Tropical border (again)

I'm forever posting stuff about my tropical side border.

It's getting moving now, as we head to something a bit 'warmer'.

Below are my thoughts about it, and a few picture updates.

I'm not under any illusions that the stuff I grow in this border can be planted anywhere in the country, or anywhere in a garden so really I'm not being pretentious about it (I hope not) as I understand I could lose stuff in here, just as easily as I could in the garden - it's just that growing tender plants in the right place is a personal challenge for me. Certainly anyone given shelter could achieve it I'm sure, but most of all it opens up, given the right microclimates, opportunities to grow spectacular plants!

Since the main garden is overgrowing, the side border is most of my focus now, as there are plants growing, and doing well in there, new additions etc etc. I do realise generally people are not interested in the plants I grow and I can understand that, because these are plants that are not widely grown (because they can't be, or lack of interest), and in some cases not widely known.. therefore it often doesn't spark much interest, but for me it's absolutely fascinating, because these are some of my favourite plants of any genus.

Anyhow, here's some updated photos.

Justicia rizzinii is coming out of it's shell now, somewhat - it's one those plant where it has one flower, and you think 'thats it then', because there are no sign of other flower buds, then all of a sudden, you go away for a few days and a bunch more pop up, that's what's happening here, such a lovely plant. Seems to flower in Summer here, rather than in Winter like it does in Brasil.




The border is looking ok.. Chamaedorea elegans is looking pristine.. this will, I'm sure, grow into a nice miniature palm tree grove.


Another one of the border with some new additions.


Impatiens tinctoria here in amongst others (in the middle).. got this two years ago from Bodnant Gardens, but had to cut it back, since then it hasn't grown much, probably a good thing, but it did stay evergreen over Winter.. not bad for an equatorial species - just hope it flowers this year!


Bougainvillea is speeding up but it's so painfully slow.. I doubt I'll see bracts this year :(


Dipladenia splendens coming back from the roots, after being killed back - amazing really, I'd love it to be evergreen, but were in the UK, I can't bemoan that.. it's shouldn't even have survived.


Schefflera arboricola on a leaf flush! The emerging leaves often look scruffy and deformed, but they usually turn out perfect..

 

I'm just jealous! Particularly envious of the Justicia rizzinii.

 

Excellent Stephen. I suspect the principles and design of a tropical garden is of interest to lots of us in this tropical section.

Are all your plants left out all winter? Its difficult to look tropical and be winter hardy. One way is to overwinter some plants inside then bed them out over the summer. Dou you do this?

I also like the idea of adding a bit of hot colour with annuals such as Celosia. Or is Celosia a tender perennial? I had always thought it was a true annual - but Googling, there are sites saying it is a tender perennial.

Its interesting how heat changes the flowering period. My Justicia rizzinii finished flowering a month ago - but it was inside and consequently warmer.

Keep your pictures coming.

 

Peter, all of the plants are in the ground permanently so they don't get moved according to season. They will be fine there.

Celosia I think is an annual but does appear like a perennial with its shrub like leaves ... It's a good question actually

 

I have done some more Googling and I believe that Celosia plumosa (at least) is really a perennial. Missouri Botanical Garden says :-

Celosia is a tender perennial that is winter hardy to USDA Zones 10-11. It is grown in the St. Louis area as a warm weather annual


I found this picture of a perennial Celosia, without a species name, which is over 9 feet tall. I think this might be the wild, rather weedy, Celosia argentea var. argentea.

I find American sites rather confusing. If a plant is tender, they invariably say it is annual - which is not the same.

 

Impatiens tinctora gets quite a big and needs space to develop.

 

I find this with davesgarden website, which is a great site for info, for example it doesn't do the old RHS trick of saying such and such plant is hardy to 15C when it's hardy to -2C, but the Celosia I have there will be good indicator of the annual vs perennial theorem.. if it comes through the Winter we know it's either Biennial, Triennial or Perennial.. I'd describe the position it's in as a minimum temperature zone 10.. so it should, in theory have a shout of getting through if it is indeed a perennial. It might even be more tender than zone 10 though, given it's name 'Caracas' suggests.

As for the Impatiens tinctoria, they need room.. I could put it outside, it would survive and grow back every year, but I want it to be evergreen as it is in it's natural range.. my hope is to let it grow as much as possible, without taking over the space it's in too much.. I'll let you know how it grows.

 

Everything looks fresh, green and colourful Stephen.

I took a few photos yesterday between the gusts of wind so I'll go put them up and try to get some more later today.

 

Stephen - I bought some small Celosia recently thinking they were annuals - but I love the colour and shape anyway. But I will keep them inside overwinter at a min of 10C and just see if they come back. I think I did read that they are annual/short lived perennials somewhere.

Victoria - have just seen your Jacaranda pictures - fabulous.