My Tropical corner..

Im hoping to turn my Lshaped border into a tropical hot bed, With your help,So far Ive took out unwanted plants and added compost.. yay ready to go.. Heres a pic of what is already there..




Plants already in the border..

2 windmill Palm
1 Phormium tenax Yellow wave
1 phormium tenax purpureum
2 Hostas, Under the canopy of the palm
1 red? clematas, to climb through the ivy.

Plants To go in.
1 fatsia japonica
1 Canna (orange)
1 japanese Shield Fern (for under planting)
1Crested harts tongue Fern (for under planting)
2 red cordy's.
Red Lillies..

Im looking for advice on Leaf textures and colour please, And if the above plants would look ok together, Ill be going plant shopping next week sometime for this area, Im gonna try to buy a Colocagia esculenta! is it suitable? I like the shape of its leaves. I need advice off you Lovely Peeps to make this area work..Oh, it gets a lot of sun..From early morning untill 5ish.. Dee..

 

Dee You've already got your tropical corner, and the sun is perfect. Colocasia esculentia is fantastic I have one, It does need a g.house in the winter for a while but go for it doll. And I don't get that emotional very often.

 

Forgot to mention Would love to see an Arundo donax in there
if you have a moist area.

 

Thanks john, I just need the confidence to go ahead, and if my friends on Gc give me approval of what im planting, It makes me go Whoooo..Arundo donax, great ill have a look for it next week..By the way my hub calls me Doll .... Love Dee..

 

You have done the right thing keeping the phormium in a pot as for the space it will wipe out the other plans if planted in the ground. I would prefer passion flower to clematis or a hot coloured climbing rose. Clematis are great but can be as much trouble as a joy when it comes to maintenance and keeping a tidy form. I have a few clematis and they are all a law unto themselves but I afford them good space up and accross trees. Arundo donax is ok but you would have more success with a miscanthus which offer a greater variety of choice and colours bearing inmind your space. Fatsias are great, ligularia are a good choice if you can ensure wet feet. Your palm looks great, a banana wound be good as would a well pruned paulownia. You can use a great many everyday plants but put in context with a fewunusual ones you get the look fairly easily. Bamboo poles can help break up planting areas to provide support or just balance the eye line. Another nice wet one is rogerisia which is really nice.:thumb:

 

This is Great BM. Ill write these down and have a look for them..
I have a passion flower just behind the fleeced Astelia it grows over the arch and through the ivy, i had the clematis in a pot in another area, but swapped it for a purple one, bcos its in the border it could get out of hand, ill take it out if that happens.. I never thought of a rose, didnt associate it with tropicals, But if you say it will work, Ill have a look at that, Im happy you said the phormium is better in a pot, bcos I couldn't get it out I thought about Banana and Bamboo, and I love the way you "cram" plants into your borders, and underplanting to create shade, Ive learned so much from You all on GC.. Thanks ..Dee..

 

looking v,good yd :thumb: looks like you been a busy girl

 

I picked up a Codyline Red Star in Wilkos last weekend for 2.99, smallish (about 18ins high in 1lt pot ) but in, suprisingly, good condition. Might find the odd exotic there Dee, best to keep looking and wait till they have a fresh delivery and grab it quick.

 

Thanks Strongy, The 2 cordys i have are from wilkos, I will pop in this weekend, havent been for a While. I have been to B&Q tho, not much in yet regarding exotics, I bought these tonight..




Then something strange happened, My plantphobic Hub, pointed to a plant and said ill buy that because ive always wanted one..:0 HA !!! So he bought it, It is Lovely, What i want to know is, will it go into my Hot Border? I know its an acid Lover, Ill bury the pot in the border so thats not a problem..
What do you think Peeps...Dee..



ACER PALMATUM ATROPURPUREUM...

 

Lovely lovely border Dee - you have very similar taste to mine in plants. Ferns are my particular fave.

On word of warning - I've got a fatsia japonica and it has grown absolutely massive in a sheltered corner - it may be too big for your plot????

Tulips are ace too. Love the ivy backdrop!

Kath

 

Nice plants YDD, I have a similar acer and your looks lovely.:thumb:

Can't go wrong with ferns:D

 

Thanks Cookie. BM... Could i prune the fatsia if it gets too big? its in a pot at the minute..
Im sooo nervous about planting out, I think Ill place them on the soil, take pics, post them on GC and see what you think.. Im gonna get on your nerves Haha :D

 

I decided to make a start with the planting,the Lovely weather got me in the mood..:thumb: Here go's..






The Hubs been busy too, started the new compost bins...





GOOD EH...

 

He's done a good job on the bins , very impressive.

That "yellow" fatsia really does need planting out, you could always prune it hard if needed, and it will green up.

 

Ok Pete, I never realised it was yellow, i thought it was supposed to be that light. It has loads of new leaves coming, I will prune it, dont want it getting too big, and i think it needs a good feed...Dee..