Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Mar 08, 2009 9:35 pm We have after many months of thought decided to make our backyard tropical but try and keep it reasonably drought tolerant... if possible. We started yesterday and built a rather large garden bed near the house and we have some plants to go in for the moment we have just sat them in the garden bed in the pots until we are definete on planting them in that spot.
If anyone is trying to do the same thing would love to bounce some ideas off or get ideas of what plants you may have used. We have collected heaps of pictures and information its now just down to decideing what will best suit our yard and conditions, and slowly getting enough money to purchase all the plants over time. Re: Is anyone creating a tropical garden??? 2Mar 09, 2009 8:00 am Where are you...Melbourne or Darwin??
Makes a big difference. Initially palms love water and a high nitrogen fertilizer but since mine have become established I have NEVER watered them. I'm in just about pure sand and when the drought was at the worst every single blade of grass was dead plus a few shrubs/plants but the palms kept on. It's survival of the fittest at my place but after some good summer rain this year everything is pretty lush. About twice a year I put some flowers in the front garden bed and they only ever get a water can a day for the first few days and then they are on their own little lonesome, when they start to look sad, I rip em out and put something else in. It's a bit "suck em and see" at my place. Maybe I'll put some photos up later........ Re: Is anyone creating a tropical garden??? 5Mar 09, 2009 10:35 am Try with a few more photos..
Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The May bush will be in flower at the end of next month and then is cut back really hard after flowering. The border flowers get a bucket of water when first planted and are the on their own until they die or eaten by the snails ( I don't mind the snails because my garden has a healthy population of Blue Tongues who love them) Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Even a few conifers in this one....I think small ones look nice and they always have that green look Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ A bit untidy at the moment but still gives that green tropical look. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Stags and Elks..... must admit they got an occasional bucket of washing machine water thrown over them during the drought Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Crows Nests always look tropical Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Bamboo Palm keeps coming up fresh and green Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Golden Cane always gives a tropical look and is a good survivor Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Another variety of native ginger that always looks green and tropical Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Another type of native ginger. I live on the Gold Coast and this garden is NEVER watered except when new plants are first put in. During the drought all the grass died but most of the plants hung on. What's grown.......bamboo palm, golden cane, foxtail palm, min date palm, elephants foot, gingers, draceanias (sp), bottle palms, alexandria palm, cuban royal palm, raphis palms. Whats usually died has been New Guinea Balsam and Cordylines (don't know why so I just don't bother...it's the survival of the fittest at my place Re: Is anyone creating a tropical garden??? 6Mar 09, 2009 7:37 pm Thank you sooo much for the photos. I live in brisbane, well in the Redlands actually. What are the bamboo palms like we didnt think we could put palms right next to the house as it might uproot the footings etc... but You have them right next tot he house. Well I have brought a bird of paradise and a another plant cant remember the name but it has similar foliage to the bird of paradise but it will grow white flowers which i think is the same one you have in your picture. We also have one rather large golden cane palm in a large pot that really needs to go in the ground, but we are planning to get some more in the lext coming weeks..
We will probabley try and buy a couple of plants a week. Would love to see any more photos that people have! I found these photos: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Is anyone creating a tropical garden??? 7Mar 09, 2009 8:05 pm All those palms are at least 10 yrs old now. Never a problem with the bamboo palm and yes we have other areas where they are right up against the house and paths.
Funnily enough the only palm that has lifted the path edging was the Alexander. No problems though, I just lifted the damaged section, cut some roots away and relaid them. Around the side of the house where space is at a premium we had a small Cuban Royal that had been very slow growing and I thought it may turn into a problem but didn't have the heart to chop it out. Well it has turned into a massive palm and I still can't bring myself to get it removed. It grew right up next to the path and it didn't move it a millimeter but instead the roots started to go over the path. It became a tight squeeze top get the wheelie bin out so I took to the roots with an axe to give a bit of extra space and it didn't even give a hiccup. I''ll post a photo tomorrow when it's light. Re: Is anyone creating a tropical garden??? 8Mar 09, 2009 8:21 pm Murrayas, Cycas thorassii, gardenias, Vibernum odouratisima (a higher growing leafy shrub), Coffee, Bananas, an excellent choice will be Acalyphas or all types and colours, spider lilys, crinum lily, plain old caprosmas like marble queen, diosmas, triangle palms (no worries with them) Alternathera, frangipani (but the east coast gets rust on them ) wow there are loads of others. You lucky buggers can grow the blue gingers easy by the look
Pandanus (which is finally being sold in Perth now ) You have all the dracaenas, cannas (but invasive) Blechnam silver lady (which stands a heap of sun i have found) Photos.... mmm I'll have to try up load some to post. Re: Is anyone creating a tropical garden??? 9Mar 09, 2009 9:48 pm Thanks Fu Manchu - You labelled that picture i had of the spider lily awhile back for me, we have put alot of them out the front of the house under the front windows in garden beds, and we have a few hedges of Murrayas growing out the front too. I think I brought a Canna will look at it again tomorow it will grow white flowers.
Thanks Lazydays - I love looking at your photos too, helps me to picture where i could put different plants. Looking forward to more photos Re: Is anyone creating a tropical garden??? 10Mar 09, 2009 10:47 pm Should add that Hibiscus and Strelitzias would be good.
One Hibiscus I get good results with more than others is Fiji Pink. Not a fussy one at all. Here is the coffee mmmmm Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ just put the beans in a pan, roast them then grind them and drink mmmmm. Here is a bunch of Acalyphas. reds and yellows. There is also a diosma in there, Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Duranta Sheenas Gold would be a good choice. What about Crotons? Re: Is anyone creating a tropical garden??? 11Mar 09, 2009 11:48 pm our garden is still a work in progress, but nearly done.....we are in Perth and have a garden with about 30 different varieties of palms in it, still awaiting them to shoot up tall so we can plant some more underbrush.
Ill try to take some pics tomorrow if I remember! Our palms barely need water. We have total sand only here, awful white sand and some dirty brown sand that gets on everything! We put down some bags of poo to start with, and also some worm composted soil with some worms, then we covered it with thick mulch, two different types, a pine bark and also some thinner black mulch. Then we planted! Now the soil is moist constantly for some 30cm underground and is full of worms and a whole host of other goobies! All our plants thrive. The palms will give an umbrella for the shade palms and smaller shade lovers that we will plant more of once the canopy has grown some more (if we are still here then!). Re: Is anyone creating a tropical garden??? 12Mar 10, 2009 8:51 am there are some plants in here that you might like too
this mob are in griffin and caboolture http://www.stockadenursery.com.au/tropical-plants.htm Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Is anyone creating a tropical garden??? 13Mar 10, 2009 9:17 am Just got some more photos in time as Cyclone Hamish continues south.....torrential rain outside at the moment.
Below is some bamboo palm jammed between the house and the garden edging with no lifting or cracking at all. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Below is the only palm that has lifted any concrete. It's a Alexander palm. The garden edging is just left over house bricks with barely any footings underneath. Just enough to give some levels. This damage doesn't bother me at all. I just tidied it up and relifted the capping brick and re-mortored down. The next photo is the same palm on the opposite side where the fence footings are more substantial and it has cracked the brick. Again I can live with this. One day I may pull that section out and re-lay. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ This large Cuban Royal started life as a week suckling that never moved for years then found a second breath and turned into this beauty. I've never had the heart to remove it and it's now a tight squeeze down my side path to bet my wheelie bin out. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ When it reached the path it continued it's merry way over the top with not even an inckling of lifting the path. I just took to it with an axe to trim the roots back. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Here is a Golden Cane that did the same........just started growing over the path Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Some more tropical looks.....philodendrums, elkhorn and palm Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Varigated crotons and draeceneas (sp)? Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Rhapis Excelsia Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Miniature frangipani, spindle palm, bamboo palm and hibiscus Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Is anyone creating a tropical garden??? 14Oct 02, 2010 9:15 am Anyone know good places to get cheap tropical plants in Perth? Also, we have a load of golden canes growing nicely outside our dining room. I would like to put some coloured tropical plants in the shady area that has been created beneath them, any ideas? Perhaps something with a pretty scent to come into the dining at night? One more question (sorry to hijack this thread!) : we need to move some gardenias from the front garden to the back as they get too much heat coming off the rendered retaining wall. The kids play in that yard and we already have good sized golden canes in the more shady area along with a few NZ cabbage trees, a big grass tree and deep pink cordylines in the shade with a huge frangipani tree on the other side of the fence. The area gets quite hot. My hubby wanted to put more golden canes but I was worried it would look too monotonous. The garden beds are only a metre wide and can't be widened as they are edged in little limestone blocks. Any ideas for good tropical plants? Re: Is anyone creating a tropical garden??? 16Oct 02, 2010 11:22 am I've just borrowed "Balinese Gardens" from the library and it is a great reference listing all the names of the plants they've used and discussing how they work together to create the look. Fig Landscapes has produced an e-book and native plant index, available for purchase from their website. It's a great resource, full of inspiration and tips. Another… 1 12171 Our Bondi Greenwall was impressive from day one with advanced lush plants to provide a wow factor to this recently renovated living area. The boundary was less than 1… 0 15235 |