Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
By Mark Richardson Adult Education Programs Manager Brookside Gardens We all know summer can be brutal for the garden. This summer seems especially difficult given that (as of this writing in June) it hasnt rained in six weeks, and unwatered turf is already the golden brown color we usually see later in the season. If not for the annuals and plenty of irrigation, summer in the D.C. area might be just as drab as the last few weeks of winter, before the spring bulbs offer relief. What better way to brighten a patio or deck than with a touch of the tropics? Recent years have seen a flood of new and interesting tropical plants that provide tireless foliage, bold texture and brilliant color during the hot, sweaty months of the year. Many tropical plants thrive in containers for a dramatic and mobile way to add color and interest to the garden. Whether planted in a garden bed, singly in a container or in combination with other non-hardy plants, many tropical plants grow very large in a single season and make an immediate impact in the
Ricinus communis Carmencita is perfect for our displays here at Brookside Gardens. Its a little larger in stature than Impala but features the same broad, deeply-lobed burgundy foliage.Photo courtesy of Mark Richardson.
garden. Plant them in spring after the threat of frost, enjoy them for one growing season and throw them on the compost pile once they succumb to the cold. Or, look for ways to overwinter them. There are over 40 species of bananas (Musa), including the hardy M. basjoo, which can reliably survive winters as far north as New Hampshire. Like all bananas, this herbaceous perennial has very large, oblong leaves (as long as 10) and loves the heat and humidity our summers provide. Although M. basjoo has pale yellow flowers, followed by non-edible fruit, dont expect much of a floral display; rather, grow it for its tough-as-nails foliage that laughs at the heat as other garden plants cower and seek shade. Plant in a garden bed and, once established, its stalks can grow as high as 15 feet; certain
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to be a little more contained in a planter on your patio, but imagine the drama of a big towering banana in your garden! One of the hottest bananas to hit the market lately is M. acuminata Siam Ruby, a red-leafed, dwarf cultivar (to 8) introduced a few years ago via Thailand by Tony Avent of Plant Delights Nursery. In warmer climates, M. acuminata is a perennial that produces edible fruits after white-yellow flowers; but here in the midAtlantic, it is best grown as an annual. Dont expect fruit, but enjoy Siam Ruby for its outstanding display of red foliage, irregularly mottled with lime green variegation. Another favorite of mine for its trumpetshaped, pendent and sweet-smelling flowers, angels trumpet (Brugmansia spp.) is
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R. communis Carmencita fruit is more pink than is typically seen in other cultivars.Photo courtesy of Mark Richardson.
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