Hardy Tropicals UK

Had a good look around in the sunshine today.

Hillside first (as per first pics in the tunnels). Certainly very keenly priced on most stuff, plenty of decent larger specimens. Not too much in the way of tree ferns, decent selection of ground ferns, and some good sized cannas for £6 a go. Gunnera selection was impressive, some really large clumps - although as often seems to be the way some small/short leaves which don't seem to match the overall size (may just be early growth). Some huge bamboos too, probably 15ft+ for £50, if you can transport them!!

Then onto Gardening Club. Have never been before so can't comment on what stock levels they had (lots of empty benches though). Some lovely large Strelizias at good prices, Phoenix canariensis_CIDP's, a few large Washigtonias, cycas, unspecified Musas for £5 a go, Musiellas as per the pics, and some lovely Cyatheas. Spent a good 20 mins lurking around those and persuading myself to buy one (£80 but really good trunks and looking very happy!) but managed to resist in the end as not sure on hardiness. Really wanted some larger Ensete or Musa but nothing doing yet - do they stock up on those later in the spring/summer? Also the weirdest bamboo I've ever seen - a monster culm, cut short and the sideshoots left to grow to form a strange looking bamboo tree! Totally bizarre.

Popped into Paramount but all pretty pricey and large specimens and nothing out of the ordinary really.

The whole road was teeming with punters, reminded me of being on 'the strip' on a Greeek Island, just with garden centres rather than bars/restaurants!

So somehow, I came away without buying a single thing!! Was quite proud of/disappointed in myself at the same time!

Cycads look great, if i lived close i would buy them all for the money. Where is that Dicksonia antarctica in the picture for sale?

Thanks mate for the info/pics looking forward to going this morning. Will definitely grab a Gunnera and some grasses. Have a list of plants that I'll buy if I see them, otherwise it's pretty dangerous!!!

The cycads do look excellent value, they look quite big as well, I want one myself...

Rob, the Dicksonia antarctica must be at Hillside 'cos that isn't CHGC.

And Sam, mistake - you should have bought the Cyatheas, there are Cooperii & Brownii there.
Bought some myself last year and they are huge & magnificent now... recognise the blue string tied round one of them.

Steph ......... don't tell me that now!!

One or two were labelled as Cooperi, but the others just 'large fern' so had presumed they were larger Australis as they have smaller ones for £24.99 there too (on dealbata labels but crossed out and corrected).

Could see that there were at least two species there in the large sizes.

Really wasn't sure on hardiness, and as the fronds are huge was a little concerned on the overwintering front .......... but now you've definitely made me regret not grabbing one. Wonder how long they'll have them around for?

As for the large Dicksonia Rob, yes that was at Hillside. They had a large sign up saying currently £25 per ft (the cost bit was stuck on so they obviously change that depending on season), so guess that one would be £150 or so. It was properly hot and humid down that end of the tunnel!

I popped in Saturday, could not resist one of the Cyatheas.

Was my third visit, stock levels were very low compared with the last 2 times I have visited.

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AAArrrrggghhh .......... everyone else got one!!

Do they not normally have them in at that size then? Had presumed that kind of stock would be there a while as not a cheap whim purchase for most of the punters cruising the houses for bedding plants!

And which were the ones with the blue string? That makes it even worse as believe that one closest in the photo was cheaper than the others too (£69.99 I think).

The way I remember things is that the blue string is the Brownnii & the other Cooperii.
There was some difference in the pricing, but they were a bargain.......


Some pics from my FB page if you are interested.
Cooperii last month https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

Brownii last year https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

Thanks for the heads up about the hillside nursery in a previous topic. Been there before but first time in the tunnel at the end with the exotics.

I popped in last year (autumn I think) and they had the same Cyathea then. Might be available for a little while longer.

May bank holiday onwards is best time to go with regards to stock

Non of the Cyatheas in the pictures are C Australis.

Cracking selection there, only wish it was closer to me

fern Rob wrote:Non of the Cyatheas in the pictures are C Australis.

There are some Rob, the black pots you can see at the top of the row with the Cyatheas ......... you just can't see the plants themselves!!

Hopefully they will still be around in a couple of months if I pop back down, and hopefully they'll have some larger bananas there by then too to make the journey even more worthwhile!!

Attached a link to a picture of C Australis, do they look like this, if so I'm going to pay a visit and buy some.
http://trevenacross.co.uk/plant-centre/ ... australis/