What Plants Make for Exotic Gardens?
If you live in a part of Aotearoa New Zealand, with a subtropical climate, such as Auckland, you’re spoilt for choice regarding plant growing opportunities. With warmer conditions than other parts of the country, such as Southland, you can grow a broader range of plants with much more success.
Therefore, if you’ve been considering growing an exotic garden to create your own little slice of paradise, you’re in luck. A number of beautiful, showy, and exotic plants can provide that authentic oasis feel. If you’re currently in the planning phase of your exotic garden, here are a few of the many options you might like to consider.
Banana Misi Luki
If you’re looking for plants that are both exotic and productive, banana Misi Luki, a banana-producing palm, will tick all those boxes. This subtropical banana plant has large, glossy green leaves and produces deliciously fruity and creamy bananas for you to enjoy in spring. Not only is this plant disease-resistant for peace of mind, but it also grows in poor soils and is tolerant to drought conditions, as well.
When fully grown, they’re about four metres tall and can provide both shelter and privacy. However, they are not suitable for forming hedges.
Nikau Palms
While exotic gardens typically feature an abundance of plants from other countries, you can still achieve a tropical garden with New Zealand plants, such as the Nikau palm. This palm tree is endemic to Aotearoa and is the only palm tree native to mainland New Zealand.
They can grow up to 15 metres tall and have circular trunks, three-metre-long fronds, and rings around the trunks with scars from fallen leaves. Nikau palms are typically found in lowland forests and coastal areas within warmer regions.
Alongside the beauty and uniqueness of Nikau palms, there are other reasons why you might decide to plant them. They can be an important source of food for native birds like the kererū and kākā and hold importance in Māori cultures and traditions.
Clumping Bamboo
Nothing says tropical slice of paradise quite like clumping bamboo. And the good news is that this fast-growing plant can serve many purposes. It’s an excellent plant to use as screening for privacy and can even be the backdrop for other plant varieties.
Clumping bamboo thrives in tropical and sub-tropical environments. It grows well in most non-clay soil types and enjoys full sun and shade. If you want your bamboo to grow quickly and healthily, turn your soil over down to around 20cm, mix it with compost or manure, add a slow-release or controlled-release fertiliser, and mulch well after planting.
Bird of Paradise
Every garden needs a show-stopper plant, and Bird of Paradise would have to be at the top of the list. Also known as a crane flower and bird’s tongue flower, this clumping perennial truly looks like a bird of paradise.
It boasts a vibrant array of colors from orange to blue and violet, and it has unique shaping similar to a bird’s head. Bird of Paradise grows up to around 1.2 metres tall and up to three metres wide and has foliage akin to that of a banana leaf.
It thrives in free-draining and light soil and will stand the best chance of success in warm, temperate environments. Whether you’re trying to achieve an exotic-looking garden or need a hardy plant for your gardens, Bird of Paradise can’t help but impress.
Frangipani
With its quaint white flowers, large green foliage, and tropical appearance, frangipani well and truly stands out from the crowd. This deciduous plant grows well in the tropics and sub-tropics within free-draining and sandy soil and enjoys protection from the wind in full sun.
They can grow up to around 30 centimetres long and 10cm wide and tend to flower from December to April. It’s worth noting that frangipani can be quite time-intensive plants for new gardeners. They typically require organic matter like manure or compost to thrive and can be easily damaged at the roots. Large frangipani plants also often require staking as they can be rather top-heavy.
Bougainvillea
Add some vibrancy and happiness to your slice of paradise with Bougainvillea, a thorny ornamental vine that tends to be evergreen in warm climates but deciduous in the cold. Bougainvillea can grow upwards of 12 metres, but you have the freedom to trim them to a desirable size or even buy dwarf varieties.
They prefer deep, well-drained soil in full sun and require regular watering. These beautiful plants will then treat you for your efforts with gorgeous and vibrant flowers in the summer months.
And while you can purchase full bougainvillea plants from your local nursery, you can also grow them yourself from cuttings. You simply need to take 15-centimetre-long cuttings from new shoots with some old growth, remove leaves from the bottom portion, place them into a pot of propagating sand, and keep the cuttings damp until they establish.
Create the Exotic Garden of Your Dreams
Everyone deserves to have a garden they can be proud of, and you might love the idea of unique and exotic plants. Some of the plants listed above are excellent options to get started, but you might also like to consult your local expert gardener for advice.