Banana Man in Winter Garden SHOCKER !!!

Well I have taken the (lazy) decision to go back to my initial objective of creating the tropical look without any winter protection.

Between you and me I am sick of checking the weather and worrying about my babies so its time to go back to basics.

Inspired by our very own pete I am leaving my nanas naked. The flowering will have to be put on hold, but I have been and done it a few times now, so I have had my fair share.

After a suprise -4.5 and some clearing yesterday I am ready for winter 2007.

Those plants I am most worried about are as follows.

Musa basjoo - will reduce the stems below flowering levels for 2008

Ensete Monty - I know this will die but this plant alone doesn't warrant the heat and effort of protecting it. I do feel really bad about this one as it is lovely, and alot of effort goes into growing them. But no chance of digging it up, and even if I did I haven't got the space for plants and kids any more.

Cyathea Cooperi - I have no idea what this will do. Its not going to be expensive to replace but I have wrapped it in some Dicksonia fronds as a token gesture.



Phoenix roebelenii - Again, I have no idea what this will do. Most likely it will look like poo but it is under the bean tree so may do ok. Much less hardy than my reliable canariensis.

My Brugmansia, absolutely no idea. Was a first for me this year. It was massive and only cost �£15 and reliably available at this size and price. I had planned to keep it heated in the banana house but it is only going to be protected in serious minuses. Will be cut to about a foot in height in May in the hope that it will regenerate ?

I also have small pots of Butia capitata, Trachycarpus "Manipur, Washingtonia filifera, robusta. Whilst more hardy in maturity, they might stuggle if we have a nasty winter. I do have a pop up green house which I will erect over them if I see its going to be arctic.

So some pictures before the fun begins. Wish me luck, it might be back to cottage gardeing in 2008 !!!

The tree ferns got a wrap of landscaping fabric to hold in some of the heavy leaf fall from this year. Normal natural protection.



My poor namesakes !!!

 

Just hope we get a winter like last one BM. I wrapped my D. antarctica but I think it would have been OK anyway. First year trachies (except for the T. princeps which cost a lot of pennies) I just left to fend for themselves. All survived. My W. filifera and robusta also survived sort of, spent all summer recovering. My 4 P. canariensis are all a bit bigger and were no problem unprotected. So I'm blase about them now, after all Scarborough is in zone 8b, ( :rolleyes: ) but because I am doing nothing this year (except, on Pete's advice, bringing the baby cycads in, or most of them) I am watching the forecasts like a hawk. With my luck we'll get an unforeseen -12 degrees one night and it will take the whole lot out. Still, I can then go back to lupins. :( :D

 

I am hopeful :D

I love a good lupin, but they are all over so quick :(

 

I wish you luck BM...

 

Oh. I really do know how you feel BM.
My nanas caught it a couple of days ago and now look awful.
I threw a blanket over the new fronds on the revoluta for a couple of nights. Its keeping it up right through the winter that becomes the real pain.
We have to hope for a mild winter, but in reality many of these plants are not really hardy and only just survive, depending on how much effort we are prepared to put in.
But I bet you will get a few supprises as well.

 

Thats just it pete, I need to reduce my OCD and it needs to start with the garden. As long as I have my palms I will be happy, any fool can grow a banana hence my good self :D

 

All I do is wrap a bit of fleece round my musas, put straw in the crown of my ferns and put my ensetes in the greenhouse, I do this every year and everythings fine. If it look like alot of rain then I throw a bit of bubble wrap over agarves just to keep the wet off but thats it! Had a couple of frosts but nothing to worry about yet.

 

Then look after the roebelenii, one of that age is worth it, and I doubt it will survive without frost protection.

 

All my palms stay outside P. Canarensis, Butia , Brahia, Washy and all the Chameadoreas naturally, the only ones I have brought in are the two P. Robebelenii. The Sabals are too young to go out yet.

 

Certainly never even thought about the Chamies Strongylodon. Both green and blue seem like old boots. As healthy as lupins.

 

B/man cut your Brug down now to about 6" and cover it with straw try and keep it reasonably dry and it should be ok, you will just have to watch out in spring that the late frosts don't nip any new foliage, good luck with everything else.

 

Banana Man your garden still looks pretty darn good wishing you an easy winter for all your plants may they return in all their glory next year
Helen.xxx.

 

BM you've got an utterly amazing garden and i'd love to play in it one day, what with all the toys as well :D

Best of luck over the winter!

 

Wow! What a spectacular garden!