I must look back over this. I've now found my 'jurassic' area. Small spot. Semi shade. Dampest part of the garden. It's not ready to plant yet, needs attention. So far I've got a cordyline indivisa, a spotty dotty, fatsia green fingers, fern blechnum, fern polystichum, fern Osmunda, rodgersia Irish bronze, dahlias and cannas. Want a gunners, can move some berginia.
An update on the garden. I’ve added a ‘new bit’ and a few new plants
I have a gunnera, 3 tetrapanax, 4 musa, 1 astilboides , bamboo, 1 paulownia, 3 palms and a cynara. Think that’s everything. They are still babies yet so can’t wait for them to grow.
it’s definitely not “Jurassic” yet. It’s so bright and open still. I haven’t got anything that’s over my head that I can duck under. So I’m still struggling to get the feel of a jungle haha. Plus that fence needs something growing up it because it’s just an eye sore!
Hi Notyalca, your garden is looking great. I'm glad you managed to get some tetrapanax, the bit of root that I grew on (if you remember I was seeing if it was a baby one to send to you) turned out to be the dreaded bindweed after all! The little sucker off the tetrapanax is doing really well though and now in a huge pot. For suggestions of climbers to cover your fence perhaps a climbing hydrangea (although I don't seem to have any luck with those and desperately trying to save yet another young plant from the brink of death!) Hops grows extremely fast but a bit of a thug, it is a lovely bright green but decideous. Or a hardy passion flower, I have 2 different ones from a discount store that are doing really well and seem to be evergreen. Or a kiwi vine trained against it perhaps? Mine gets out of control but it's very jungly and beautiful with big leaves and hairy stems. Your garden will soon be jungly with your plants towering above you
Those Rheums and Ligularias look great and very Jurassic.
To get foliage and height going inexpensively, to create a backdrop for truly jungly stuff, I'd suggest the OP gets some hazel as bare root whips / feathereds this autumn.
Keep an eye out for Magnolias on sale; Homebase is worth checking after the flowers have gone over. Magnolias are literally Jurassic.
Canna musifolia is worth hunting down; can be expensive but multiplies and grows rapidly.
Some dahlias have pretty jungly foliage, I reckon my Dahlia Arabian Night looks pretty tropical with my Canna musifolia.
Ricinus are worth growing from seed to fill out the planting.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
I agree with WillDB about painting the fence black, I saw it done on a gardening programme and it made the plants really stand out plus I think it would create an illusion of more depth. I might try that in my garden, I'd forgotten that idea! Thanks WillDB.
Posts
I have a gunnera, 3 tetrapanax, 4 musa, 1 astilboides , bamboo, 1 paulownia, 3 palms and a cynara. Think that’s everything. They are still babies yet so can’t wait for them to grow.
it’s definitely not “Jurassic” yet. It’s so bright and open still. I haven’t got anything that’s over my head that I can duck under. So I’m still struggling to get the feel of a jungle haha. Plus that fence needs something growing up it because it’s just an eye sore!
Any pointers would be great on getting the “feel”
Here are some pictures
To get foliage and height going inexpensively, to create a backdrop for truly jungly stuff, I'd suggest the OP gets some hazel as bare root whips / feathereds this autumn.
Keep an eye out for Magnolias on sale; Homebase is worth checking after the flowers have gone over. Magnolias are literally Jurassic.
Canna musifolia is worth hunting down; can be expensive but multiplies and grows rapidly.
Some dahlias have pretty jungly foliage, I reckon my Dahlia Arabian Night looks pretty tropical with my Canna musifolia.
Ricinus are worth growing from seed to fill out the planting.
My Jurassic 'path' is hidden behind the summer house (nice and shady).
Here (hopefully) are my photos...
Before (mid May)
A few plants...
And how it looks now, still playing with positioning so lots in their pots.