To choose which of my top five plants from The Azorean Garden at the Hampton Court Flower Show has been a difficult one as there are so many great plants to choose from, but finally I have listed the following plants.
Agapanthus africanus is one of my all time favorite plants, traditionally these have been grown in pots as they like their roots restricted. They are not fully hardy in certain areas of the UK although it is possible to plant these out in the border south of the Watford Gap, my neighbour does very well with them and they provide a stunning display in July. Liriodendron Tulipifera, really this is a tree and it will grow to impressive size, Liriodendron has a beautiful foliage shape somewhat reminescent of a tulip, when the tree matures it will flower with huge orange tulip like flowers, an excellent tree if you have the space and it will grow well in our climate if in a sheltered larger garden. Strellitzia Reginae is quite an unusual choice but where else can you plant a bird of paradise if not in a show garden, unfortunately they must be kept in pots in the UK and brought in when frosts threaten - but what a stunning plant! Musa Basjoo is a bananna tree with great foliage and stem, it can be kept in either a pot or left planted in the garden. Musa Basjoo can be over wintered in a sheltered garden if the plant is wrapped with straw and fleece, this plant adds a really tropical feel to the garden with its really big leaves. The Canna lilly is another great plant to put out in the border but has to be treated as bedding or planted in pots, it was quite popular before the second world war but then fell out of favour until Christopher LLoyd rediscovered it where he used it for really hot planting schemes at Great Dixter. Canna comes in a wide variety of colours and grows to a good height if you like the idea of having something exotic in the garden that is not too expensive then this is the plant for you.
