When I started the tropical border in 2012, it was hardly deserving of the name but a year later it looked more the part. And by 2014 many of the plants were enormous and the bed did have a whiff of tropicality about it. This year it has continued to mature and, on the whole, … Continue reading The Tropical Border – 4th Year
Colocasia esculenta
The Tropical Border And How I Learned To Hate Soaker Hose
Like last year, I gambled on a fine spring by planting up the tropical border early. In mid-April, to a comb-and-tissue-paper fanfare, I dug up the big red banana (Ensete maurelii) from its winter-greenhouse-home and wheeled it into position. And then I did the same for the 'small' one. Each year I add a deep … Continue reading The Tropical Border And How I Learned To Hate Soaker Hose
The Tropical Border – 3rd Year
Mid September already? It seems just a few short weeks since I lugged a large Musa basjoo out of a greenhouse; since I stripped the straw protection off those I'd left outside. Only a little while since I wheeled out Colocasia esculenta and hefty red bananas (Ensete maurelii). Hardly any time at all since I … Continue reading The Tropical Border – 3rd Year
A Tidy Up
Now that we've finally had a couple of frosts at the Priory, I feel that I have permission to start tidying away. So I've been carting stuff off to the compost bins or bonfire site. In the topical border, the freezing temperatures have collapsed the tender plants into a soggy, exhausted (and, if you ask … Continue reading A Tidy Up
The Tropical Border – 2nd Year
With the first hint of autumn, the garden is looking decidedly tired in places but the tropical border at least is putting on a show. It doesn't come into its own until quite late in the season and during this hot, dry Sussex summer it has needed almost daily watering. I added plenty of well-rotted … Continue reading The Tropical Border – 2nd Year
The Tropical Border Revisited
Back in April, I told you about the new tropical or hot border I was developing (see 'Planning for the Tropical Border'). And I promised to let you know how it turned out; unless, of course, it was a humiliating disaster in which case I most certainly would not. Well, actually it hasn't been too … Continue reading The Tropical Border Revisited
Away Awhile Again
The first frost has struck the Priory and the tropical bed wasn't happy. Dahlias were disheveled, discoloured and crumpled when I turned up for work (bright as a shiny new button) on Monday morning. I bundled all that dahlia top-growth off to the compost bins and wrapped up the banana (Musa basjoo) in hessian. This … Continue reading Away Awhile Again
The Anxious Gardener 