Ideas how to make. Tropical Caribbean Style Garden

There is a Hardy Tropical UK forum for people who grow exotic plants here: www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=1

From what I have read there, (have frequently browsed it) many of the tropical plants they grow have to be brought under cover in the winter, quite a job if you aren't vary able. Some that are left in situ need to be wrapped as protection from frosts, so quite high maintenance.

You can achieve a tropical look with annual bedding plants such as coleus, but cannas do need lifting in autumn.

I love this idea! You’ll find some great inspiration on Pinterest.

They grow crotons in Jamaica and hibiscus if that's any help.

Putting quite a few things into large pots is a good idea
merlot groupings of exotic plants look great.

Are you overlooked behind those trees, NannyKisses? If not I wouldn't try and conceal them as bare branches can give a dramatic backdrop. Painting your fence in a colour that sets off foliage plants (I can recommend Cuprinol Urban Slate) can be done while you work on your planting plan.

If you are on a restricted budget I would grow anything of value in a pot to begin with. That way you can move it around the garden until you are happy with its location. The following season it should have grown on enough to make more of an impact.

You may also need a greenhouse or protected area to over winter any tender plants.

Just remembered I’ve also bamboos, one black one particularly striking.

I have got a sort of tropical type jungle garden, it takes quite a while to grow anything to a reasonable height, I have three mahonia shrubs which over ten years are now over ten feet tall, look very tropical, beautiful yellow flowers followed by purple berries in clusters, but very prickly foliage, evergreen. I have fatsias, palms, a tree fern, grow tree lilies in pots, smaller canna lilies also in pots to fill in spaces, my pride and joy are two daturas also in pots, also known as angel trumpets, the scent of them in the evening is heady, I often buy plants that aren’t necessarily tropical but just a bit edgy unusual, good luck with your garden, I love mine

My sister in law living in Vancouver had a beautiful garden with a tropical feel. She had some quite large windmill palms, big canna lillies, even the hostas with large leaves gave a tropical vibe.

Get some gardening books, draw out some drawings to scale as best you can, keeping in mind where the sun shines. You may even add a glass conservatory if you have the budget. Ask your local garden club (if you have one) to recommend contractors.
Sounds like a nice plan to bring the tropics to you if you are limiting your travel... good luck and have fun planning.

Can you manage to visit this?
ngs.org.uk/view-garden/36463/

Bamboos, which a few people have mentioned, keep their leaves in winter and might be good for corners.

I wouldn’t mirror each side, just try to have a random selection in each corner.

Main thing is to get started. You could get some plants now and as long as you give them plenty of water, they should be OK. Don’t think about it too long or you’ll miss another growing season!

Separate areas for a more natural garden, I think. Start in one far corner and build from there. Sketch your ideas on squared paper. Which way is south?

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You are such lovely thoughtful people who I really appreciate.

I live in near the Cotswolds.

I used to live in Essex

This is the end of my Garden. Which I love, but in the winter there are no leaves just branches.

I have quite a square garden do you think I should mirror each side ? Or make separate areas x

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Thank you so very much for all your help. The utube are very helpful. I just wished I could find a good landscape or a gardener with ideas as I have some good ideas too. I can’t say thank you enough.
Any more help is always appreciated x

I was thinking the same, Callistemon. Looking at the photos, the first step would be to fill the corners with biggish plants, with big leaves.

I think the thing with a tropical garden is that it needs to be fairly well packed, not spaced out.

I think that you could design/draw it yourself. Visits to nurseries that specialise in tropical plants will be useful for advice on hardiness and design. If you want a garden really crammed with plants you only need to consider the pond, seating area and paths. The rest is plants with tall specimens at a distance from the house.

I like dramatic plants so have various bamboos in tubs and lots of Fatsia Japonica, some very tall. Tree ferns are easy to plant, only needing a trunk-sized hole and the hardy banana plant always looks exotic. I've always wanted a monkey puzzle tree (maybe one day?)

Just go for it and have fun!

This man is sadly no longer with us

But his garden has featured on Gardeners World a few times and you can also find some videos on YouTube.

Plenty of garden design advice online as well.

Whereabouts in the country are you?

Farmor it was out cordyline which had grown into a tree which got snow in the top and rotted!
However, it did have some babies around the edge so they are now in pots and surviving a bit of neglect!

You can grow banana plants quite successfully in the south of the UK if your garden is sheltered.
At the moment I have some frangipani growing in pots but they may need to come inside or at least into the greenhouse over the winter.
Palm trees would survive in southern areas but be prepared to wrap them in fleece in the winter - it's not the cold, it's in case snow drops on the top of them and can rot them.

I'd love to have a tree fern but they are so expensive for anything of any size and they grow so slowly. They need to be covered in sacking over the winter.
www.housebeautiful.com/uk/garden/plants/a555/10-tropical-plants-you-can-grow-in-the-uk/

A friend has a lovely tropical garden but has to move some plants in pots into somewhere warmer in the winter and it can get a bit much as you get older.

Are you in the south?
Have you been to the Lost Gardens of Heligan or anywhere similar to get some ideas?

Banana plants can grow in our climate, though no bananas, and need protection in winter. Cordyline looks like palm tree but isn’t, so much more hardy. Gardener’s World, featured some tropical style gardens

m.youtube.com/watch?v=MbD3nLVFxdE

m.youtube.com/watch?v=vJEJHPQA3C8

www.gardenersworld.com/plants/plants-for-a-jungle-style-border/

If you search online for tropical style garden you’ll get ideas. From your photos, you need to start with lots of plants. The other things can then be fitted in. It won’t be cheap, as these type of plants tend to be expensive, unless you can get some from friends. We have banana plants from a friend and cordyline seedling from neighbour’s garden.

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Some things I like x

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Thanks both. Tanith I this my last post answers your question. My front garden is cottage style. I just wanted my back Garden in my last few years to be full of my favourite things x

Thank you Lemongrove. I have done that & find many photos but really what I’m looking for I had 4 saleman came round to give me quotes. Each one had no photos of anything near what I’m looking for but they all wanted between a 2k to 5k deposit.

I have to be very careful with money & this will be the largest thing I purchase before I die X

Wow, lovely, you obviously have green fingers.?
The only tropical plant that I think does well ( seen on tv)
Are palms of all types.
We have more shrubs and cottage garden style, so not at all up on tropical things.

Could you get a garden designer to plan it as it’s sounding very involved with all that you want to do.