As the weather warms up, you can plant tender plants outside
GARDENING WITH THE EXPERTS The world's finest share their tips for success
Ian Cooke
Ian has spent his life working with plants and gardens. He has a particular interest in exotic planting and held the National Plant Collection of Canna. Ian is the author of nine gardening books and in 2008, he was awarded an Associate of Honour by the Royal Horticultural Society for his contribution to horticulture.
It’s almost time to plant exotics for a display this summer. Keen gardeners will have been sowing seeds, taking cuttings, starting bulbs and generally preparing plants for their seasonal vacation.
The soil should be drying and warming by now, so prepare any areas for summer planting by loosening the soil, incorporating organic matter and applying a general fertiliser. Most exotics need awarm and sunny spot, and a little shelter from wind is preferable.
Any plants that are coming out of your greenhouse should be hardened off by increasing the ventilation for a few days and when outside, cover them with shade cloth to avoid sun scorch or late frost. Remember, many houseplants will also grow well outside, so that giant Swiss cheese plant, rubber plant, weeping fig and others that have outgrown their indoor space can join your summer exotics in the garden. Generally, foliage houseplants do well in shady spots.
As you plan your summer display, think about whether you want to create a theme. Maybe a jungle feel with lots of foliage plants and climbers that intermingle, or go for ‘some like it hot’, with bright and bold cannas, dahlias and lilies started in pots. One corner of my garden has a pre-historic theme with cycads, ferns and ginkgo. Restios aren’t exactly prehistoric but they do have that quirky look about them and are almost hardy.
For colour, there are lots of new patio plants available each year. When I was first growing argyranthemum, they were mainly whites and pastel shades, now they come in vivid rainbow colours, including a red called ‘Margarita’. Colocas
