Brazilian red cloak
1.
If you’re looking for a
distinctly tropical flourish, you’ll
love the Brazilian red cloak. In
midsummer its large, boldly veined
leaves are crowned with deep-red
flower spikes, held above the
foliage. Use it when you want to
create vibrant colour in a hurry.
Grow it: Position the plant in sun
or part shade and light, moist,
well-drained soil improved with
organic matter. It benefits from
regular watering and fertilising.
Elkhorn and
staghorn ferns
2. For a fantastically tropical
look, you can’t go past an elkhorn
or staghorn
(Platyceriumsp.).
These
epiphytic ferns adorn tree trunks with
their spectacular foliage and make
a dramatic feature in any garden.
The difference between the two
types lies in the size of the leaves,
which are thin and wispy on the
elkhorn and larger on the staghorn.
Grow it: They can be mounted
on hardwood boards and hung
onto your house, fence or a tree.
Anchor the boards with soft ties
or fishing line. Position in a bright
spot with filtered sunlight and,
during the warmer months, feed
very lightly with liquid fertiliser.
Ixora
‘Prince
of Orange’
3.
When you want an explosion
of colour,
Ixora
‘Prince of Orange
is a wonderful shrub. Its bright
scarlet-orange tubular flowers
make a delightful appearance
from spring to autumn. A neat
small shrub, it grows up to 2m and
looks great year-round thanks to
its deep green leaves.
Grow it: Ixora requires a warm,
frost-free climate. Grow in
dappled shade and in moist but
free-draining soil. Water regularly
during the warmer months.
Bright-coloured flowers
do more than just make
our gardens beautiful —
they’re needed to attract
pollinators, such as birds,
small mammals and
insects. Bees are enticed
by blue and violet, while
birds prefer red, pink,
yellow and orange.
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