5 plants you must buy to start your tropical garden in 2024!

[@stephenkeeble6857]

B&m normally sell Musa's in the summer, normally Basjoo and dwarf Cavendish, golden lotus banana also. Although Cavendish definitely not cold tolerant!

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Our local B&Ms are a bit hit and miss. One year, full of Musa basjoo and musella lasiocarpa, the next year - nothing. Probably cheapest place to pick up bananas though!

[@stephenkeeble6857]

@greatnorthernexotic 100% can get some pretty decent sized palms in the summer as well my local one had about 4 trachys well over 7ft tall for £150 each! Bargain was definitely tempted 😆 would need a van tho

[@bloggalot4718]

No. 6 for me although the die in winter are the giant Ricinus, both the Red and the Zanzibarensis giant green.

[@greatnorthernexotic]

I love ricinus but I've been very unlucky trying to germinate them from seed! Any advice? 😄

[@bloggalot4718]

@@greatnorthernexotic Just the usual warm propagator and moist compost, takes about ten days. Pity you are not near Telford as I have both varieties just germinating now.

[@terrystokes7047]

Dicksonia Tree Fern; probably @ no3 for me; plus I do like Trachicarpus Waggy

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Yeah I love Dicksonia antarctica but the prices are getting out of hand IMHO. It's a lot of money to risk for a beginner who isn't fully versed in their care!

[@terrystokes7047]

@@greatnorthernexotic yes; agree, prices are crazy now; got mine (3ft trunk) 2 years ago for £99 in a new year sale; I’ve found positioning is the key; mostly shade and protected by a fence and wall; fleece in the crown and fleece over the fronds and it came through our -8/-9 last year, it’s grown 3” in 2 years; so unfortunately you need to get a reasonable size

[@GrowTropicalMK]

Awesome, love this Garden

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Thank you! 😊

[@DanH282]

Im about half way through creating a tropical garden from scratch here on the Wirral. Will spin up a you tube channel to cover work so far and future plans. Got the usual fatsias, trachys, bamboo and Cordyline for an eveegreen backbone plus some camelias, Eucalyptus neglecta and two worthy additions, an Albizia and a Loquat. Would love a tree fern but cant really justify budget on that. One of my standouts this year was my Tetrapanax - grew from nothing to a 2ft trunk with 75cm leaves in a few months.

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Yeah tetrapanax is great - mine pupped last year despite fully dying back above ground, so I should have a few plants to sell in order to buy more!

[@joezimmerman1089]

Aucuba japonica is one i'd add too, it is at most garden centres. Plus Butia eriospatha if you can find one

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Yeah I have a few a. japonica around the garden - super hardy and inexpensive but very slow growing for me so far!

[@Plant_Mad_Paul]

For me number 6. Tetrapanax possibly even move this up to top 3 for me, and if I could keep it evergreen No1 without a doubt lol absolute love em 7. Canna 😂

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Yeah trex has to be number 6 although I've never seen it in a garden centre. How do you overwinter your cannas? I have a couple which I leave in the ground - they always put on good growth but never any flowers for me.

[@Plant_Mad_Paul]

@@greatnorthernexotic Yeah true prob would only get a T-Rex from a nursery. As for cannas I lost pretty much all mine last year bro it just was to harsh winter leaving them out. Last autumn tho I cut mine down and dig them up, washed them off, cut back most the root and pot them up in clear 32ltre storage tubs with fresh compost and just chucked them in the greenhouse with out the lid on, I try keep it above 7*c. I’ve noticed they already showing signs of shooting, so alls good up to now. Won’t water them till atleast March. Got Durban and musifolia thru the winter with them being in large pots just moved them under the greenhouse staging they both come back good, Durban flowered again so happy enough with that. Do grow a lot of Indica and Thai Smokey flame from seed each year, pick out the ones with nice leaf colour and give the rest away, start the seeds of on Valentine’s Day, they grow and flower by summer, don’t mind losing these either. I do like growing them from seed, cheap and fills loads of gaps. 🌱

[@davidsike734]

Why don't you try growing "sabal palm trees", they are cold hardy down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. There are 3 varieties in the States to choose from, Florida, Louisiana & Texas sabal.

[@greatnorthernexotic]

These seem harder to find in the UK than the trachycarpus species but I'll keep an eye out - fantastic looking palms. Thanks for the recommendation! 😀

[@Oglart]

what editing software do you use?

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Everything's filmed and edited on my phone using Capcut. 😀👍

[@Oglart]

@@greatnorthernexotic ok! keep going!!

[@traceyrowlands1220]

Me too​@@greatnorthernexotic