Tropical, jungley plants in a small garden

[CherriBlossim]

We want to plant some of these at the end of our garden (south west facing) but don't want high ones. Are there any palm kind of things (sorry I don't know the correct names) that would only grow to max 2 metres?

Yep. There are cold-hardy plants that have a maximum height under that (darmera, rodgersia, ligularia, rheum palmatum or ornamental rhubarbs, Alocasia Macrorrizhos - these like DAMP soil, so it needs to be wet all the time - you may need to use membrane to make a boggier garden if you go down this route), and there are plants that you can chop back to keep to that height (paulownia tomentosa has brilliantly fun huge leaves and is so fast growing and vigorous that it can be chopped right back each year - I'm growing these from seed at the moment for next year), and there are plants that are slow-growing enough to be worth planting because they will give you many years underneath that before they get too large and need removing (fargesia murelianae bamboo, bought young; fatsia japonica, Acer campbellii var. campbellii - a new discovery for me, this is brilliantly exotic looking, Schefflera taiwaniana which is an amazing umbrella-plant like thing, roscoea - becoming more popular, these are bulbs and they do fine in my north-facing, damp northern garden). The humble hosta can also look remarkably exotic in the right context, as can shuttlecock ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris).

There are also flowering plants that are not cold-hardy and will need to be dug up or protected over winter, but are well worth growing for that effect - canna lilies would be one, dahlias another (the big, hot coloured kinds not the little pom poms), musa (bananas) another.

Thank you. I've looked at your suggestions - some beautiful plants indeed.
Do you have any experience of these www.palmcentre.co.uk/products/ptv/phormium-tenax-variegata-new-zealand-flax

Do phormiums get untidy do you know? Looks like this place sells them at a good size.

Yep, yep I have one of those. They are tough as old boots. They will get large and a bit more untidy (though chopping off any dead leaves round the base helps) but they are very architectural. If you wish you can divide them to keep them smaller (warning: this requires a saw and a bit of elbow grease. When I tried to do mine with a spade, it fought back!!)

Though they are tolerant of a great variety of traditions I would say that in pure 'looks' terms they are more desert-y/prairie plants than jungly ones. I actually think mine doesn't 'sit' well with some of those other large-leafed things I've got. (Which is partly why I divided it and popped it into pots). Somehow the palm/phormium look feels a bit different to the jungle/large-leafed one. (Not saying they can't be combined really effectively, just that it hasn't worked in my garden that well - perhaps because I also have some more traditional plants in there!!)