Mirabilis jalapa

A splash of colour #mirabilis-jalapa

Another beauty 😍 I’ve overwintered an ensete and grown it on this year. Falling in love with tropical plants but unfortunately limited in what I can have due to lack of overwintering space. Just wondering if you have any suggestions for plants that look the part but will survive with little or no protection outside in the winter please? I live on the Leicestershire/ Warwickshire border. Any suggestions you have would be most appreciated. I know I’m asking a lot bordering on the impossible! 😀😂

I live in an awful frost pocket here in north Essex so anything that comes back here should be ok for you. I do grow a lot from seed every year to fill the gaps and I overwinter in a bubble wrapped unheated greenhouse. I’ll probably have to do several posts here so bare with me @italydiva

All the palms I have need no protection and are evergreen, #trachycarpus fortunei is fab as is #trachycarpus-wagnerianus and #chamaerops-humilis many types of #phormium are great and ever green. #cordyline is hardy although the red ones can be a touch mardy #euphorbia-mellifera (gets big) bamboos but put in a root barrier unless they’re #fargesia @italydiva

Thank you so much, that will be really helpful. I have a small coldframe which is already full overwintering the plants I have already. No space for anymore plants or for a greenhouse sadly. My challenge this year will be trying to overwinter my now much larger ensete. Thinking maybe cutting off the leaves, turning it upside down to lose some of its internal moisture, then filling the normal garden waste bin full of straw as won’t be in use and hoping for the best!! 🥴

#cannas can be hardy with a good thick mulch as is #colocasia-pink-china #asclepias-tuberosa-orange #mirabilis-jalapa #trumpet-vine-indian-summer #echinacea (temperamental) #alstroemeria-indian-summer #persicaria-red-dragon #musa-basjoo with wrapping @italydiva

Bring in Ensete as a house plant if it’s not too large and keep it on the dry side. If it’s large enough to dry store which is not normally for a couple of years then google dry storing but it won’t tolerate being kept outside in straw @italydiva

I’ve got #schefflera-taiwaniana and #schefflera-rhododendrifolia and not forgetting #tetrapanax #fatsia and then I mix in a few purple #clematis to clash with reds and oranges nicely 🤣 oh Ive forgotten #dicksonia-tree-fern and #mahonia-soft-caress and numerous #day-lily #lemon-popsicle #alstromeria-aurea #peruvian-lily-orange-supreme #passion-flower #dahlias particularly the dark leaved plants … minds gone blank now @italydiva 🤣

Oh that’s fabulous! Thank you so much for all this info…I shall save this post so I can work my way through and read up on all your recommendations. Should keep me out of mischief for a good while! Much appreciated…thank you! 🥰😘

My ensete has a trunk girth of 40cm at the moment. Grew from being quite small back in April. I was very lucky as it made it through last winter in its original pot in an unheated cold frame. It will be too big to do the same this year. The planter it’s in is incredibly large and doesn’t lend itself to being lifted indoors. May need to have a rethink 🤔

Will post a photo this week sometime this week Jules so you can see what you think if that’s okay Jules?

I’m really surprised it survived outdoors. They don’t normally like temperatures under 5° but last winter was very odd. I expect gardeners in Cornwall/Devon and the south coast away from the moors to be able to keep them outside. The plus to them is they’re not overly expensive and grow quickly if you do have to replace them. A badly behaved “always going” back and no longer heating the greenhouse has turned me towards hardier plants @italydiva

Lots of flowers opened late this afternoon. Guess that's why it's called a four o'clock plant #mirabilis-jalapa

I'm pleased with this colour as it was from some seeds sent to me last year by #tropical-john @jadojado29 any signs of life on the couple of seedlings I gave you ? #grown-from-seed #mirabilis-jalapa #marbled

What a lovely flower 😍😍

Well they are growing or were the last time I looked, not to sure if I have any buds or flowers & im sure you wouldn’t want me up get wet going to look Bestie @vec especially as I’m in my pyjamas😂😘. Fed up with this weather now 🤬

I'll let you off if you're in your Jim jams @jadojado29

Cheers for that Bestie @vec 👍😂😘