"Chris Potts" wrote in message
...
Rosalyn wrote:
Hi,

Hello Rosalyn

I would try Bananas. We bought two sorts some years age to grow in big
pots which we took into the greenhouse to over winter. But they are so
easy to propergate from off-shoots that we soon found we had so many we
did not know what to do with them, so we formed a Banana and Bamboo bed
in a north facing corner under a big spreading ash tree protected from
the wind by a split bamboo screen. One sort (Musa yunnan) has now
survived outside in this situation for three years. Over winter we
protect the stems to about three feet with reed wigwams (which in
themselves look quite decorative over winter) and the new banana leaves
appear above the reeds in May. If you don't want to go to the trouble
of protecting the stems then the stems don't survive and new growth
appears each year from ground level, which is fine, but the plant takes
longer to make an impact. The other species (Musa basjoo) which the
label said was "Hardy Japanese Bamboo" did not survive outside even
though protected.

You also ask about Gunnera. We have found Gunnera manicata to be a very
good in shade and also in dry conditions. Its leaves will not be so big
as when it is grown in wet conditions, but they grow big enough. Each
winter we bend the dead leaves over the crowns and throw a heap of pine
needles on top and we have not lost any so far.

The advantage of plants like these that die down in winter is that they
do not become too big. I am sure if you planted cordyline or phormium
they would grow very well, but would soon take over; phormium in
particular is a very big plant.

I hope this helps.

All the best,



Chris Potts
Try also the Hedchiums (Ginger lilies) they are root hardy although may not
flower in colder parts, great for slug proof leaves. Acanthus has wonderful
leaves although again it may not flower. Then try some of the big fuchsias
like bolieviana and paniculata so long as you are not waterlogged in winter
they will either remain all winter as here or come from below ground as in
colder gardens.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea