Originating from South Africa, Agapanthas are currently radiating their beauty before the British Museum as part of the South Africa Landscape exhibition. This highlights the rich diversity of plant life from South Africa’s Cape region, an internationally renowned biodiversity hotspot.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/all_current_exhibitions/south_africa_landscape.aspx

This exhibition celebrates 2010 as the United Nations International Year of Biodiversity.This year encourages everyone to learn more about the rich tapestry of life around us, discover why it’s important for a healthy environment and get involved in monitoring and conserving local wildlife.

http://www.biodiversityislife.net/?q=get-involved

http://www.startuk.org/eat/seasonal-selector.aspx#url=/eat/seasonal-selector/plants/basil.aspx

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Traditional gardens with herbaceous borders come to a crescendo in June and early July and then gently wither and fade into their autumn colours. Many years ago I also used the more traditional border planting that goes with this style of gardening. I found it disappointing when August and September arrived to find vast blank areas in the garden with little to spark the imagination, thus the search was on to find plants that would be coming to a peak at these times.

With much experimentation and head scratching, I began researching plants that would look fresh and full of vigour with months of growth ahead of them. Tropical and sub-tropical plants were incorporated with the more traditional perennial plants in the borders at the Exotic Garden, thus creating a more jungle-like world of huge shiny leaves, bold outrageouscolours and ferny textures. It is possible to change the look of a traditional perennial border by skilfully placing just a few tropical plants in the right place for impact. This garden style relies on using traditional tropical plants as well as tropical looking temperate zone plants to create the feel of a more exotic/tropical setting. Many fast growing exotic annuals can also be used to give instant height and colour to the garden.

Using tropicals in the garden is nothing new. Plant collectors have grown and collected them for hundreds of years. Annuals such as pelargoniums,impatiens and begonias are actually tropical in nature. During the Victorian period, tropicals were all the rage, especially in the larger London parks and gardens. Lavish outdoor displays were created during the summer months which gained enormous proportions by high summer. These more tender plants were then moved into “glass houses” to be over-wintered for use in the next season’s garden. This style of gardening was novel and new at the time.

In recent years this style has seen a revival, because it tends to draw attention to the garden in a way no other planting can. If it’s attention you want, just incorporate a few tropical plants into a flower border and wait for the second looks, stares, ooh’s and aha’s from visitors to your garden. Many of these plants are truly jaw-dropping in their proportions and overall appearance. Your guests will be transported to much hotter climes where the planting is lush and the senses over awed.

It is relatively easy to create a unique display of tropical foliage as long as you have some form of protection from the prevailing winds and a tranquil corner of the garden to grow some of these gems. In most cases, we enjoy summers that are relatively sunny, with heat and humidity along with the occasional (or should I say frequent) heavy rain storm, which plants love.These conditions fuel the growth of tropicals into high gear so that even ifyou start out with relatively small specimens, they grow unbelievably fast and turn into large, imposing plants in a matter of weeks if the environment is favourable for good growth and they are well fed – most important!

A border planted with tropicals gets better as the season progresses and can continue through September into October. Many popular houseplants such as the rubber plant, dieffenbachia, Chlorophytum,Spathiphyllum, and croton, when rescued from dark corners of your home, make excellent additions to the exotic border once acclimatised to the stronger light conditions. You can grow these tropical exotics directly in the ground or in containers placed together in imposing groups. Many exotics like cannas, bananas and ferns can be planted outpermanently if correctly sited. Most of these plants are now relatively easy to obtain from garden centres and DIY stores as well as specialist nurseries.

Create an instant garden by moving exotic looking house plants such as Bromeliads, Chlorophytum, Monstera, Tradescantia and Platycerium into the garden for the summer months. Tie them to the branches of trees to create a truly exotic and magical feel.

Plants in containers can be placed by entrances, patios and decks or plunged into the ground in perennial borders or amongst shrubs to brighten up dull areas. This makes it easier to move them inside for the winter. If you do not own a greenhouse, plants will often survive tucked against a house next to a south or west facing wall which will give your cherished plants extra protection on the coldest knights of the year, especially if you use some sacking or fleece to give them a little extra protection. If you do decide to try plants such as the rubber plant outside, these must be brought back in to a cool room in your house for the winter as truly tropical plants will not take frosty conditions at all.

Will explains how climate change affects Exotic Gardens in videos on the Home Page.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMtc15dk9yQ&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myglobalgarden.com%2Fblog%2Fkeep-your-garden-looking-beautiful-all-summer%3Fpreview%3Dtrue%26preview_id%3D490%26preview&feature=player_embedded

The Exotic Garden is open every Sunday afternoon between 1-5pm from June 13th until October 24th 2010 http://www.exoticgarden.com/opening_times.html

This amazing project is literally “growing” all the time .They organise regular networking events aimed at bringing together all those involved in community food growing projects across the capital.

It is free to Capital Growth members and £5 for individuals or groups not supported by Capital Growth.To reserve a place contact Seb or Sarah on 020 7837 1228 or email capitalgrowth@sustainweb.org stating your name, number, organisation and whether you are part of a registered Capital Growth project.

GROW YOUR OWN TRAINING

If you need advice with how to grow your own produce there are also practical sessions run by Capital Growth:

GROW YOUR OWN TRAINING

Capital Growth run  practical sessions about how to grow your own produce:

Growing in Containers

Sat 4th Sept 10.30am – 1pm or Wed 8th Sept 5.00 – 7.30pm

The Autumn series will including training on Soft Fruits, Preparing Leaf Mulches and Low Cost Gardening.

Visit http://www.capitalgrowth.org/training/ for a full list of dates or to download a flyer.

Good weather has returned just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend.Here is the view along the sea front this morning - plenty of sunshine and a tropical feel to the view with the beautiful palms by the pier.

Will rainy summers become a thing of the past for the UK?

This  fascinating forecast for the next 100 years suggests that we will have a more Mediterranean climate and vineyards will flourish but that flooding will become an even bigger issue for parts of the country. Challenging times ahead for everyone - especially gardeners?

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/turned-out-nice-by-marek-kohn-1984401.html

Try visiting a truly inspirational garden located in the centre of Norwich in the East of England which is open to the public on Sunday and Monday.

Will Giles’ Exotic Garden blossomed during the July heatwave and is now enjoying the monsoon style rains that have arrived during August.

In his own words the garden is “just reaching its peak with gigantic foliage and sumptuous flowers to tease the senses.”

Here is Will’s latest blog to tempt you.

http://www.exoticgarden.com/blog/the-garden/august-bank-holiday-weekend-%e2%80%93-rain-or-shine/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/aug/22/severe-weather-southern-england

With heavy rainfall it is a good time to think about the value of harvesting some of this precious resource:

• Rainwater harvesting in the UK has increased by approximately 300% in the last two years
• Rainharvesting can replace up to 50% of a household mains water consumption, and up to 85% on commercial installations
• Collecting rain from your roof reduces surface water by approximately 60% per plot
• Rainwater harvesting in Germany is over 100 times the current use in the UK
• The payback period can be as quick as 3 years on buildings with large roofs and a high non-potable water demand

http://www.revolutionpower.co.uk/rain_water.php

http://www.kingspanwater.com/

http://www.rainwaterharvesting.co.uk/

Beat the unpredictable global weather this summer by growing your own food and baking your own bread.http://www.allotment.org.uk/allotment_foods/bread-making/index.php

The gardening ‘renaissance’ was revealed by a recent survey of 100 of the Society’s affiliated gardening clubs - 73% of clubs saw their membership increase or stabilise over the last year. Some clubs were full to capacity and have had to create waiting lists for people to join.

http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/News/High-in-garden—allotment-club-membership

Brighton is building a green reputation.

It has elected Caroline Lucas as the UK’s first ever green MP.

http://www.carolinelucas.com/cl/blog.html

It even offers green activities to tempt holiday-makers.

http://www.visitbrighton.com/site/your-brighton/green

What a shame that Brighton sea-front does not live up to its green credentials.

Compared to its  neighbour Eastbourne, just along the South Coast, the promenade in Brighton has very few attractive plants and could do with some serious greening.

Here is a shot of some of the tropical plants along Eastbourne sea-front that are thriving in dry conditions and need less watering than the traditonal bedding plants, beloved of most sea-side towns.

With water supplies likely to be challenged in the future by drier summers, UK seaside resorts and towns will seriously need to examine their annual planting schemes .

Every town in the UK could benefit from this idea:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2009/06/12/palm_tree_roundabouts_feature.shtml