The Garden of Eaden: November 2023

How To Overwinter Tree Echium - Echium pininana

Tree Echiums can prove to be an amazing architectural plant in the garden assuming its lives long enough to produce its impressively tall flower spike! In order to achieve this the Tree Echium must first overwinter at least once, possibly twice, and have its main stem remain intact. To find out how English horticulturist Simon overwinters his Tree Echiums check out this video.

Now the most important part of overwintering management for Tree Echiums is to ensure that the lead flowering spike remains intact and survives the winter - which is easier said than do as the rosette of leaves will continue to grow over the winter period. This puts it at risk of coming into contact with the top of your frost protection which can cause cold damage at the extremities.

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Tropical Gardens UK: How To Overwinter Agave

Agave are amongst some of the most impressive and architectural plants that you can grow here in the UK. However, despite their impressive cold tolerance (which will vary somewhat depending on the species) Agave can struggle with wet or waterlogged soils over the winter. So to make sure your precious plants survive the winters in their best condition it is advisable to implement some overwintering management. To find out more English horticulturist Simon explains exactly what he does to overwinter Agave in his garden.

All you need is some cable-ties, a bulk builders bag, ground spike and five metal or bamboo canes.

Tropical Garden UK: How To Grow An Avocado Tree From Seed?

As exotic as they are, Avocado fruits are for the most-part a permanent feature in your local supermarket and each and everyone of them has inside it a viable seed! So if you are interested in germinating and growing an avocado from seed yourself then check out this video where English horticulturist Lorna takes a good eight months to grow her own Avocado tree.

Sadly, it is not as simple as placing your seed into a pot of compost as there are some specific requirements needed to help initiate germination. Furthermore, patience is need as the germination period can run into a number of months! However, Lorna has taken almost the entire year to film the progress sp you can see what it takes step by slow step!

Tropical Gardens UK: Can You Grow Hardy Bird of Paradise Flower Plant - ...

If you have been astonished by the sheer exotic beauty of a 'Bird of Paradise Plant' the chances are that you have thought of trying to grow it at home in the cooler climates of the UK. Despite its tropical origins of South Africa, the Bird of Paradise is far hardier than you might think. However, it's not considered to be cold hardy compared to your traditional hardy garden plants. That being said, with a little thought and cleverness with regards to where and how you plant it, and assuming you live in the mildest regions of the UK, (with a decent amount of preparation, the perfect site and top-notch cold protection)it can be possible to grow this fantastic plant outside all year round. To find our how, English Horticulturist Simon has investigated the possibilities and explains all in this video!

Tropical Gardens UK: Get Your Exotic Garden Winter Ready

As soon as Autumn takes a grip of your tropical effect garden changes in how the garden looks and performs can change dramatically. Flowering will slow right up,growth will stop and the leaves of many of you precious plants will being to drop off! As dramatic as that sounds, it is all perfectly natural however winter is on its way and there is work to be done. Do find out what work is required to get your garden in the best condition for the spring English horticulturist Simon explains how to get your exotic garden winter ready. or at least what he is going to do in his exotic garden to get that ready for next years display.

This preparation includes dry mulches, rain cover, cold protection and general tidiness so make sure you have glove, wellies and cold weather work clothes at hand.

Tropical Gardens UK: Is There a Cold Hardy Edible Banana?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if such a thing as a cold-hardy edible banana tree existed? Well, cold-hardy banana trees do exist and can be grown successfully in most UK tropical-effect gardens. And as it turn out, there are edible banana-likely plants that can also be grown in the UK - albeit with a little help over the winter! So is the holy grail of a cold-hardy edible banana genuinely a possibility? English horticulturist Simon explains where we are with that.

Unfortunately the plants that produce the bananas you buy in the supermarket are not hardy enough to grow outside in the UK although grown under the protected environment of a heated glass house with additional lighting will allow them to produce fruit for you. However, when it comes to growing outside all year round there is one plant from the banana family that has an edible aspect to it but to find out more you will need to watch the above video.

Tropical Gardens UK: How to Overwinter the Glory Lily - Gloriosa superba

If you can get hold of one, the Glory Lily - Gloriosa superba is arguably one of the most exotic of all ornamental flowering garden plants which you can grow outside here in the UK. However it is not hardy! Be that as it may, it is extremely easy to overwinter so check out this video where English horticulturist Simon explains how he overwinters the root tubers year on year to ensure yet another season of amazing summer displays.

You just need to keep an eye on forecasted freezing temperatures so that your tubers are lifted cleaned and stored in a frost free area until suitable planting conditions return in the spring.

Tropicals gardens UK: How to Overwinter Fuchsias

Fuchsias can be a fantastic addition for the cold-hardy, tropical effect, exotic garden. However, depending on which species, cultivar or hybrid you are growing will depend on what will be required to overwinter it - should any management indeed be necessary! So assuming you know the full name of your plant and subsequently find out its hardiness you can then you too can find out how to overwinter your Fuschia by watching this video.

In short the tender varieties will need to be brought in under protection to a light, frost free position, the hardy Fuchsia will little work apart from a dry mulch to protect the root system is temperatures look to drop below -4 degrees Celsius. Those fuchsias on the cusp of hardiness will need all the protection such as dry mulching, several layers of horticultural fleece and perhaps a bag of the top to be on the safe side.

Tropical Gardens UK: November Exotic Garden Tour

November is here, and if you have chosen your plants well and maintained those which are prone to deteriorate in the colder weather then it is still possible to receive ornamental value from your exotic, cold-hardy, tropical effect garden. To find out how our exotic garden is looking then join us as we take out penultimate tour of the year.

Don't forget to keep leaves and anything else on your lawn such as garden furniture to avoid brown patches occurring. Also, for any view points from your property consider removing dying leaves and generally tiding uo so that you maintain an enjoyable view for as long as possible.

Tropical Gardens UK: Exotic Garden Winter Insurance Policy

Winter is coming, and if you haven't noticed it where you are yet then take a closer look at your garden plants as they certainly have. At an almost imperceptible level flowering has ended, seed heads are maturing and growth has slowed to a full stop. And of course all of this is perfectly fine and natural except for those so-called exotic plants in the garden which are ill equipped to deal with the unreliable, freezing winter temperatures of England.

So rather than leave them to their own devices (which will mostly mean certain death) what on earth can you do to ensure that your tender plants survive until the spring, saving you a small Kings ransom in replacing them? To give you a fighting chance and something of an exotic garden winter policy English horticulturist Simon walks around his garden giving advice on what you can do to help keep your borderline-hardy plants alive and in good condition over the winter to save you staring from scratch in the spring.

Five Mistakes to Avoid Growing and Planting Magnolia grandiflora, Bull M...

Magnolia grandiflora - otherwise known as the Southern Magnolia or Bull Magnolia could be considered a 'King' amongst Magnolias! Why? Because of its luxurious, evergreen foliage, huge lemon scented blooms and enormous, stoic form within the landscape. However to get the best out of your magnolia grandiflora there are five mistakes which can easily be avoided by watching this video.

Arguably the most important aspect to growing a Magnolia grandiflora is to make sure that you have the room in your garden to accommodate such a large tree, assuming you can, and avoiding other issues, you can look forward to decades of interest from this spectacular plant.

Tropical Gardens UK: Five Cold Hardy Cacti and Succulents

You can be forgiven for thinking that having cacti and succulents outside all year round is the preserve of gardens found around the Mediterranean and central America. However, for those gardeners coping with the wet, freezing winters of the UK and northern Europe in general, there are a small group of cacti and succulents that will survive outside all year round so long as several condition are met. Both the plants and the growing conditions are discussed in this video.

To ensure that your cold hardy cacti and succulents survive and thrive right here in the UK you need to make sure that you provide conditions as near to to its country of origin as possible. In general this means a position of full sun, excellent soil drainage and shelter from winter rain and to a certain extent frost.

Tropical Gardens UK: Is There a Hardy Bird of Paradise Flower - Strelitz...

Is there a hardy 'Bird of Paradise' flower? Well, if you live in the mildest regions of the United Kingdom there is an argument that such a thing almost exists. Providing you have excellent drainage, a suitably sheltered position against a south facing house wall, a dry mulch and several layers of horticultural fleece a rain shadow and temperatures that don't drop much below -2 degrees Celsius for short periods then you will have a fair chance of overwintering Strelitzia regina outside! I understand that this is a long list of requirements, and I am not suggesting that your 'Bird of Paradise' plant will start off the spring undamaged, but given a fair wind and a bit of luck with the weather you can indeed grow Strelitzia regina outside in the UK all year round - so surely this means that it is a little bit hardy? Maybe not, but if you are determined to prove to your friends how outstanding a horticulturist you are then there is a second, even more cold resistant subspecies - Strelitzia juncea that is believed to be even hardier - if you can find one in the UK to purchase!