowered Dahlias for colour?

Image
Emory Paul
Thats a corker sire. Do you just leave one bud or multiples?
Kristen

Re: Must haves

Post by Kristen »

flounder wrote:Do you just leave one bud or multiples?
That was the first flower, and I hadn't thought about it at the time (so it had secondary buds that had formed).

Since then I've taken the secondary ones off, but all the flowers have been dinner-plant size icon_thumleft
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Dave Brown
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Re: Must haves

Post by Dave Brown »

simon wrote:
Even better than deep borders is a fully planted up garden with just paths or boardwalks leading to various small seating areas.
The only problem with that type of planting is you cannot really see any plant properly. Try taking a pic of a specimen plant in those conditions. When you are far enough back everything else is in the way :roll:
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simon
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Re: Must haves

Post by simon »

That's true Dave but I think most people plant a garden for its overall effect and to use and enjoy, rather than how any individual plant will photograph. Surely photographs are not that high on the agenda when planning a garden.

In my opinion, all the best gardens I have seen posted on the forums have been of deeply planted beds with walkways between rather than a cantral lawn with planted borders.

I should point out that my garden is of the latter. You have to be practical with young kids are using the garden, but it may all change as they get older.
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Re: Must haves

Post by redsquirrel »

wheres the bear??
mars ROVER broken down. headgasket faillure
sanatic1234

Re: Must haves

Post by sanatic1234 »

For me. Silk tree, bamboo, climbers, (passionflower) alocasia portodora, 5-6ft trachies, trunked yucca's.
Mr List

Re: Must haves

Post by Mr List »

Dave Brown wrote:
simon wrote:
Even better than deep borders is a fully planted up garden with just paths or boardwalks leading to various small seating areas.
The only problem with that type of planting is you cannot really see any plant properly. Try taking a pic of a specimen plant in those conditions. When you are far enough back everything else is in the way :roll:

i find it all a bit too chaotic and claustrophobic too.i need my small bit of lawn as a calm space to enjoy the other bits.
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Re: Must haves

Post by Dave Brown »

simon wrote:That's true Dave but I think most people plant a garden for its overall effect and to use and enjoy, rather than how any individual plant will photograph. Surely photographs are not that high on the agenda when planning a garden.
I must admit it is easier to just plant up a whole area, rather than a deep border, but have to disagree about photograhps not being high on the agenda. To my mind, a photograph is a view, it is what you can actually see.

My wife hates it when I plant up areas, as she says I am so slow.
She would
have plant
dig hole
plant it
job done

I, on the other hand, place the plant where I think it needs to go, then walk all around the garden, looking at it from various vantage points, then adjust the position again,and again until it looks good from everywhere. Too many times in the past I have placed a plant, looks good, dug hole, planted, go and sit in the lounge.... and ahhhhh ! it doesn't look right form there :ahhh!:
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Simba

Re: Must haves

Post by Simba »

Dave Brown wrote:I, on the other hand, place the plant where I think it needs to go, then walk all around the garden, looking at it from various vantage points, then adjust the position again,and again until it looks good from everywhere. Too many times in the past I have placed a plant, looks good, dug hole, planted, go and sit in the lounge.... and ahhhhh ! it doesn't look right form there :ahhh!:

Yep...thats me too..... :lol:
Can't tell you how many times plants get moved about in my scheme, till I am finally satisfied that I have got it just right..!!
jungle jas

Re: Must haves

Post by jungle jas »

All the aforementioned plus plenty of evergreen climbers and nasturtiums, the scrambling type not the bush type. Mine are still covered in flowers! Not for much longer if the weather forecast is to be believed! :ahhh!: icon_thumright
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