WHEREVER you are in the country it’s pretty grim right now.
Chances are you’re either freezing cold, soaking wet or both – and are dreaming of a tropical paradise already.
But did you know we’ve got our own exotic jungles right here in the UK?
And thanks to lovely micro-climates and clever planting – you can visit many all year round.
Get transported to lush green canopies, palms, banana plantations and ferns – without even packing your passport.
I’ve picked some of the top places to escape to this year – with a few added extras on the end.
Ventnor Botanic Garden, Isle of Wight
Overlooked by tall cliffs to the north – and the English channel to the south, thanks to it’s unique microclimate this garden in the Isle of Wight has an average of 5°C higher all year round.
It’s a truly mild climate – with only 29 inches of average rainfall. We visited in January and you could actually feel the warmer air once you got into the gardens.
Their ‘Ventnor Method’ is used to to replicate how plants would grow in the wild next to each other – and the results are truly stunning.
Even when I visited in January, it was bursting with beautiful plants and felt like a proper escape from the blustery British weather everyone else was experiencing.
It’s open all year round – and also offers wellbeing workshops.
For tickets visit www.botanic.co.uk
A tropical vista at Ventnor Botanical Gardens – taken in January[/caption]
Outdoor Jungle, The Lost Gardens of Heligan, Cornwall
Sitting in a steep-sided valley – again with a microclimate 5°C higher – in the Outdoor Jungle you can wander along winding paths through bamboo and banana plantations marvelling at the exotic plants.
Bought back from across the world since Victorian times – it also features one of the longest Burmese Rope Bridges in Britain, stretching 100 feet above ancient tree ferns.
Our November visit was outstanding – although some of the more tender tropicals had died back – there was still enough to give off strong holiday-abroad vibes.
TOTALLY TROPICAL
Bring a touch of the tropics into your own garden using these plants
- Tetrapanax papyrifer has huge jungle-style leaves that can grow up to 1m wide
- Fatsia Japonica is a very easy way of bringing large glassy leaves into your garden.
- Bamboo ‘Fargesia’ – the clumping kind – can fill your outside space with height and movement.
- Musa Basjoo is a very hardy banana tree that will withstand most British climates. It just needs fleecing come winter but looks incredibly tropical.
- Trachycarpus Fortunei’s fan-shaped leaves withstand harsh temperatures – and take you back to the palms you loved on holiday.
- Formium Pink Stripe has arching, leathery, strap-shaped leaves that are olive green with pink stripes and bring real structure to your garden. Just don’t let it get out of control.
- Dryopteris Filix-Mas is a fully hardy woodland fern, that loves dark, moist placed – and can survive everything except hot, direct sunlight.
Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Dorset
Home to tree frogs, and an unusual rough tree fern, Cyathea australis, exotic plants thrive in Abbotsbury’s sheltered coastal microclimate.
It boasts of brimming with exotic trees and perennials from the Mediterranean, New Zealand, South Africa, the Himalayas and more.
Found on Dorset’s Jurassic coast – the subtropical gardens boast over 6000 species – and is open seven days a week all year round.
RHS Harlow Carr, Yorkshire
Discover a touch of the exotic in their Sub-Tropicana Garden.
It’s packed full of plants with a tropical nature – like hardy palms, soft tree ferns and several bamboos providing a permanent framework – plus a heated glasshouse home to the most tender plants.
It peaks in late summer when Dahlias, salvias, gingers and cannas are in full bloom – but there’s enough to keep it going all year round.
Yewbarrow House, Grange over Sands, Cumbria.
It’s warm microclimate and valley-location allows exotic and rare species to flourish at Yewbarrow House.
Plus there’s a Japanese-style infinity pool, orangery, restored Victorian kitchen garden and views over Morecambe Bay.
Check their website for their 2025 Open Days – they also welcome groups of 10 or more, by appointment.
Overbecks Garden, Salcombe, Devon
Tucked away on the cliffs above Salcombe is the hidden paradise of Overbecks Garden.
A subtropical National Trust garden, it’s bursting with colour and filled with exotic and rare plants. It reopens in March 2022.
Plus you can find tropical glasshouses in Birmingham, Belfast, Kew, Logan Botanic Garden, Dumfries and Galloway, the Rainforest Biome in the Eden Project, the National Botanic Garden of Wales and Darwin’s Greenhouse, Kent.
Tropical vibes at the Eden Project in Cornwall[/caption]
Also in Veronica’s Gardening Column this week
News, top tips, gardening jobs and competition
NEWS! Thousands of flower fans are tuning into Sydney’s Royal Botanic Gardens instagram and YouTube to watch a tropical endangered plant – known as the ‘corpse flower’ – bloom. Nicknamed ‘Putricia’ it flowers once every few years for 24 hours – and experts claim stinks of ‘wet socks, hot cat food, or rotting possum flesh.’ Found in the wilds of Sumatra, Indonesia, it has a record-breaking flower structure – growing up to 3m tall and weighing up to 150kg. The last one to bloom at the Sydney Botanic Garden was 15 years ago – but Kew Gardens had one flower last year.
NEWS! Escape the British weather at Kew’s Peruvian orchid spectacular. From Feb 1 to March 2 – it’s the perfect antidote – promising stunning horticultural displays of Peruvian plants.
WIN! Suttons seeds are giving seven winners this lovely seed tin – plus five packets of flower seeds and five packets of Vegetable Seeds – worth £31.89. To enter visit www.thesun.co.uk/Suttonstins – or write to Sun Suttons Tin competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP. Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Ends 23.59GMT 7.2.25 T&Cs apply.
TOP TIP Don’t walk on your frozen lawn – the blades of grass will snap and crack – and the damaged patch could be more susceptible to disease.
JOB OF THE WEEK Chilli seeds need a long growing season so plant some seeds now indoors or a heated greenhouse. Remember they’ll need to be indoors until the frost has passed.
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