Topic: I want to create a Jungle garden in my patio...advice please

[dingerbell]

My new house presents me with such a problem. It's N/S facing, the back wall faces North. All I have at the back is an enclosed courtyard/patio that gets early morning and late afternoon sun. The enclosing wall is 10 feet high which creates a real growing dilemma. I would like to create a "jungle" effect with as much greenery as possible. I can keep plants protected in the winter and here is South Somerset we have a mini climate which is very mild. Does anyone have ideas as to what plants I can grow to create my Jungle as quickly as possible. There is a raised border around the area and I'm willing to consider container grown specimens. I don't have a greenhouse or conservatory. many thanks in advance....Dinger

[Georgie]

I have no experience in this field but a friend who does recommends this site. 

http://www.jungleseeds.co.uk/index.html

Hope this helps.

G x

[supersprout]

Hi dinger, a chum in London had a N facing sunken area outside her back door, and had a fernery. It was a joy - swishing past moist green ferns. Here and there she'd planted clematis, which loved having cool roots and its head in the sun at the top of the trellis on her wall. I know nowt about flowers and ferns, but appreciated it especially in this sort of weather :)

[Doris_Pinks]

I would imagine Musa Bajoo would work, mine seems to grow wherever I put it, and with gret speed, have lots of babies on it,and a beaut it is too!
http://www.derekfell.net/derekfell/images/displayimage.php?id=10380
Not my pic I hasten to add!

[Roy Bham UK]

Ferns small then medium like shuttlecock ferns and a must Tree ferns small medium and large, Hostas, bamboo, yuccas, bananas (hardy) and of course palm trees and a friendly bank manager will help stretch the budget, although I note you are young enough to grow palm trees from seed so long as you don’t want them as big as these.



I would cover your wall with bamboo to soften the edges but make sure you buy non invasive bamboo or your neighbours will share your jungle, as you enter the garden make the fernery the first thing you see then dwindle them down in size, a palm tree as a centre piece would look nice, cannas and agapanthus to give a splash of exotic colour and are lovely and leafy, towering banana plants do the biz too. If you can’t stretch the budget to a palm tree a cordyline australis looks the biz or a Torbay Palm as it is called down south.

Hope this helps.

[Hyacinth]

Roy, when I saw Dinger's question this morning, I straight away thought of you! Your pics of your garden you posted, when was it? last year? year before? were just amazing - sure it's the effect Dinger's after. 8)