It always seems so incongruous. Seeing a palm tree or other tropical plants in a windswept British garden in winter. Exotic plants always get a second glance as people rush by with their heads bowed against the rain. The reason of course is that we associate tropical plants with warmer far away climes. Yet it’s amazing what can be grown successfully in the UK and whilst you won’t necessarily see Sahara style palms in Coventry there’s no reason why you can’t successfully grow tropical plants more commonly found in Australia or New Zealand for example.

Why you should try tropical plants

We all want something different in our gardens. A departure from the norm. A feature which will add interest and become something of a talking point. Tropical plants tick all those boxes.

Many exotic plants are hardier than you may imagine. They can flourish in the British climate and survive cold temperatures. They do need to be well watered but that shouldn’t be an issue. Though on the rare occasions we have a dry spell make sure you water your tropical plants every day.

Tropical plants really do add interest to any garden. And they mix very well with more traditional British plants. Mixing the two types together works really well and will create a wonderful display.

Some easy to grow UK hardy tropical plants

If you’ve not grown them before it can be a little tricky deciding which plants to try. Obviously, some are more difficult to grow than others. But that’s true of all types of plant - not just tropicals.

As an introduction here’s three very hardy tropical plants which will flourish in British gardens. All are available from Direct Plants.

Cordyline Australis Green

When is a palm tree not a palm tree? When it's a cordyline. Cordyline Australis is a palm like plant that will instantly conjure up images of tropical beaches and sunshine. Even on the greyest winter day.

Very hardy, this plant has long tropical palm like green leaves with a thick trunk. It'll eventually grow to around 10 feet tall and even very inexperienced gardeners should achieve great results with it. It'll happily live outside all year round but can even be grown in pots on the patio. A very attractive and versatile plant.

Phormium Rainbow Queen

A native of New Zealand the Phormium Rainbow Queen is very distinctive. It has purple, almost bronze, and pink variegated leaves which give that coveted tropical appearance. It's not a large plant and won't grow more than four feet. This of course makes it ideal for any size of garden. Even if you only have a small plot, or even a container on a patio or balcony, this Phormium plant is ideal for you. Very hardy this is one of the more visually striking tropical plants which can be easily grown in the UK.

Phormium Platts Black

Another Phormium, Platts Black is a real eye-catcher. In fact, it's stunning. Unsurprisingly it produces attractive and very dark leaves. Though they are more purple than black they look amazing. It will make such a contrast to the other plants in your garden and will really stand out. Pop this into your border and it'll make an instant impact. It'll grow to around six feet in height so most spaces will be able to accommodate it.

Tropical plants aren’t for everyone but they do bring all year-round interest to any garden. Why not give them a go? If you need any further information on selecting and growing UK hardy tropical plants feel free to drop us an email and we’ll do our best to answer any questions you may have. You can contact us on sales@directplants.co.uk