What to plant?

Hi,

Just looking for some ideas.

I have a smallish bed, about 6m long by about 1.5m along the back fence. On the far left there is a Musa Basjoo that's about 9ft tall (in the summer) and split into 5 'trunks', then I have a random mixture of dwarf Phormiums, Daylilies, Snapdragons, Heucheras, Hostas, lots of Verbena Bonariensis and a small Apple tree. While there is some spanish reed grass in the middle to create some height, I'm looking to create some dramatic height to the far right of the bed as it's looking a bit lacking as everything else is quite small/low level.

I was just going to put another Musa Basjoo in, but I wondered if anyone had an suggestions?

I quite like an overgrown, slightly tropical feel, but I don't really want anything that need lifting or protecting over winter. I'm in South East UK if that helps.

 

Nearer the front Lobelia laxiflora might be worth a punt...........


At the back I would plant Lobelia tupa..............

 

Tetrapanax, or maybe too big? you can prune them if they do.
Just for summer maybe the true castor oil plant, Ricinus, usually used as a fast growing Annual.

 

Paulownia tomentosa pollarded each year to create large tropical looking leaves. Or a large grass like Miscanthus zebrinus or M. giganteus which produces large bamboo-like stems.

 

Ooh yes @Plantminded good suggestion. Reminds me that the Indian bean tree Catalpa can also be cut back hard regularly and would look great in a tropical scheme (haven’t checked hardiness re your location @Obliquegeek )

 

I grow Catalpa here @Butterfly6, quite a feature. I pollarded mine for the first time last year, after ten years, the leaves were definitely larger .