My Climate Change Garden

Pineapple Flower, Pineapple Lily

10. April 2008

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Latin name: Eucomis Description: Eucomis bicolor is the most commonly available; having large soft leathery leaves up to 30cm long, rising up from a large partly-submerged bulb. The flower-spike up to 60cm tall is topped with a column of loosely packed star shaped greenish flowers, somewhat resembling a pineapple head. Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ is a […]

Purple Abyssinian Banana

10. April 2008

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Latin name: Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ Description: Way over the top and absolutely essential banana for the garden. This fairly resent introduction can be bought as a small plant from 50-70cm tall in spring. It will romp away producing a plant up to 2m tall by October with large purplish-green paddle-like leaves 30cm or more wide. […]

Dahlia

10. April 2008

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Latin name: Dahlia Description: Although often considered as old hat, many never-the-lesses make great exotic garden plants because of their exuberance in flower, colour, and shape – but also for the dark almost black leaved forms that are now readily available. These garden delights were much vaunted by the late Christopher Lloyd, especially ‘Ellen Houston’ […]

Purple Smoke Bush

10. April 2008

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Latin name: Cotinus cogeria Description: You may not think of the ‘Smoke Bush’ as being particularly exotic, but when it is mixed with more tender exotics it takes on a life of its own. This delightfully shrub has several cultivars that fit in well, especially if regularly clipped to keep in proportion to the garden. […]

Elephant’s Ears

10. April 2008

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Latin name: Colocasia esculenta Description: Absolutely fabulous exotic with enormous leaves up to 30cm across by 90cm long and all in one season! The leaves are held on thick stalks a meter or more above the ground. More unusual varieties can be purchased from specialist grows such as ‘Black Magic’ which, as its name implies, […]

Canna Lily

10. April 2008

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Latin name: Canna Description: Their brilliant flowers and bold ornamental foliage are an essential part of any exotic garden, giving a very tropical feel. They are fast growing especially if well fed, where they can grow from 50cm to a staggering 2.5m depending on species and variety. Most Cannas available are hybrids with flowers up […]

Trumpet Vine

10. April 2008

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Latin name: Campsis radicans Description: Very exotic looking climber with stunning flowers. Eventually growing several meteres high and wide it becomes a prominent feature when in flower. The tough stems are covered in atractive green pinnate leaves. From late summer into early autumn, trumpet-shaped flowers, in shades of yellow orange or red are bourne. The […]

Angels Trumpets

10. April 2008

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Latin name: Brugmansia Description: These fabulous plants are a must for the exotic garden with their ridiculously large flowers. There are many species and countless cultivars worth trying in the garden. Often mistakenly called Datura, there is nothing like Brugmansia for scent. The name Angel’s Trumpet refers to the large, very dramatic, pendulous trumpet-shaped flowers […]

English Elephant’s Ears

10. April 2008

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Latin name: Bergenia cordifolia Description: Although often considered a rather common plant, it never-the-less gives a very lush, exotic feel to the garden, especially if grown en-mass as an understory planting. It is an evergreen, clump forming perennial with rounded, hart-shaped mid-green leaves up to 30cm long, with a delightful purple-blue flush in winter. In […]

Hardy Begonia

10. April 2008

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Latin name: Begonia grandis subsp. Evansiana Description: Clump-forming tuberous begonia with red-branched stems up to 50cm tall with broad fleshy, typical begonia shaped leaves, pale green above, flushed red with prominent veining beneath. Delicate pink flowers are produced from the leaf axils in nodding clusters from midsummer to autumn. Hardiness: Hardy to at least -5C […]

Archive | April, 2008

Pineapple Flower, Pineapple Lily

Purple Abyssinian Banana

Dahlia

Purple Smoke Bush

Elephant’s Ears

Canna Lily

Trumpet Vine

Angels Trumpets

English Elephant’s Ears

Hardy Begonia

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