Mix in more tender beauties
In the heat of summer, add some delicate exotics from warm tropical climes to boost your display
Eucomis comosa is an interesting pot plant for a sunny, sheltered patio
Give your hot-climate scheme a frisson of authenticity using exotic tender perennials and tropical or sub-tropical plants. South African pineapple lilies, such as Eucomis comosa ‘Sparkling Burgundy’, are interesting container plants for a sunny, sheltered patio, as is Strelitzia reginae (bird of paradise) with its glaucous banana-like leaves and striking, punky orange flowers. Overwinter both in a frost-free greenhouse. When it comes to growing these tender perennials it pays to know your plot. Tree ferns and banana plants can last from year to year, as long as you give them good growing conditions and wrap them up warm in winter. If in doubt, keep them in pots and wheel them into a shed or greenhouse when they’re dormant. Cannas, colocasia and ginger lilies can all be treated like dahlias – lifting or protecting them in winter, depending on your site and soil. When it comes to climbers, handsome Campsis radicans, with its orange trumpets might overwinter – it’s worth a try – while scrambling Eccremocarpus scaber and Thunbergia alata (black-eyed Susan) can easily be grown as annuals. Some of the best exotic plants can be found growing right under our noses. Houseplants are kept indoors because they’re too tender to survive winter, yet the colourful leaves of coleus and pelargoniums look great as a temporary summer addition to a tropical outdoor scheme.
Echeveria, crassula, haworthia and many other succulents positively enjoy the fresh air and increased humidity of a summer holiday in the garden, as do both desert and Christmas cacti, exotic and glamorous orchids, bromeliads and tillandsia (air plants). Gradually acclimatise them to the outdoors or they’ll be damaged by sun, wind and rain. Arrange them on a table or hang them from a tree to help protect them from slugs.