skip to main content

Tropical Plants - Australia

Subtropical gardens - in Britain !

20 years ago

Hi All,

If you watched 'The Natural History of the British Isles' on the weekend, you may have been as gob-smacked as I was to see a 'subtropical wonderland' on the Isles of Scilly, off the southern coast of England. Whilst many of the plants fall into the 'Meditteranean' (sp ?) hot summers/cold winters basket, it remains a strong contrast to the image many of us have of gardening in Britain.

Cheers,

Artie

Here is a link that might be useful: An Abbey Garden in the Scilly Isles

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

paradisi
20 years ago
have a look at
http://www.treasuresofbritain.org/InvereweGarden.htm

a sub tropical garden at inverewe - it's quite a nice place - some of the sub tropicals are forced and coddled, but it still works

and I remember a TV show in England (when I was living there) about growing pineapples in Devon - coddled under compost and glass

I even had the joy of eating a banana from a tree growing in the botanical gardens in Inverness - in a greenhouse, but still fun to watch the snow and pick bananas
Dutchie
20 years ago
I sold a Vanilla orchid on Ebay to a lady from Sydney, I wrote to her that I did not think it would grow there. She said it was for her mother who was visiting from Britain! She had a covered heated swimming pool and was going to try to grow it there!
Related Discussions
Walnut Hill Rose Garden in New Britain CT
Q
Comments (0)
There is a new rose garden in New Britain CT--750 roses planted in an oval around a World War I monument. It should look great this summer! Here is a link that might be useful: New Britain Herald Article
...See More
Are there any community gardeners in Britain?
Q
Comments (3)
There are a lot of resources for people looking to start community gardens in the UK. Your first step could be to contact your Local Authority who will be able to tell you about any exisiting sites and what support or grants may be available to help you set up a new one. Allotments are parcels of land that are rented to individuals to grow food. There is often a waiting list of years in many locations. If you are based in London, there is an organisation called Capital Growth. I found them to be very helpful. Here is a link that might be useful: Capital Growth Website
...See More
~Wonderful book -Gardens in Britain!~
Q
Comments (1)
Thanks for the tip!
...See More
Subtropical gardens
Q
Comments (4)
Margie, the island is a great spot. Bob moved to Austin & I think took most of his plants with him, too bad, he had a good selection. You can always come by the house, right now some of the crinums are blooming, the brugs look awful, I haven't cut down the avocado yet, the ragoon creeper has plenty of blooms, gingers are all up, but none are blooming, thunbergia erecta is in bloom, white coral vine blooming, thevetia looks good, some of the bromeliads are blooming, the nepenthes have pitchers right now, a lot of the cacti are blooming, plumeria looking good and blooming... Tally HO!
...See More
jan_uk
20 years ago
Hi Artie,
Yes the Tresco Gardens in the Scilly Isles are fantastic. Having lived for many years in Cornwall it was only a short trip over to tresco. On the extreme western edge of the UK they benefit from the warm "Gulf Stream' water the flows up that side. This raises the air temp and means that there is a very low risk of a frost. Tresco is a haven for tropical plants and many South African plants. The gardens at Inverue in Scotland also have many plants that are seemingly out of place.
Thanks Artie for the advice re the tropical garden on the Sunshine coast.
Cheers Jan
rug13y
19 years ago
Tresco Abbey garden is an Eden of exotics! I used to live in Cornwall and belive me that place is out of this world!

I created a subtropical plants website 5 years ago (sorry never updated it) of Cornwall here http://members.lycos.co.uk/cornishexotics/

Here is a link that might be useful: Kernxotica
tropical_gaz
18 years ago
There are plenty of us in the UK with a subtropical style of gardening as well as many gardens worthy of a visit.

Here is a link that might be useful: UK tropical gardening
rhizophora
17 years ago
Hi,
Here in Plymouth we are able to grow many subtropicals such as Howea (Kentia palm) and strelitzia (bird of paradise) outside all year round!
James
mcsaul_yahoo_com
15 years ago
Some years ago, I visited a subtropical gardel in Plymouth, England, and I would like to visit again this summer with my wife, Kathy. I've forgotten the name of the park, but I was dazzled by the profusion of plants in bloom which seem to grow only in more southern climes. Could you name the park for me and, if possible, send me a brochure. I would be most grateful. Thank you. Barry

Related Stories

TASTEMAKERS A ‘Medieval Contemporary’ Garden Takes the Silver at Chelsea

This colorful show garden inspired by a Gothic cathedral brings the brilliance of stained glass to Britain's biggest flower show

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING World of Design: 11 Balconies Straight Out of a Postcard

Pull up a chair and discover how people in Spain, Japan, Russia, Britain and elsewhere use and love their private lookouts

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Velvety Dwarf Bottlebrush Beckons a Touch

By Steve Asbell

Brilliant red blooms and inviting textures will capture your heart, but the low maintenance and small size will win over your practical side

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Red-Hot Poker

By Annie Thornton

You'll carry a torch for these spiky plants once you discover how their fiery-hued flowers can light up a landscape

GARDENING GUIDES 7 Tropical Bulbs for a Summer Garden That Wows

By Steve Asbell

Try these stunners in summer's powerful heat for garden thrills with an exotic flair

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Celebrate a Sunny Climate With the Right Leafy Palm for Your Site

By Steve Asbell

So you get freezes or floods. So your garden is small. These palms send excuses riding off into the tropical sunset

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Gaura Lindheimeri

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Delicate, butterfly-shaped flowers ‘float’ above the foliage of this lovely, drought-tolerant perennial

EDIBLE GARDENS The Enticing Garden: How to Grow Bananas

By Steve Asbell

Sweeten your dining table with surprising flavors of banana cultivars while adding tropical flavor to your garden

ARCHITECTURE Exploring Architecture: Discover the Secrets of Georgian Style

By Cathy Rebecca

What gives a Georgian property its distinctive character? Take a look at the features that mark this architectural era in Britain and beyond

PORCHES My Houzz: Veranda Life in a Classic Queenslander

By Walk Among The Homes

A couple leaves Canada for a relaxed lifestyle in the subtropical heat of Brisbane, Australia

Sponsored

SURROUNDS Landscape Architecture + Construction

10 Reviews

DC Area's High-End Custom Landscape Design Build Firm

More Discussions

u4gm How to Adjust to Warzone Weapon Changes in Black Ops 7

0

Monopoly GO Welcomes Harry Potter GO – Launching On December 10th!

0