Veggie selections for a lush, exotic edge garden:
Unleash your inner explorer with these extraordinary ideas for a jungle-style planting scheme! It's all about bold, dramatic foliage, not just beautiful blooms. Experiment with planting in different layers, aka 'stories', for a lush, layered look that mimics a vibrant rainforest.
Sculpt your garden with towering bamboos and bananas, which will provide structure and height. For a mid-level layer of greenery, consider ferns, while hardy hostas can't be beaten for low-level ground cover.
To bring more color and cheer to your jungle, try planting cheery fuchsias, dahlias, or begonias.
Take it a step further with these exotic Must-Haves:
Tree ferns: The ultimate plants for that sought-after jungle look, tree ferns like Dicksonia antartica or Dicksonia youngiae add drama with their broad fronds and towering heights. In summer, keep them well-watered at the crown, and protect the crown in winter to preserve their distinctive silhouette.
Eucomis: Known as pineapple lilies, these tuberous perennials boast broad leaves and beautiful flower spikes from mid to late summer. Ideal for the understory of a jungle garden, they can be grown outdoors all year in milder locations with careful winter protection, or lifted and stored over winter in colder zones.
Hedychiums: Akin to pineapple lilies, ginger lilies are a fantastic choice for understory planting. They feature exotic foliage and spikes of fragrant, usually yellow or orange flowers.
Paulownia: The foxglove tree (Paulownia tomentosa) is a striking addition to any jungle garden, offering large, fragrant spring flowers that resemble foxgloves and huge, dramatic leaves that will last well into summer. Prune it each year in late autumn or winter to promote continued growth and awe-inspiring leaf displays.
Arisaema: Commonly known as cobra lilies, these fascinating plants thrive in the shady parts of a jungle border. For extra drama, grow one of the species with dark, striped flowers, such as Arisaema concinnum or Arisaema exappendiculatum.
Musa lasiocarpa: This dwarf banana species—also known as the Chinese yellow or golden lotus banana—displays beautiful silvery green leaves and produces a spectacular golden flower that lasts for months. It can tolerate light frosts with careful winter protection, and enjoys a warm, moist soil.
Setaria palmifolia: A spectacular container plant with palm-like leaves, Setaria palmifolia can be moved to a frost-free location over winter. Grow it in a warm spot with moist soil for maximum impact.
Pachysandra: These hardy, easy-to-grow plants make a fabulous evergreen ground cover, creating a lush green carpet for your woodland border. Think of them as the lush carpet of your woodland border.
Colocasias: Multiply your wow-factor with colocasias, valued for their magnificently large leaves. Well worth growing, though the corms will need lifting and storing somewhere frost-free over winter, or grown in a large pot or container.
Tetrapanax papyrifer: Often considered one of the best plants for a jungle or exotic garden, Tetrapanax papyrifer boasts huge leaves reminiscent of fatsia, but even larger. It's hardy down to -10°C, though the leaves may brown in slightly warmer temperatures.
Fatsia japonica: With large, dramatic leaves, Fatsia japonica is a superb shrub for a jungle border. It also makes an excellent choice for shady borders.
Ricinus communis: The castor oil plant offers large, glossy, reddish-purple foliage that adds visual interest to a jungle border. Sow the seeds very early in the year, or buy a ready-grown plant. Handle with care and keep away from children, as all parts of the plant are highly toxic.
Begonias: Begonias—such as 'Madame Richard Galle'—offer interesting foliage andlong-lasting, brightly colored flowers that suit a jungle border. In autumn, lift the tubers and store them somewhere frost-free over winter. Other plants to consider here include dahlias and tithonia.
Jasmine: Adding to the peaceful, exotic atmosphere of the garden, jasmine brings fragrance to your jungle border. Plant in a sheltered spot to help the scent linger. Other scented choices include Pittosporum tobira, Choisya 'Aztec Pearl', and Gardenia 'Kleim's Hardy'.
Bamboo: Bamboos make great additions to a jungle border due to their evergreen interest and architectural stems. Choose the well-behaved fargesias for containers, or plant out Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Lama Temple' and remove the lower foliage to highlight the stems.
Hosta: Dramatic foliage hostas fit in beautifully with a jungle-style scheme, and there's a wide variety to choose from, including many variegated types. Most prefer shade. Top tip: protect them from slugs.
Persicaria microcephala: This hardy persicaria is perfect for edging exotic borders, from the cultivar 'Red Dragon' with its purple-red leaves, to others like erigeron and coreopsis.
Crocosmia: These hardy perennials bring two things to a jungle border: interesting, sword-like leaves and splashes of bright color from sprays of yellow, orange, or red flowers. They also look great in a 'hot' border.
Ferns: Ferns belong in a jungle scheme, especially those that are evergreen for added winter interest. No room for a jungle-style border? Consider a exotic-looking container instead.
Schefflera brevipedicellata: This hardy schefflera produces attractive panicles of exotic-looking leaves, eventually forming a large shrub or small tree.
LOCAL CLIMATE TIP: Many of the plants grown in tropical gardens are indeed tropical. Grow them in a sheltered spot to help create a microclimate that they'll enjoy, and protect them from frost during winter if necessary.
Additional Exotic Plants to Try:
- Heliconias
- Bird of Paradise
- Various palm species
- Tropical fruit trees (depending on your climate zone)
- Canna lilies
- Cape Plumbago
- Pentas
- Moonflower
References:
Transform your home-and-garden into a jungle oasis by incorporating gardening options such as tree ferns, Eucomis, Hedychiums, Paulownia, Arisaema, Musa lasiocarpa, Setaria palmifolia, Pachysandra, Colocasias, Tetrapanax papyrifer, Fatsia japonica, Ricinus communis, Jasmine, Bamboo, Hosta, Persicaria microcephala, Crocosmia, Ferns, and Schefflera brevipedicellata. These exotic plants, along with additional options like Heliconias, Bird of Paradise, various palm species, tropical fruit trees, Canna lilies, Cape Plumbago, Pentas, and Moonflower, will enhance your lifestyle by creating a lush, layered home-and-garden that mimics a vibrant rainforest.
