What's looking exotic in 2016

Hi @PeterS, Iochroma australis is pretty hardy.
Give it a good prune after flowering.

 

Nigel - I think Arisaema tortuosum is lovely. For me its the nicest of the Arisaemas because its the tallest. But it doesn't last as long as A. speciosum. Mine have been under glass; my tortuosum is now dying back, but my speciosum is still going strong.

Pete - I assume that Iochroma is yours and not Photoshopped or worse - I am amazed (once again ). However I don't think mine would survive a Yorkshire winter outside.

 

@PeterS
My Arisaema speciosum came and went in May, curious.

 

I' never photoshop or use web photos with out saying so
Peter, give it a try outside, if you want some seedlings I have plenty growing around the base.

Would be good to know how far North it can grow, it can get pretty cold here at times in the winter, .....and the summer this year

Not sure if this picture shows the full story, but its about 15ft tall, growing amongst other trees and swamping my greenhouse, the plants at the base are self sown and also swamping my greenhouse.

Basically its a bit of a thug once it gets going and I prune about 4 ft off it every year after flowering

 

Pete - I never thought for one moment that you had Photoshopped it, but my first reaction was that I couldn't believe that an Iochroma that big and that magnificant could grow outside in the UK. And then I remembered that you can grow Protea and Strelitzea outside as well. I still can't understand how. I have heard it said that Kent can get very cold at times.

I am sure you must live in a lost tropical kingdom with dinosaurs still roaming about. You have probably got Cycads as well - they come from that period.

Thanks for the offer of seedlings. I have had seeds of my own, but its a matter of space. I assume it's a bit more hardy than I. cyanea then?

 

Well I was once called Fred Flintstone at work, during a spell of wall building I was doing, but I dont have any dinosaurs roaming, apart from myself.

Yes its probably hardier than I.cyanea, which I have never grown.

 

I.australis is hardy here in the Cotswolds @PeterS and much hardier than I.cyanea.
This winter coming I'll be finding out how hardy/tender I.fuchsoides is

Albuca spiralis................


Whilst the flowers are pretty standard Albuca flowers it is the foliage that sets this species apart.............

 

Don't know whether this counts as exotic, but......

Cuphea Ignea ( Cigar Plant )

 

Certainty does Anthony - its lovely.

Yet again LongK - you have amazed me. I have had a Google and seen that seeds are available - some cheap and some very expensive. Not sure where I would put one.

You have set me thinking - what am I trying to do in the garden. Am I ...
1) Trying to make a attractive indoor tropical garden, or
2) Trying to collect all manner of weird and wonderful plants, or
3) Am I really just trying to keep up with Pete and LongK - no chance of that

On balance, I think I should just try to enjoy myself.

 

My Brahea Armata enjoying some rare sunshine.

 

The beauty of exotic bulbs is that when they're dormant they just go in the shed/garage. It's easy from fresh seed - go to the southern hemisphere for a supplier.
Just aim for the first two Peter. As far as the third option goes you and Pete are way ahead of me. And always grow what you like!
Wait till you see my Alstromeria that is in bud - that'll be another for your list!

 

Not sure this stuff would be classed as exotic, but it aint English, so it must be

Aesculus californica, Californian buckeye,


Sempervivum on the asbestos shed roof, I think asbestos is fairly exotic so it must count.

And good old Acca sellowiana, Feijoa or pineapple guava.

 

A couple of passion flowers opened up yesterday.

 

It has California in its name so it must be exotic!

Here's Alstroemeria isabella Fred Meyer...................


It came to me from another forum in May, got put into a large pot and about three weeks ago this flower stem emerged. It is now about a meter high and starting to spread to the edges of the pot already. A real gem in my eyes.............