Big leaves and bold shapes can give any summer a holiday feel. Here are the tender plants that deliver it – and how to keep them.
Created by jflgardens.co.uk
You don't need a Mediterranean climate for a lush, tropical-feeling garden – just the right tender plants brought out for summer, plus a little care at each end of the season. The payoff is a garden that feels exotic from June to September.
Bananas, cannas, tall dahlias, ferns, palms and giant-leaved ornamentals give instant jungle vibes in a sheltered, sunny spot. Canna and tall dahlias flower hard and grow fast. Choose varieties that thrive in the sun and shelter you can actually offer.
Growing tender plants in large pots makes everything easier – you can place them for the best light, move them to protect from a sharp frost, and lift them under cover at the end of the season. Big pots, plenty of food and generous watering are the keys.
Tender plants grow fast and are thirsty and hungry. Keep the compost consistently moist, feed weekly with a balanced or high-nitrogen feed for lush growth, and don't let them dry out in summer heat – big leaves lose water fast.
The main limitation of tender plants is frost. Lift tender perennials like cannas and dahlias (or bring their pots under cover), wrap the harder cases, and store them cool, dry and dark. A little autumn effort brings them back bigger every year.
From planting & borders to a full planting-style overhaul, the JFL Gardens team works across Surrey and London.
