Will Giles Exotic Garden Norwich

Anyone with even a passing interest in growing exotic plants will be aware of Will Giles, gardener, author, tv personality who has over the last 30 odd years created The Exotic Garden in the centre of Norwich. The garden is a blend of very tender plants and hardy plants with an exotic feel, and does transport you to another place. The garden to us has a very Caribbean feel, with extremely bright colours combined with lush large leaves.

Hard to believe this photo is taken in the centre of Norwich. The house, which appears to be a fairly traditional looking British home, has a balcony and verandah added to the front, which when festooned with jungly climbers and curios transforms the feel of the home.

Tetrapanax 'Rex'

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Plant Haul from Urban Jungle

In our post yesterday we featured our visit to Urban Jungle last Saturday. As with any nursery visit, it was inevitable that we brought a few goodies home with us.

First, the pots. For the first time ever we brought home more pots than plants! I'm pot crazy at the moment and they have a wonderful selection there of pots with interesting texture and patterns. Here's just a few of them....

Now on to the plants. First of the lot is plain green Aloe arborescens as I didn't have one prior to this. The only one I had before was its variegated version.

Then a Ficus carica 'Ice Crystal'. Now this fig we have already growing in front of the jungle hut for many years now but the beautiful leaves were calling out to us so just had to get another one.

Next is the Chinese Virginia Creeper, Parthenocissus henryana. A climber that we had before but lost during the garden fire a couple of years ago. The leaves remind me of Impatiens omeiana or a climbing version of it.

A hydrangea with large and purple coloured leaves, Hydrangea aspera 'Hot Chocolate'.

But my favourite of the lot is this variegated fern. It's not usual to see variegated ferns, (one of which is Arachnoides simplicior) beyond the Japanese painted types so when I spotted this I just had to bring home two. The lovely Coniogramme japonica 'Flavomaculata'.

Nice fern isn't it?

Mark :-)

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Urban Jungle

Last weekend Mark and I along with our friend Don, paid a visit to Urban Jungle over near Norwich in Norfolk. Although a couple of hours away we tend to visit every summer and usually make an occasion of it. We tied this trip in with an over night stay at the coast and then a trip to Will Giles Exotic Garden in Norwich, but more of the garden visit soon.

Urban Jungle has a great selection of the exotic and tender plants as well as hardy unusual trees, shrubs and perennials. After the poor winter in 2010 we added a number of hardier plants from Urban Jungle to our garden and I suspect many other exotic gardeners also had the same plans.

One of the thoughts that always crosses our mind when we visit is just how clean and tidy everything is at Urban Jungle, not just the plants, but the pathways, beds and display areas. Somebody puts a lot of effort into making sure the nursery is just perfect every time.

In amongst the plants are lots of places to sit, relax or take a cup of coffee (and cake, as they now do the most fabulous cakes!)

  A tranquil place to relax, and not a leaf out of place.

Ficus Carica 'Ice Crystal' - we already have this in out garden but this was too good a plant not to take home.

I did mention the cakes, right? well it would be rude not to enjoy a drink and cake sat in the greenhouse with all the exotics around us.

A great selection of yucca, palms and agaves. I suspect the canna may be an interloper.

Within the large greenhouse is also a koi pond, crystal clear water and healthy looking fish. We spent quite a while just watching the fish.

So what did we buy.... well you may have to wait and see, but the fig above does now have a new home!

Gaz :)

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Jazz Up the Jungle Hut

How we decorated the jungle hut, or more appropriately jungle verandah this year hadn't changed much at all from last year. A few items were moved about to different places and that it when it came to those few changes. 

However, much I liked how I felt about the garden a few weeks ago I thought it was looking relatively sparse. The space was fine by us as it made it easier to move around as we do use the space a lot but when it came to taking photos of the space it needed more 'oomph'.

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One Two Three

Early this year I said 'Don't worry, it'll only be temporary. No commitments. Let's not spend too much so it won't be much of a loss if we decide to do something else next year'.

Let us take you on a tour of the top patio this year. First, the view you see when you enter the garden from the street through the side passage...

The photo above is my favourite point of view when looking at the display. You can almost see the full breadth of the succulent display, framed by lush greenery courtesy of not so warm yet comfortable British summers. And you get a glimpse of the 'flying fish tree' from here too.

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I Love August

Simply for being a summer month!

And at the latter part too, when most of big work have been done and it's just a case of maintaining the growth spurt that happened on previous months.

And most of the spring perennials have already gone dormant and you safely cut away all the dead growth still remaining. Not much putting up to do with green/brown combo that is usually the case with June and July.

The only thing is that in UK, warmth is not guaranteed either. I remember last year we even had a frost scare! However, I'm not that fussed with too much warmth. Moderate is fine, it's more comfy to garden at such temperatures, as long as it's sunny.

Cutting back all of the dead growth from spring perennials has exposed some ground space that disappeared for awhile. The garden felt sparse initially...

Did I just say sparse?

Of course it's not. The other thing is that a lot of plants that were previously squat are much taller now. Taller than us and creating a canopy. And we can walk underneath their foliage.

Means more visibility of what's underneath the canopy. Which also means planting space.

But must not forget the perennials that will be back next spring! Just probably need to look for some evergreen to keep those summer dormant ones company.

Hmmm...reasons to plant shop!

I love August!

Mark :-)

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How Tidy Should a Jungle Garden Be?

We had a lovely, surprisingly very chilled out weekend giving the garden some extra preening and pruning.

Whilst sorting out the jungle area in particular we were once again asking ourselves the question, how tidy should a jungle garden be?

Should it be immaculate seeming as it will be in a domestic garden setting ? Or should it be leaning towards being wild and unkempt as what a real jungle is?

Too tidy and spotless seems odd and rigid. Too unkempt, well it is a 'garden' after all...

I suppose it all depends on what overall look you want to achieve. Like a lot of things there are happy compromises and in betweens. Personally, we'll go for that.

What about you, how tidy should a jungle garden be?

Mark :-)

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