@Notyalca - lots of space there for a jungle. I'm trying to steer another more shady area toward a jungle vibe.
another suggestion, but probably obvious, if budget allows in later years, bamboo works well.
Jap anenomes can grow very tall and not massive, but still fairly large leaf. and finally, not too cheap, but not expensive either, the 'blood grass'...looking great a for me a year later at the front of the bed, great colour. one for later when you've sorted out the structure.
getting some height and shade in the first few years is probably a good plan, as i don't think you could possibly 'amend' that much sand into nutrient rich stuff.
Just to say I'm enjoying this thread and pictures of your gardens Notyalca and up North. Haven't decided where my jungle theme will go yet, may have to be container grown.
Oh you sound just like me Notyalca, rescuing other people's plants, lol. I too am striving for a jungle look but need more shade so I have made various archways to grow evergreen climbers up while I'm waiting for my cordylines, fig, trachycarpus etc to grow. I am also on a tight budget so have to buy young plants and play the waiting game. My biggest purchase was a 3 feet high tree fern which I bring indoors in winter (having previously lost one ) I have a largish pond which allows me to add a lot of unusual plants too and my Gunnera is growing rapidly. Many of the plants that I have, have already been mentioned but I also have crocosmia lucifer which has big strapping leaves and bright red flowers, ricinus (castor oil plant) Solomons seal (for shade), agapanthus and I have a lot of creeping ground cover plants that I hope will fill gaps and make it look lush eventually (I particularly like ones that look mossy like 'mind your own business' and I have a lime green mound forming one), also heucheras. Sorry for the long message, I will try and post pics soon.
I forgot to say, certain things like Cannas, spider lillies, pineapple lillies etc I keep in pots so that I can easily bring them in, you can disguise the pots with the surrounding plants in a border. Lots of watering to do in this weather though
It may look like stick land at the moment, lol, but my climbers should soon cover the cane arches. Please excuse the cover over the pond in the back ground, I'm struggling with pea soup algae in this weather.
My garden is very small and may look shaded on the pics but the sun moves around our corner house so it reaches everywhere at some time in the day. It is a work in progress and some areas are untidy, the trampoline will eventually be disguised with bamboo! And there is an area cleared in anticipation of a conservatory. I have yet to finish my mirror illusion and a living wall using lolly jars on a rack.
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another suggestion, but probably obvious, if budget allows in later years, bamboo works well.
Jap anenomes can grow very tall and not massive, but still fairly large leaf. and finally, not too cheap, but not expensive either, the 'blood grass'...looking great a for me a year later at the front of the bed, great colour. one for later when you've sorted out the structure.
getting some height and shade in the first few years is probably a good plan, as i don't think you could possibly 'amend' that much sand into nutrient rich stuff.