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Plants for conservatory

SueAtooSueAtoo Posts: 380
in Plants
What would you reccommend for conservatory plants. It will generally be unheated unless I'm sitting in it, but will get pretty hot in the summer though I did throw some heavy duty fleece over it this summer that did help to keep the sun off the glass and therefore a few degrees cooler. The Mother-in-laws tongue seemed to like it, throwing up a flowering spike.
East Dorset, new (to me) rather neglected garden.

Posts

  • rosaprimularosaprimula Posts: 17
    Clivia, stephanotis, sparmannia, tropaeolum, scented leaf geraniums, streptocarpus, citrus, mandevilla, amarylids, passiflora, tea roses,  freesia. I am sure there are many other suggestions but I am just about to make my lunch.
  • SueAtooSueAtoo Posts: 380
    Thanks but how many of these would appreciate 40 deg + heat? My clivia will be happy in the winter but will go out in the summer. I'd really like to make it rather jungly.
    East Dorset, new (to me) rather neglected garden.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Have you considered installing roof blinds which could be adjusted during any blazing sun ?  Something similar to venetian blinds ?  You don't say what ventillation you have  which would be a factor.  
    "Jungly" brings to mind plants which would like a warm, humid atmosphere year round but that may mean it isn't always terribly comfortable for you to sit in for any length of time. Would you be prepared to heat it during winter to a reasonable temp ? Cacti will accept the cold if kept reasonably dry but unless you already have some of any size, it will mean spending a bit to buy some mature specimens or waiting whilst you grow them on.  Even they won't necessarily thank you for 40 + degrees without some respite tho.
    Size, aspect and how much room you actually have for plants may help others to offer some advice :)
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    My Christmas Cactus lives there during the winter months (less than yours nevertheless, cold).  It is empty in the summer months due to the extreme heat, even with the doors open and blinds down.  It would be too hot and dry for ferns and plants that like humidity.  
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    Your problem is, indeed, the extremes of conditions, especially if you are out at work all day. Even in mild winters it will be cold and damp unless you heat it and in summer they will bake. I have a small conservatory with blinds but the temperature soars in summer. We had some cacti in there and they loved it, but winter was a problem. If you had small pots, they could go outside in summer but it's quite a faff and downright impossible when the plants get big.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    My thoughts about achieving a ‘jungly’ feel is that although jungles are warm and humid, they’re also shady because of a tree canopy above. 
    The majority of ‘jungly’ plants like philodendrons, monsteras etc would scorch in bright sunshine. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SueAtooSueAtoo Posts: 380
    Thank you everybody I obviously hadn't thought "jungle" through properly. Having blinds inside would cast some shade but would they actually keep it any cooler? I have a theory that casting shade on the outside would prevent the glass heating up like radiators and therefore keeping it cooler in the summer so maybe will investigate that, also cheapest heating for the winter to make the conservatory usable in the winter as it's so lovely to sit out there.
    East Dorset, new (to me) rather neglected garden.
  • Arthur1Arthur1 Posts: 542
    You might look at plants that grow in southern Europe. Pittosporum tobira, Euphorbia, bougainvillea, cacti/succulents  palms...
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Our conservatory is unheated and yes this year it did get very hot. Bella carnosa and bella hoya have both flowered brilliantly this year. We also have a pony tail palm (beaucarnea recurvata), several succulents, cymbidium orchids and insectivorous plants.
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