How to Create a Jungle Paradise in Your Garden

While many gardeners draw inspiration from the quintessential English country garden, with its manicured lawns and neatly tended flower beds, other gardeners crave something a little more exotic, underplanting a canopy of tall trees with palms and broad-leaved foliage to create an oasis of green.

For those taken with the idea of transforming their outdoor space into an exotic jungle, fortunately, this look is easily achievable, even far north of the equator. Whether you are simply seeking to spice up the patio or completely overhaul your landscaping, you can introduce a tropical edge to any garden by following a few simple steps.

Planning Your Garden

Climate is a major consideration when determining which plant species to put in your garden. Obviously, the closer you live to the equator, the easier it is to recreate a tropical environment. However, with careful planning and care, it is possible to enjoy heat-loving plants throughout the summer even in cooler climates. You can simply bring them inside or protect them with covers when winter arrives.

Light exposure is also another factor to consider. Sunlight not only helps your plants to grow, but it makes your garden warmer. Different plant species require different light levels to thrive; hostas and ferns, for example, do best in cooler, shaded areas.

In planning your garden, you should also pay heed to your soil type and level of shelter, bearing in mind that strong winds can wreak havoc on broad-leaved plants.

Choosing Your Plants

Many gardeners doubt whether they can create the right environment for exotic species to thrive, bearing in mind that many tropical plants originate in hot and humid conditions. On the contrary, many tropical plants are highly adaptable. In fact, some of the most commonly found species in the jungle also thrive in temperate regions, including:

· Bromeliads

· Hostas

· Ferns

· Rhododendrons

· Bananas

· Palms

· Cycads

· Bamboo

Tall trees such as Chinese wingnut provide a protective canopy, shielding the plants below from strong sunlight and frost. Heliconias, palms, clivias, begonias, gingers, and bamboo all make ideal understory plants. Meanwhile,epiphytes like orchids, bromeliads, and ferns all have unusual adaptions. They grow on other plants without harming them, obtaining their nutrients from plant debris, dust, and bird droppings, with fog, dew, and rain meeting their watering requirements.

Cycads are an ancient plant subspecies, with fossilized specimens dating back a quarter of a billion years. They range from plant size to huge trees reaching over 30 feet high. Palms are also an apt addition to the jungle garden.

Sourcing Tropical Plants

Gardeners who want to achieve a tropical look need not restrict themselves in their plant choices. Creating an exotic garden requires creativity and imagination, such as showy flowers in vivid colors as well as dramatic, architectural foliage.

Rather than being restricted to truly tropical species, gardeners can use hardier plants that mimic their characteristics. Hardy plants with a tropical look such as fatsia japonica, crocosmia, and eucomis are excellent choices, as are species like black bamboo, canna, musa bajoo, phormium tenax, and tree fern.

Planting a Jungle Garden

Soil preparation is an important consideration when creating a jungle garden. Whether you are using containers or simply planting straight into the earth, the soil must be well-drained and rich in organic matter.

Once the soil has been prepared, you can start planting. A tropical atmosphere requires an emphasis on non-woody vegetation, incorporating foliage plants of differing textures, colors, and forms. Plants with dramatic blooms will add seasonal interest to your exotic garden, while those with striking foliage will add dimension through the growing season. Taller plants, such as bananas, bamboo, and palm trees not only serve as focal points but provide shade for understory plantings.

Caring for Your Jungle Garden

Some tender species, such as bananas and cannas, should survive cooler months outdoors in milder areas, provided the rhizome or crown of the plant is covered with mulch over the winter. In colder regions, however, it is best to lift rhizomes and tubers, providing them with extra protection over the winter.

Planting less-hardy varieties in containers makes it easier to move them indoors for the winter. Certain species, like bananas, continue to thrive in a potted environment. For people with limited space, containers are a great way to introduce tropical beauty to their outdoor area. Even in small areas like a balcony or patio, planting pots with lush green foliage can add a touch of the jungle.

The great thing about a jungle garden is that once established, it should require minimal care, other than watering, with no need for intensive weeding or pruning. In fact, with a jungle garden, the more natural looking, the better. Applying a layer of mulch helps to keep weeds down and retain moisture while providing a source of nutrients for your plants.