Tropical Late-Season Interest for the Northwest

Add a burst of life to your autumn garden with bold foliage and bright blooms

suppose spending the day in a tropic paradise without having to travel anywhere ! Late - season tropic gardens can make a striking aspect in the Pacific Northwest . By take the most appropriate plant life for tropical planting scheme , you could create a lucullan oasis . Exciting , bold leafage and striking , hot - coloured bloom make these garden shine in late summertime through early downfall . Here are some plant life that I like to incorporate in my tropical - theme garden figure for maximum impact in fall .

Gunnera is a bold focal point that demands space and attention

Gunnera ( Gunnera manicata , Zones 7–10 ) is a salient garden plant , although it does take up space . This industrial plant , native to Brazil , is often called “ dinosaur solid food . ” Its large , rigid foliage help produce a dramatic centerpiece in any garden . If rise in the right conditions and setting , the leave can grow to 4 metrical foot in diameter . They search awesome with some nighttime lighting to accent their size . Gunnera produce well in gardens with adequately moisture - retentive , rich soil all season long . It is a perennial that need some wintertime protection , mostly to ensure the other spring growth is not damaged by utmost winter weather . While gunnera looks good all summertime long , the leaves have a prissy wabi - sabi smell to them in autumn , as shown above . It depend corking with ornamental gage and other plant that hold their bodily structure as the atmospheric condition turn big . The tough parting can handle a mint of condition until they finally collapse or are cut down . I geld off the big leaves in tardy drop and reverse them over the crown for winter rain protection . Western steel fern fronds ( Polystichum munitum , Zones 4–8 ) make for for this purpose as well . You could also utilize very large empty nursery container site over the crowns for protection .

Agapanthus sports explosive, round blooms atop strappy foliage

Most Northwest gardeners I know are good enthralled with all the young and amazing size and colors of agapanthus , or lily of the Nile ( Agapanthusspp . and cvs . , Zones 7–10 ) , which range from the deep inky purple to blues to bright white . We are very lucky to have some excellent local nursery that are growing and hybridizing lily of the Nile that are stalwart here in the Pacific Northwest . They do take some time to get settle and bulk up in the garden , but I enjoy their late summer and early fall blooms . The larger variety flower later in the season . Agapanthus , which are South African in origin , have large , flat strips of foliage that add keen grain , and the new flower stalks that start to peak out in midsummer smell like footling birds in a nest . The dramatic magniloquent blossom stanch are pyrotechnic in the garden . They necessitate full sun and copious soil . As a bonus , they are drouth resistant once established . This year I have added ‘ Tall , Dark , & Handsome ’ agapanthus from the venerable Dan Hinkley to my garden . It has very grandiloquent dismal purple peak reaching 3 feet in height . I can not wait until they get settled and grow into large clumps . Additional agapanthus can be grown in containers that can move from the terrace to the garden and back .

These South African bulbs add interest in spring and fall, taking a break in summer

Lastly , there are some awesome recent - season South African bulbs that are often overlooked by gardener . Nerines ( Nerinespp . and cvs . , Zones 8–11 ) , amaryllis ( Amaryllisspp . and cvs . , Zones 7–10 ) , and hybrid of the two—”amarines ” are all excellent belated - summer- and early - fall - blossom bulbs . These are wonderful choices for drier domain of the garden . They certainly surprise everyone when they start blooming . The rich slanted flowers are a nice foil to the beginning of fall - color leaves and leafage . They order from red to knock to whiten . The foliage comes up in the spring like other bulbs , but once the summer weather start , the foliage dries up and disappears . ensure you think back where you planted these electric-light bulb , as I have erroneously dug up a few clumps when I wanted to add new plants to my garden . When the weather starts to cool from the summertime high and the more frequent pelting starts , these medulla begin to bloom . They are also great for late - season flowered bouquets if you are tempted to slew them from your garden . I have used ‘ Mollie Cowie ’ nerine ( Nerine bowdenii‘Mollie Cowie ’ , Zones 7–11 ) , which has variegated green - and - livid leafage in spring and vibrant pinkish flowers in fall .

I love beautiful tropical - looking garden , and pluck the appropriate plant to make that looking is key . The few mentioned above can help you start creating this feeling in your Northwest garden in fall .

— Jason Jorgensen is a landscape fashion designer in Seattle .

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