Hi guys, thanks for accepting me....Advice needed!!

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ryanknight1521
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2020 11:21 pm
Location: Manchester

Hi guys, thanks for accepting me....Advice needed!!

Post by ryanknight1521 »

My name is Ryan and I live in Glossop, Derbs. I have been gardening for a couple of years and I have swayed more and more towards tropical and exotic. I started with the good old trachycarpus fortunei which is now around 5ft, a cordyline that has grown quickly to around 9ft as well as various ferns. Last year I planted a small washingtonia robusta, a chamaerops humilis, a canary island date palm, a lgood size fatsia, fargesia rufa and a T rex plant. For my 40th in September I was bought a stunning 7ft tree fern too, from the very helpful palm tree company. My fern has been wrapped and has straw in and around the crown, the palms have been wrapped and also covered in straw even though I know my fortunei and cordyline are bulletproof. I have put plenty of straw in the crown on of the canary island date palm and then wrapped in fleece although I have just read to put a plastic bag over the top of the fleece. I didn't do this so I hope the little fella is ok. It was a trial really to check if it was ok outside and if it is I have seen much bigger ones available at the palm tree company. My T rex is just a baby and I have covered in a thick layer of mulch, so again I am hoping the little guy is ok. I amy add another this year too if it's ok.
I am now planning further time and expense giving my garden a more jungle feel. I have built my pet 6ft iguana a large 9ft outdoor enclosure for warm days. I am also adding a pond and have worked hard over xmas digging out the hole, my back did not enjoy the experience. I have done plenty of research online but would love some advice from people that have experience with these plants and trees, any advice would be appreciated. I am looking to add..

Musa Basjoo.....Are these genuinely going to be successfully overwintered in the North of England. I am planning on buying one around 5ft.

9ft trachycarpus wagnerus...I have been informed these are bullet proof?

Gunnera.....I would love to successfully grow a huge Gunnera. The site I have chosen is in poorly drained soil in semi shade, is this right?

Canna....I don't have a greenhouse but I do have a shed to store them. Are they hardy enough to be covered in mulch?

Hystrix palm....Are these worth the money? I have seen a good size one for £165 which I know is a good price but I am wondering if the space and money could be used for something else? I will already have plenty of palms. I have never seen one in real life, just online.

Schefflera taiwaniana....Has anyone got one or had experience with one?

T rex plant....Any advice would be appreciated as I am hoping for this to be a big boy

Sorry to bore you guys with a big first post but I want to get as much info as possible as this project is going to cost that much that my wife may well beat me with a pillowcase filled with oranges while I sleep.

Thanks in advance
Ryan
GREVILLEAJ
Posts: 901
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2018 10:38 pm
Location: London

Hi guys, thanks for accepting me....Advice needed!!

Post by GREVILLEAJ »

Welcome to HTUK, Ryan icon_cheers

You seem to have made an ambitious start as a 'B.E.' (Botanical exoticist!) Correct protection of your more tender plants gives away your successful research icon_thumright

From your list I'll give you a quick resumè of the plants I've grown.

Musa Basjoo: Generous protection up the stems before the first frosts. (See Yorkshire Kris's informative videos on this forum search and U tube.)

Trachycarpus wagnerianus : Hardy even in your area.

Gunnera: Any damp but we'll drained site. Mulch with dead leaves and extra straw in winter.

Canna: Keeping dry in a frost free shed is better and pot up to give an early start, placing them against a warm sunny wall mid - Spring. Early summer, bed out active plants. You'll have more mature plants by the end of summer than those kept in the ground.

Hystrix palm (Rhapidophyllum) : Don't bother in Derbyshire. Frost hardy but will refuse to grow and eventually fade away unless there is sustained heat. A few members just manage slow growth in London and South Coast suntraps. Get yourself a worthy substitute in another Chamaerops (Vulcano/ Cerifera) and give some light protection in the coldest weather. A dwarf Trachycarpus (Nanus) would also work.

Go for it, Ryan icon_salut

Finding a sea of "naval" oranges to put inside a pillow in landlocked Derbyshire may be difficult :lol: However, it may be wise to spend more on your good lady than your plants. Then you can rightly expect a nice potted specimen of Calamondin Orange for your 41st :wink:
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charliep
Posts: 78
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2018 6:43 am
Location: cornwall

Hi guys, thanks for accepting me....Advice needed!!

Post by charliep »

T rex is likely to behave as an herbaceous perennial, ie die down and come up each year, often spreading by suckering. It is possible to keep the stems but not worth the effort as the plant will look better if it starts fresh each year.

The Musa you have a choice you can protect the base to keep some height but they look pretty good coming up from below ground each year.

I used to protect stuff but now don't bother so anything that requires that has died but it saves a lot of time and effort! I do however bring in certain plants mostly pot grown stuff.
There are lots of plants out there that are perfectly hardy that can look good in a Tropical garden and other stuff can be seed grown each year or bought as cheap plugs especially useful while expensive plants are growing to fill their space
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
elge_onion
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2018 8:48 am
Location: Mastin Moor

Hi guys, thanks for accepting me....Advice needed!!

Post by elge_onion »

Welcome to the group. Derbyshire is by far the best county in the land. Although, I don't envy your weather Glossop way! I've played rugby at Buxton in a snow storm in June I think 😅... Sunny fields it ain't !
Mind like Poison Ivy.... body like Grotbags[i[/i]
Thomas
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2020 12:57 pm
Location: Oxford, UK

Hi guys, thanks for accepting me....Advice needed!!

Post by Thomas »

I grow a few Scheffleras (no taiwania) in fairly alkaline moist soil in part shade. I worked plenty organic matter into it though because it is dense clay. Lost one due to ring barking by a muntjac; lesson learned!

For quick tropical look for me a blue columned bamboo worked well. I tried a few and Borinda (Fargesia) KR5287 does best - see pictures (this one is from Kimmei bamboo). It matured fairly quickly within 5 years. Another plant for quick impact and ground cover is Woodwardia unigemmata.
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Thomas
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2020 12:57 pm
Location: Oxford, UK

Hi guys, thanks for accepting me....Advice needed!!

Post by Thomas »

Another thing regarding the pond: it can never be too big, especially if you start collecting water lilies ;-). And if you add the marginals even less so.
MildredNelson
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2020 10:32 am
Location: usa

Hi guys, thanks for accepting me....Advice needed!!

Post by MildredNelson »

Hello, I am new to your forum as of today.. I am from Alberta, Canada. I am really happy to be a member of this forum. thanks.
GREVILLEAJ
Posts: 901
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2018 10:38 pm
Location: London

Hi guys, thanks for accepting me....Advice needed!!

Post by GREVILLEAJ »

Welcome to HTUK, MN icon_cheers

Your input will be especially interesting as you will probably experience the lowest minima of any contributor on the forum! Pretty sure coconut palms will not survive in your climate. 8)
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