What's a great specimen plant for this corner?

[ourarka]

Hi guys and gals,

I would really appreciate your thoughts and imagination on a lovely specimen container plant to go in this corner. I walk past it constantly so something quite striking (either in foliage or flowers) would be great. It is very warm and very sheltered, getting sun until about 3pm in mid-summer and has never frosted down here due to its location.

Any plant would probably want to be tall rather than wide, as there isn't much room for a wide 'canopy'. The only other condition is something that doesn't mind being on the dry side as it dries out quick in a container in this spot.

Really looking forward to your thoughts .......

[helen]

I'd think about putting a climber in there. Why? Because I wouldnt want to stop the sun getting into the room behind by blocking it. You could trail it up and around the window itself. Also, to have something like a jasmine would provide a nice scent, again to drift into the room behind. Lapagaria Rosea, bBuganvilla or Mandevilla would provide nice exotic looking flowers if you dont get frosts there. Underplant with something like Sarcococca confusa for winter scent.

Or, you could have a go at a living wall there and plant loads of smaller plants?

Or, you could put shelving/trellis up the wall, and put in succulents/arids.

[Steph]

Yucca Rostrata in a potful of gravel it will be a magnificent specimen in the sun & warmth of the house.

[Deedee]

A living wall would be great there, or sempervirans etc in pots...

A few ideas here..

http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... =1&t=21713

http://www.urbanjungle.uk.com/blog/temp ... asp?id=128

[leunerj]

I second Helen's recommendation for Bougainvillea... should do well in an almost frost-free and dry location with lots of sun and it looks spectacular.

[bordersboy]

A large ponytail,and when its chilly bring indoors behind that big piece of glass.

[GoggleboxUK]

A couple of Vines would suit the spot, perhaps a Painted Actinidia for foliage and colour and a grape vine for fruit and just to look exotic.



Some nice other options HERE

[PaulPlants]

Psuedopanax ferox or crassifolius. I suggest this plant a lot… but i really do love it, and I grow it in a similar situation with native ivy growing up the wall behind with a fern, black grass, a small leaved blue hosta and a spider plant at it's feet.

I will try and take a pic later in the week.

[fern Rob]

Dare I say Tree fern.

[ourarka]

Loving all the ideas - I think Yucca Rostrata might be winning at the moment, not least because I hadn't considered it and the head woman saw one last year and has been nagging me to get one ever since .... just haven't had the right place to put it.

I had considered a bougainvillea, or another climber, but with such a big garden there is so much to do and really wanted something I don't have to prune/train/trim/move/excessively feed so low maintenance would be good. I have plenty of places to overwinter tenders but again, with this sheltered aspect I want something I can leave out.

In agreement I don't want anything to block too much light in to that room ...

Rob - I adore tree ferns and have plenty!!! This is the one spot in my garden I really don't think it would like!!!!

[Nigel Fear]

Any way you could remove the wall altogether and have a much larger specimen, or would that be too much work for you, or does a gate hang just out of the picture?

[Alexander]

A Musa sikkimensis would be tempting to plant there.

Alexander