What would you grow if there were no frost …?

[Malmsey]

Greetings all.

For years I've struggled to grow tropical in my tiny north-facing frost-trap London garden, which suffers from a vicious clay soil you can make pots out of, plagues of slugs and total shade for several months of the year. I'm proud of the end result, but there have been casualties along the way. Schefflera macrophylla, Musella lasiocarpa, you are sadly missed.

But a few months ago I bought a house on Madeira. The climate there is sub-tropical and remarkably even - never too hot, never too cold. It's a bit like the UK, but without winter, spring or autumn. My neighbours there say the coldest night-time temperature over last 10 years they've measured has been 9C!

Unfortunately the house doesn't have a garden, although I have had large planters built on the two terraces. The planters on the upper terrace get about 4 hours sun a day. Downstairs has no direct sun, but has sky overhead. So far I've planted two heliconia (bihai and rostrata) upstairs and some kind of black-stemmed aroid type thing I bought in the market in Funchal downstairs.

I'm looking for ideas what else to plant, so my question to the forum is: If winter were suddenly banished in the UK, what would you plant for a lush and tropical look?

I'm asking here because I haven't yet met expert gardeners on Madeira, and anyway the locals don't tend to get my joy at being able to grow frost-tender, big, blooming architectural leafy things and suggest stuff like hydrangeas, which frankly I could easily grow in my little plot here at home...

[fern Rob]

I would grow as many tree ferns as possible. I would grow a Cyathea Robusta if I could.

[Tom2006]

Basically anything and everything.

[Malmsey]

Not having a greenhouse/conservatory or any indoor space in London, I've veered conservative in what I plant here. Too many casualties in recent winters to go with genuinely borderline plants.

Now I have a huge new and unfamiliar palette potentially available, but only for a small canvas. There's also the issue of sourcing unusual plants.

Would love to plant a grand tree fern downstairs, but I think it would crowd out everything else. I need something there though as a centre piece; was thinking of papyrus or a palm. I'd love a lipstick palm, but I think Madeira isn't quite warm enough, plus there's the issue of getting hold of it. Was thinking of papaya, but they're quite ugly really (although having fruit would be cool). Also musa coccinea, but would probably have to take seeds from the UK, or try smuggling a banana pup in my pockets on easy jet!

For upstairs someone suggested giant strelitzia, but frankly I think that's a bit mad given space available. I saw one locally that was 20ft high. Also considering dwarf cavendish banana, which is what grows everywhere there. Or maybe a more exotic nana.

Next time I'm out there I'll take another trip to Funchal market. Lots of orchids there, which are completely new to me. Have also found couple of garden centres, but both had quite a limited range.

[Malmsey]

If I can grow Heliconia like this (photo from park in central Funchal), I will be very well chuffed!

[otorongo]

Tree ferns grow wild in the wetter parts of Madeira.

I think my focus would be jungle vines. There are many passifloras in the wild there, I would get some of the rarer species / varieties.
Terrestrial ornamental orchids are very common there in the gardens. I would definitely get some.