Hello from Garstang, Lancashire

grahamfx · Post by **grahamfx** » Tue Aug 14, 2018 11:15 am

Thanks for accepting me, wasn't into tropical gardening until a few months ago, had a large grass bank in the corner of the garden and no plants in it at all just some steps up to the top, anyway saw a picture of a jungle garden and decided, I want that !! So here I am hoping to learn a lot !!

tatter · Post by **tatter** » Tue Aug 14, 2018 11:24 am

Welcome to the forum Graham .Please ask away with any questions plenty of help here on losts of different plants etc. i

Chez2 · Post by **Chez2** » Tue Aug 14, 2018 11:46 am

Hello. Are you an experienced gardener, just new to tropicals?

grahamfx · Post by **grahamfx** » Tue Aug 14, 2018 12:41 pm

Yes, very experienced gardener, worked on a nursery for many years, grow lots of plants from seeds, cuttings etc, just new to tropicals, got the bug for Meconopsis a couple of years ago because it said they were difficult to grow !! Love a challenge !! Planting up one area of the garden as a jungle garden.

Chez2 · Post by **Chez2** » Wed Aug 15, 2018 7:30 am

Oh thats good, saved me from making a fool of myself telling you the basics. It should be easy for you to transfer your knowledge to tropicals with being an experienced gardener. My hubby started growing tropicals from seed this year and has done well. Prior to that he was just my willing garden helper for thirty years. What style of garden do you have in mind? Jungle, topical / exotic look or arid?

grahamfx · Post by **grahamfx** » Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:45 am

Want to achieve the jungle look, have purchased Chamaerops Humilis, Trachycarpus Wagnerius, Fatsia and Tetrapanax, got a couple of big leaved Hostas to move next spring, also got (from other parts of the garden) bamboos, Gunnera, Miscanthus, Phormiums and Kniphofia

Chez2 · Post by **Chez2** » Wed Aug 15, 2018 12:59 pm

Others will be best placed to help you. We don't grow much about five foot high as its windy where we are. We have one area that is tropical /exotic but not full on jungle, no enclosed areas with overhead foliage. We have another area this is more arid / Mediterranean style.

grahamfx · Post by **grahamfx** » Wed Aug 15, 2018 1:32 pm

I'm lucky that one of the first things I did when we moved in was plant a Laurel hedge along the border of the garden, this is now about 9ft high and makes an excellent windbreak, it protects the polytunnel brilliantly, I also have a line of shrubs half way up the garden which break the wind again, so most of the garden is sheltered.

Chez2 · Post by **Chez2** » Wed Aug 15, 2018 10:36 pm

We have a combination of mixed native hedge and a laurel hedge around most of the garden, its about six to eight foot high. The land is sloping in two directions so is terraced in big chunks. Some areas have wooden fence panels within the garden to provide shelter; double palisade fencing to slow the wind down. We are rural close to the top of a hill with an acre of land so its still windy even with that all in place.

chainsaw kid · Post by **chainsaw kid** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 3:56 pm

I have visited Garstang but it was a long time ago! I seem to remember they used to have a good antique fair there on a Sunday morning. Do they still have it? I used to drive all the way up there from Worcestershire.

Now the important question what sort of winter low temperatures do you get there? Welcome to HTUK.

grahamfx · Post by **grahamfx** » Thu Aug 16, 2018 7:35 pm

chainsaw kid wrote: ↑Thu Aug 16, 2018 3:56 pm I have visited Garstang but it was a long time ago! I seem to remember they used to have a good antique fair there on a Sunday morning. Do they still have it? I used to drive all the way up there from Worcestershire. Now the important question what sort of winter low temperatures do you get there?

Could be an antique fair, not sure ?? We have all sorts of car boots, etc around. As for winter temperatures think it got down to -8 one night last winter but generally we missed most of the really cold, we're fairly near the coast and the garden is sheltered so this helps, I have a polytunnel and greenhouse, plus an unheated conservatory so going to put some plants in these this winter.

chainsaw kid · Post by **chainsaw kid** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:20 pm

With your climate you could try a few more palm variates, Trithrinax Cmpestris, Chamaedorea Radicalis, Butia Eriospartha, Jubaea and Jubaea X Butia.

grahamfx · Post by **grahamfx** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 1:41 pm

chainsaw kid wrote: ↑Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:20 pm With your climate you could try a few more palm variates, Trithrinax Cmpestris, Chamaedorea Radicalis, Butia Eriospartha, Jubaea and Jubaea X Butia

Going to take things slow for now, going to try and protect what I have so far over the winter then try and pick up some bargains in the spring, really fancy some Alocasia and Colocasia and bananas

chainsaw kid · Post by **chainsaw kid** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:39 pm

Yes Bananas are a must, as for the palms, if you want to make them look a bit more jungley in years to come try planting some climbers up the trunks. I personally like passion fruit or a purple leaved grape vines.

One of my favourite small trees is a purple leaved Acacia these flower in late winter and the yellow blossom brightens the garden no end and reminds you spring is on the way.

GREVILLEAJ · Post by **GREVILLEAJ** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 9:49 pm

Wow! For a newbie to exotics you've started well, Graham

Forget the 'non-exotics' from now on....consider yourself as having arrived

Your induction into the HTUK society is now complete so welcome!