Thank you. The concrete certainly had me scratching my head for a while and I thought I'd have to dig it out completely but in the end i just levered it out with a metal bar
Total newbie to gardening like you, I live by the windy coast in Wales and started a tropical container garden last year. I didn't draw up a design, I just sat and stared at the garden for ages and noted shady, windy, sunny areas etc. Then i did a google search for tropical plants, made a list and started buying plants. I let the plants decide the design, placing them where they will do best. Gardener's World 2019 episode 4 or 5 (cant remember which) featured a tropical garden in the North somewhere and was really great. Try and watch it. I have ALL the plants showcased in the episode and more. Use hostas (the super sized ones like Empress Wu, Big Daddy, Sum and Substance, T-Rex) , palms, ferns, canna lily, olive tree's, phlox, yucca,hebe, eounymous for windy bits, acers for part shade and sheltered areas. I have tetrapanex papyrifer rex, gunnera manicata, fascia japonica, lots of acers, huchera, voodoo lily, bamboos. I have then dotted it with plants i love like climbing roses, clematis, amaranthus caudatus and tithonia rotundifolia. This year, I am adding succulents which I'm dotting round in mini gardens grown in shallow concrete pots. Its properly fun....don't be too prescriptive and let the plants tell you where they want to go.
Thanks for that. To be honest the plan has pretty gone out the window & i'm just winging it to a certain extent. I'm happy with what I've put in so far (although my small ferns don't seem too happy). Top of my list next is to get gunnera manicata to go next to the pond. I'd also like to try growing a Camomile lawn around the rocks that I'm planning on surrounding the pond.
What I really need is to add some height as it's all a little flat at the moment. So any suggestions on larger plants to add some height that aren't too expensive or at least fast growing smaller plants would be great
Got the pond liner in. Next is to install filter and pump, complete the edging and build the deck path which will line and overhang the left side of the pond.
Also added reed screening to rhe fence fence for more privacy and thinkjit helps add to the tropical look 😊
Hi Mark, work's coming on well ! What about a trachycarpus for height ? (Not sure of the price though). Maybe others will have some ideas, or maybe on here http://www.plantpost.co.uk/ (I have no connection with the company, this came up while l was searching )
Surprisingly got quite a lot done this week despite the horrible weather. Built the deck path, installed an outside socket so have power to the pump & filter, moved a few things around and added a couple more fatsia. Still need to trim the liner, add some rocks to the edging and hide the filter etc etc etc
Posts
What I really need is to add some height as it's all a little flat at the moment. So any suggestions on larger plants to add some height that aren't too expensive or at least fast growing smaller plants would be great
Thanks again
Also added reed screening to rhe fence fence for more privacy and thinkjit helps add to the tropical look 😊
http://www.plantpost.co.uk/
(I have no connection with the company, this came up while l was searching