I have clay soil. I will be digging in a lot of organic matter. Compost from my heap at the allotment and plenty of horse manure as it's free. My only problem is getting it down the 20 steps from my front gate!
As for the rhubarb I have about 20 odd seedlings in the polytunnel at the moment. Most will go to the allotment but I could put a couple in the garden.
The banana would also get shredded by the wind where you are FG -in fact Cannas will suffer in the same way but I suggested those because I can grow them up here in the windy west of Scotland so I reckoned you could have them! Crocosmia is another plant which is tough as hell and can look exotic alongside contrasting plants like the Fatsia. The variety Lucifer has bright red flowers and is easy to grow so it would give a sharp burst of colour among the jungly plants with big green and purple foliage.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks FG. I have Crocosmia all over the garden at the moment and was going to recycle some of them.
I'm thinking of putting reed screen all around the garden as a temporary windbreak while the plants get established. I'm not too bothered that it won't last for years as we have nasty chainlink seperating the gardens here.
There is a silver birch at the boundary at the bottom, do anyone think it would fit in with the planting scheme?
Silver birch Not really. Perhaps if you grew an exotic looking climber through it it might help. I grew Trachycarpus fortunei as my exotic looking tree. Had to protect it from cold while young but once 4/5 ft stopped. It is now a good 15ft and is great for a windy site.
The mouse plant needs moist soil and will work brilliantly under the larger stuff as it loves to creep around. Had to post that link as found the name really funny!
I protected my bananas with a thick pile of straw at the base and even after this last winter they have survived.
You keep mentioning using rhubarb but wouldn't you prefer an ornamental one? The leaves are enormous!
Oh, I was just going to recommend that you look at Will Giles videos/books/blogs on his exotic garden here in Norwich - but I see Salino beat me to it.
You'll get so many ideas from it ..............
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I've seen Gunnera with leaves that I could use for a tent! It's far too big for my garden. I do love the plant though and I'm thinking of putting it next to the pond on my allotment. It is a large pond for an allotment.
Addict - I don't keep mentioning rhubarb, just answering comments and asking one question - admittedly I've asked it more than once That Atrosanguineum does look impressive. You've confirmed my thoughts about the birch though - it's going to have to come down. Luckily it's only about 15 feet tall at the moment. There is also an out of control hedge or two that will need poisoning as I cut one of them to the ground in spring and it's come back with a flourish.
...I'm not trying to encourage you to go, but you might like to visit Hardy Tropicals UK which is another forum and see what you can pick up from there... information wise that is...
if I was to choose just 3 readily available, none too expensive and hardy enough for where you are I would go for... Fargesia clump forming bamboos - Rufa especially... Pittosporum Tobira and Euphorbia x pasteurii, which is a new plant and more luxuriant in leafage than Mellifera..but very similar otherwise.. can be grown from seeds too...
lots of foliage there to get stuck in to...see what you think...
Posts
I have clay soil. I will be digging in a lot of organic matter. Compost from my heap at the allotment and plenty of horse manure as it's free. My only problem is getting it down the 20 steps from my front gate!
As for the rhubarb I have about 20 odd seedlings in the polytunnel at the moment. Most will go to the allotment but I could put a couple in the garden.
The banana would also get shredded by the wind where you are FG -in fact Cannas will suffer in the same way but I suggested those because I can grow them up here in the windy west of Scotland so I reckoned you could have them! Crocosmia is another plant which is tough as hell and can look exotic alongside contrasting plants like the Fatsia. The variety Lucifer has bright red flowers and is easy to grow so it would give a sharp burst of colour among the jungly plants with big green and purple foliage.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks FG. I have Crocosmia all over the garden at the moment and was going to recycle some of them.
I'm thinking of putting reed screen all around the garden as a temporary windbreak while the plants get established. I'm not too bothered that it won't last for years as we have nasty chainlink seperating the gardens here.
There is a silver birch at the boundary at the bottom, do anyone think it would fit in with the planting scheme?
Silver birch
Not really. Perhaps if you grew an exotic looking climber through it it might help. I grew Trachycarpus fortunei as my exotic looking tree. Had to protect it from cold while young but once 4/5 ft stopped. It is now a good 15ft and is great for a windy site.
The mouse plant needs moist soil and will work brilliantly under the larger stuff as it loves to creep around. Had to post that link as found the name really funny!
I protected my bananas with a thick pile of straw at the base and even after this last winter they have survived.
You keep mentioning using rhubarb but wouldn't you prefer an ornamental one? The leaves are enormous!
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=1600
Oh, I was just going to recommend that you look at Will Giles videos/books/blogs on his exotic garden here in Norwich - but I see Salino beat me to it.
You'll get so many ideas from it ..............
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Fg - If you watch Beechgrove on Sunday 9.15 am, you'll see the size that Gunnera can get to!
Humungous!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I've seen Gunnera with leaves that I could use for a tent! It's far too big for my garden. I do love the plant though and I'm thinking of putting it next to the pond on my allotment. It is a large pond for an allotment.
Addict - I don't keep mentioning rhubarb, just answering comments and asking one question - admittedly I've asked it more than once
That Atrosanguineum does look impressive. You've confirmed my thoughts about the birch though - it's going to have to come down. Luckily it's only about 15 feet tall at the moment. There is also an out of control hedge or two that will need poisoning as I cut one of them to the ground in spring and it's come back with a flourish.
...I'm not trying to encourage you to go, but you might like to visit Hardy Tropicals UK which is another forum and see what you can pick up from there... information wise that is...
if I was to choose just 3 readily available, none too expensive and hardy enough for where you are I would go for... Fargesia clump forming bamboos - Rufa especially... Pittosporum Tobira and Euphorbia x pasteurii, which is a new plant and more luxuriant in leafage than Mellifera..but very similar otherwise.. can be grown from seeds too...
lots of foliage there to get stuck in to...see what you think...