Tips to create a holiday garden paradise

The children are going back to school and autumn is nearly upon us, yet this doesn’t mean you need to let that holiday feeling go.

To recreate your dream holiday destination introduce tropical plants into your garden. Don’t worry that the weather is not the same as your holiday – there are many plants for you to be able to achieve a touch of the Mediterranean just outside your window.

Palms that thrive in Sussex

1. Phoenix canariensis is a Canary Island Date Palm that is hardy and copes well with wind and coastal conditions. After 20-40 years it can reach heights of around six metres. It has big graceful leaves that arch. It looks fantastic as a centrepiece in a central bed under planted with bedding plants or herbaceous perennials, such as heuchera and coreopsis.

2. Trachycarpus fortunei is hardy in sheltered gardens. This is a really good palm for a pot where it can gracefully dance in the breeze.

3. Cordyline – cabbage palm. This is the most widely grown palm suitable for coastal and high wind gardens. As the lower leaves die off the plant grows exposing a central trunk.

Colourful plants

1. Summer bedding: gazania, geraniums and dahlia can provide a rich tapestry of colour when interspersed with evergreen perennials such as heuchera.

2. Summer and autumn perennials: eryngium, coreopsis and sedum give long lasting colour year after year.

3. In winter you can add pansy and viola to offer additional bedding colour.

4. Winter flowering shrubs such as viburnum, mahonia, skimmia and sarcococca all offer much needed winter colour.

Plant of the month

If your garden is lacking a little colour why not introduce our plant of the month - pot mums.