Debi Holland guides you through five plants that will help to create an exotic holiday vibe in your garden, and shares essential tips for how to keep them looking their best.
Five exotic plants for a holiday vibe in your garden
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I’ve got five exotic plants to create a holiday vibe in your garden.
- Canna lilies
These exotic beauties have large, paddle-shaped leaves and sunset-coloured flowers that brighten late-summer borders. Cannas grow well in the ground and in pots. Pots are easy to move under cover to protect the plants from the first frosts and winter waterlogging. In the ground, cut back the stems and protect the crowns with mulch or fleece. Pick a bright, sunny spot and cannas can keep their colour until around October.
- Windmill palms
Nothing says exotic quite like a palm tree. The windmill palm (Trachycarpus) is an architectural, hardy palm. Give it shelter from strong winds and water it during dry summers. It’s happy in full sun or partial shade, and its huge, fan-shaped leaves can reach a metre across in time.
- Hibiscus
Hibiscus gives a garden a tropical feel. If the flowers were people, they’d be the show-offs. The large, brightly coloured, trumpet-shaped flowers have prominent stamens. Individual blooms are short-lived, sometimes lasting only a day, but new buds keep opening so the shrub can flower from July into October.
- Tree ferns
Dicksonia antarctica produces huge fronds from a trunk made up of fibrous roots. These Australian tree ferns can grow several metres tall in their native habitat. You could also try a scaly tree fern (Cyathea).
Tree ferns create a rainforest feel. Put them in a sheltered, shady spot and keep the crown well watered, particularly in hot, dry weather. Let the water run down the trunk to keep it moist. Dicksonias are often sold as trunk sections that root after being planted in a shallow hole. Add plenty of organic matter, such as leaf mould, when planting.
- Blue passion flower
If you’re looking for an exotic climber, try the blue passion flower. Native to South America, it has intricate flowers that catch the eye and attract pollinators. It’s a vigorous climber, so be prepared to cut it back if it spreads too far. The flowers are followed by large, egg-shaped orange fruits that birds and small mammals love.
And that’s my five exotic plants to create a holiday vibe in your garden.
