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TOUR our Tropical Garden & Tropical plant nursery

Introduction

Welcome back to Paradise Garden and Nursery! It's August, and the sun is finally shining after an unusually warm week with temperatures exceeding 30°C. Our plants are thriving in this tropical weather, making it the perfect time for a summer tour of Paradise Garden. I'll walk you through our display beds, nursery plants, and some of the projects we've worked on (or not quite gotten around to).

Embracing Realism in the Garden

Today's tour aims to provide a realistic view of our garden and nursery without too much pre-tidying. Instagram-worthy shots are great, but they can sometimes overwhelm garden enthusiasts when they see their spaces with dead leaves and compost bags lying around. Remember, it's absolutely okay!

Grow Paradise Project

In an earlier video, we discussed our plans for this project, including creating new beds and a central potted display. Despite a slow, rainy spring in the UK, our tropical-style plants are now flourishing with the summer heat.

Pots and Tropical Plants

We have a variety of plants in pots, including Brugmansia Charles Grimaldi, which is showing flower buds. Tropical pots need frequent feeding; we use a liquid tomato food twice weekly, which encourages both foliage growth and blooming.

Mixing Styles

Our garden blends cottage-style plants with tropical ones, which has worked out beautifully. We feature Fuchsia, Geranium Rozanne, and Abutilon Aphrodite to merge colors and styles harmoniously.

Courtyard Display

An area initially set up for our dog now hosts a mix of plants in pots. We created a lush and layered look by camouflaging pots with stones and smaller plants like Cuphea Ignea. It ensures greenery even in restricted spaces like balconies.

Nursery Section

The nursery area, originally part of the Grow Paradise project, has benches brimming with young plants. We use shade netting to acclimatize plants to full sun. Highlights include Albizia Julibrissin Summer Chocolate with its hardiness and striking purple foliage, and our array of Begonias thriving in shaded parts of the nursery.

Tender Trailers and Rare Finds

We've successfully moved some tender trailers like Passion Flowers onto a laurel windbreak. Among other treasures, we have Madagascan Impatiens and various rare Begonias.

Practical Work Areas

Realistic views of the nursery reveal stacks of trays, compost bags, and workspaces not yet tidied—proof that functional spaces in gardens aren't always picture-perfect.

Projects and Progress

We have plants like Colocasia Jack's Giant reaching impressive sizes and other unique species like Giant Busy Lizzy that fill gaps with its orchid-like blooms. Each season presents its own challenges and opportunities for new plants and projects.

Winter Preparations

Future tours will cover how to prepare and protect plants, especially those in pots, during colder months.

Summary and Invitation

Today's tour was unfiltered and aimed to show the true state of our garden and nursery, hoping to inspire and reassure fellow garden enthusiasts. Don't forget to visit our International Growers Forum at Grow Paradise, and check out our plant and seed shop if you're in the UK. Thank you for watching, and see you in the next video.

Keywords

  • Paradise Garden and Nursery
  • Tropical Plants
  • Garden Tour
  • UK Garden
  • Tropical Style Garden
  • Nursery Plants
  • Brugmansia
  • Cottage Style Plants
  • Potted Display
  • Albizia Julibrissin
  • Begonias
  • Madagascar Impatiens
  • Colocasia Jack's Giant
  • Winter Plant Protection

FAQ

Q1: How often should I feed tropical plants in pots?

  • We feed our tropical plants in pots twice weekly using a liquid tomato food to encourage growth and blooming.

Q2: What are some tips for creating a lush potted display in limited spaces?

  • Use stones to hide the front of pots, grow trailing plants like Cuphea Ignea to soften edges, and layer different plant heights for a natural look.

Q3: What are some hardy tropical plants that can survive UK winters?

  • Albizia Julibrissin Summer Chocolate, Begonia Grandis, and Giant Busy Lizzy are examples of tropical plants that have proven to be hardy in certain UK gardens.

Q4: How can I protect my plants during winter in a heavy clay soil garden?

  • Raised beds or large pots with good drainage can help keep plants drier during cold, wet winters. Protecting stems with wraps can also aid in survival.

Q5: What kind of shade netting is best for greenhouses?

  • We use shade netting that blocks out 50-80% of the sunlight, keeping the greenhouse cooler and more comfortable.

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