Jungle garden

Hot spot

Tropical gardening uses plants adapted for hot conditions. A combination of strappy, spiky, fluffy, tall, squat, subtle and strident plants, from colourful cannas and palms to exotic bananas gives an exotic feel.

Naturally you need plants that are sun-lovers, or they won't stand the extreme conditions. Be bold, plant densely and create contrasts using striking foliage and architectural plants.

Choosing plants

Plants from tropical regions of the world are often too tender to survive the British climate, but some can be included if you remember to protect them in winter with fleece or straw. Certain tropical plants grow well in dry soil such as phormium, others flourish in moist conditions such as gunnera and rodgersia.

Nature has equipped some plants especially for life in a hot environment, for example:

• Sword-shaped leaves have a small surface area to save water loss and are typical of spiky plants such as yucca, cordyline and phormiums. They often have vivid, colourful leaves, and you can find unusual species such as astelia, which are silver. Spiky shapes contrast brilliantly with dome shapes.
• Silver or grey leaves reflect heat and light to keep cool and a hairy or woolly surface acts as insulation against the heat or drying winds. Large, structural, silvery plants like globe artichoke or cardoon make good backgrounds for the back of a border.
• Succulents have a waxy covering that acts like a plastic mac, keeping water in instead of out. Known as the camels of the plant world, succulents come in all shapes and sizes, including huge, rosette-forming century plants, Agave americana and flat-stemmed prickly pears. Their drought tolerance makes them perfect for containers which is useful as most succulents need bringing under cover in winter.

In the jungle

To appreciate your tropical garden you need a sun trap seating area hidden amongst the foliage. Choose seats that suit the spot such as chairs carved from tree stumps or a hammock strung between the trees.

If you include a terrace or patio ensure it is linked to the rest of the garden and connects places people need to go.

Use materials which fit with your design such as reed matting and bamboo for fencing. Evoke a striking urban jungle with a more industrial look by using patio containers made from recycled rubber tyres.

Plants to try

Tropical garden favourites

• Fatsia japonica
• Dicksonia antarctica
• Cynara cardunculus
• Hedychium gardenerianum
• Chamaerops humilis

For moist soil

• Phyllostachys nigra
• Gunnera manicata
• Rodgersia pinnata 'Superba'
• Pseudopanax crassifolius
• Hosta 'Royal Standard'

For dry soil

• Cordyline australis 'Purpurea Group'
• Musa basjoo
• Trachycarpus fortunei
• Agave americana
• Phormium 'Maori Chief'