Tree ferns + Bamboo
Tree Ferns, Dicksonia antarctica, are a wonderful architectural addition to the tropical looking garden. Native to south-eastern Australia, tree ferns have a robust stem made up of fibrous aerial roots and numerous very large fern like leaves or fronds sprouting from the crown. Tree ferns are very slow growing, about 2cm a year depending on growing conditions, and they reach maturity at around 23 years of age. With this in mind it might be advisable to buy the biggest plant that the budget can stretch to!
The tree ferns do very well in moist humus rich soil. They are evergreen, but are often deciduous in a cold winter, and the crowns can be protected if your particular garden is very cold in winter. They are tolerant of full sun and shade but they need to be well watered accordingly in dry weather. Water the trunk (roots) liberally and the crown when dry. In their native habitat they are found in high rainfall areas, in gullies and sheltered forests.
Bamboo make great, easy garden plants. They are wonderful as stand alone specimen plants or are particularly attractive when planted with other evergreen shrubs and trees in a mixed border, providing a lovely contrast to leaf shape and texture. There are lots of eye-catching coloured stems to choose from, not to mention the wonderful sound they make when the breeze catches the leaves.
Bamboo also makes a fantastic hedge or screen. The fargesia varieties are brilliant for planters or pots because they are smaller than the Phyllostachys varieties, which work well planted in the ground. Bamboo thrives in a moist, well-drained soil in sun or shade; Phyllostachys 'Bissetii' is a bamboo that particularly copes well with a very exposed or windy situation.
We stock a high quality root barrier if there are any concerns regarding existing, or new bamboo roots straying and the requirement is to keep the plant's roots contained.