Â鶹Éç

In 1967, Adrian Bloom started planting up Foggy Bottom - a six-acre meadow with absolutely nothing in it. At first, he used conifers and heathers for year-round interest, but as his enthusiasm for ornamental grasses and herbaceous perennials gathered momentum, the garden evolved into the beautiful place it is today.

Like Gardeners' World, Foggy Bottom is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and to help mark the occasion, Adrian and his family are holding a special event at Bressingham this weekend. If you'd like to take part, check out the link below.

The Bressingham Gardens
Low Road
Bressingham
Diss
Norfolk
IP22 2AA
Tel. 01379 686900

Ìý(·É·É·É.³Ù³ó±ð²ú°ù±ð²õ²õ¾±²Ô²µ³ó²¹³¾²µ²¹°ù»å±ð²Ô²õ.³¦´Ç³¾)

As you saw, Adam Frost was completely wowed by Steve’s Moodey’s garden in Abingdon. At every turn, there was an amazing plant or feature to look at, and it’s hard to believe that the garden is only 24m x 8m (78ft x 25ft). When Steve first took it on back in 2009, all he had was a rectangle of lawn littered with rubbish. But over the years, it has undergone the most incredible transformation! You can follow its progress in the link below, but first, here are some of Steve’s favourite tropical plants if you feel like having a go yourself.

°ä²¹²Ô²Ô²¹Ìý All cannas are good. Canna 'Wyoming' is a particular favourite of Steve’s. In mild areas, you might get away with leaving the rhizomes in the ground over winter if you apply a thick mulch in autumn. But for most people, it's safer to lift and store them under cover.

Chamaerops humilis (Dwarf fan palm)  A good evergreen palm to grow where space is limited as it is quite slow growing. Hardy throughout most of the UK.

Dahlia  With so many to choose from, it’s often difficult to know which dahlia to grow. But single-flowered varieties have the added benefit of attracting bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects. A good example is 'Bishop of Llandaff' with its bright red flowers and dark foliage. Overwinter in the same way as cannas.

Dicksonia antarctica (Soft tree fern)  With its large, dramatic fronds, this popular tree fern provides the perfect contrast for other large-leaved plants. Very slow growing, so buy the biggest plant you can afford! Best grown in shade where there’s plenty of moisture, and remember to protect the crown with fleece in winter.

Fatsia japonica (Japanese aralia)  A popular houseplant in the 70s, this evergreen shrub with huge shiny leaves really comes into its own in the garden. It is surprsingly hardy and is another good subject for shade.

Musa basjoo (Japanese banana)  A tropical paradise just wouldn’t be complete without a banana and this species is a good one to start with. In a mild winter, it will survive perfectly well outdoors and in Steve’s experience, will grow back from the base if the winter takes its toll.

Phormium (New Zealand flax)  Various colours available. 'Yellow Wave' is an arching, compact form with yellow and green variegated leaves.

Tetrapanax papyrifer ‘R±ð³æ’ (Chinese rice-paper plant)  A fabulous plant for a sheltered part of the garden with huge palmate leaves. A real talking point. Has a tendency to throw up suckers once established, but these are easily removed.

Trachycarpus wagnerianus (Dwarf Chusan palm)  A hardy palm that is less prone to wind damage than its larger cousin, T. fortunei.

Tradescantia fluminensis 'Maiden’s Blush'  A houseplant worth growing as ground cover. A frost will kill it, so you’ll need to take cuttings or apply a mulch in autumn.

(www.hardytropicals.co.uk)