Get the TROPICAL LOOK
Create your own private paradise by teaming hardy palms, ferns, bamboos and vines with exotic tender beauties, says Naomi Slade
Many plants that look like they belong in a jungle can thrive in UK gardens, if treated right. Spiky palm trees and bigleaved shrubs and perennials inject instant drama and personality – especially in a small garden where they can be allowed to dominate. Creating a dense ‘jungle’ like this not only looks dramatic – it can help screen an overlooked spot for greater privacy, also blurring its boundaries to help the space feel bigger than it actually is. So how hardy is a ‘hardy exotic’? Well, the RHS hardiness rating runs from H1a, which covers tropical and houseplants that need to be kept at a temperature above 15C (59F) all year round, to H7, which refers to plants that are extremely hardy, tolerating temperatures as low as -20C (-4F).
Compared to the US and Europe, the UK has a relatively consistent climate that doesn’t have extremes of hot and cold. Certainly, there are cold spots, in northern and upland areas, and hotspots in the south and in cities, but generally plants with a hardiness rating of H4 and H5 do pretty well outside. Half-hardy H3 plants can survive in a sheltered microclimate or protected by a wall – they might simply need to be lifted or protected in winter. The key thing is to get to know your garden, and plant accordingly. Armed with the facts, it’s possible to create your own urban jungle or tropical wonderland. Cannas, dahlias and ginger lilies add splashes of vibrant colour; phormiums, echiums and hardy palms bring visually exciting spikes and spires. Go large on big-leaved beauties such as Melianthus major and bananas, use vines and climbers to knit the design together and let succulents soak up the sun. Take the opportunity to unleash your inner Robinson Crusoe and create a palm-fringed paradise or rainforest bolthole that you’ll never want to leave!
Go large on big-leaved beauties such as melianthus and bananas