Dismantling the shelter from my arid bed after the wettest British winter in decades!

Introducing... miscanthus lutioraparius! Growing up to 6 metres (20 feet) in height in a single season, this grass is currently the tallest known to cultivation. Even taller than the tropical garden staples miscanthus x giganteus and arundo donax, m. lutarioriparius hails from central China and is still rare in the UK, being sold by just two nurseries.
In this video, I dismantle the shelter on the arid bed and see which of my desert plants survived the wettest British winter in years.
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[@TropicalJungleIreland]

I've just come in from taking all my cover off. Roll on hot summer days 👍

[@greatnorthernexotic]

I've just put the tarp back up here as we have a couple of nights down to 0⁰C 😂🤦‍♂️

[@ZiggySearchfieldCactus]

Looking good 🙂 I covered my outside bed this winter (don't usually) because of the rain, didn't bloomin stop this year did it 🙄 My humifusa is doing fine, it's had 4 inches of snow over it in previous years. Got a few smaller Opuntias out with it and this year I put an Oreocereus celcianus out that did fine 🙂🙂🌵🌵

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Yeah it feels like it's been raining for 6 months straight! I might try a couple of oreocereus in the ground too. 😄

[@jogg6404]

Wooooo got a mention. Thanks man 🌵🌵🌵

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Yes! It has to be up there with being on Gardeners' World, surely. 😄

[@palmsexoticsuk2194]

Wow, cover did a great job! Thanks for the tips, I’m going to have a think about doing something like this in my garden!

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Thanks, looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

[@scotty2hotty8311]

Feels good don’t it let in em out 🤣 much better veiw bring on the sunny days🌵

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Yeah it's a relief to get it down after half a year - and there's only half a year until I have to rebuild it 😂

[@mattsuktropicalgarden]

Good video. Great tips, will be looking at doin something similar in years to come

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Thanks mate, will keep an eye out for your future arid planting 😄👍

[@vincenzecalzone8666]

Great video and update mate. You did really well with the arid shelter particularly considering the cheap cost. Many success stories here. Firstly the washy. Keeping one of these alive planted out at your and my latitudes even for one winter is an achievement. All 3 I've planted out at my place have died admittedly smaller than yours, but the potted ones have survived. The opuntia look class. I have a green one (god knows the variety) that's been out 5 years with no issues. Even the more tender opuntia rufida survived last 2 winters outdoors under cover. I think they're tough old things. Agave americana I find similarly hardy as you, all varieties very similar experience with ie standard/variagata and mediopicta usually survive undercover well with only damage on exposed sites. Your yuccas look great. As you say they'd be fine without a shelter as they are up here. Great job first winter with the arid bed 👏👏

[@1ilgrillo]

Great job. Half thinking of putting in an arid bed. Is it all gravel? I imagine growth is slow?

[@greatnorthernexotic]

It's 30cm of gravel and building rubble on top of the topsoil. Growth is pretty fast so far! The plants put their roots down into the topsoil for nutrients.