Tropical garden plants for a Northern Garden?

[breatheslowandtrust]

I'm thinking ahead to the better weather, and as we aren't likely to be going away anywhere this year I want to invest money on the garden.
My back garden is a patio, I would like some evergreen largish plants for pots. It is sheltered, but the back wall doesn't get much sun. What plants could I put here for a tropical look that will tolerate north western weather? I'm thinking fatsia japonica but don't have knowledge beyond that. Already in pots I have rosemary, sage, a canary palm and cotoneaster, but they are all on the brightest wall.

Bamboo in large pots on the sheltered side. There are hardy Palms, Yuccas and Cordylines that look tropical. I wrap mine in fleece for the winter.
Large leaf Hostas look good, as do large leaf ferns.

Thanks for those Bee will check them out.

Meant to add Melianthus, which is quite tender, but copes with being wrapped for winter and will need a large planter. Also Leycestria Formosa, which shoots up tall stems that are easily cut down ( or not ) each year, it has lovely bracts and berries.

Large leaf Hostas look good

Until the slugs and snails get them! If you are planting hostas, even in pots, check out how to proof your plants. I love hostas, but without protection they take on the look of ratty lace.

Yes Moon I have tried and failed miserably to grow hostas, my garden seems to be a slug haven.

I love fatsias

Do you have any fence to cover? Passionflower is pretty tough and comes in different colours. Prefers a bit of sun though. Star jasmine is lovely and evergreen but took forever to grow up my shady fence! In the sun it zooms away. You could possibly grow the latter in a large pot+obelisk support.

I like trailing begonias, impatiens New Guinea and trailing fuchsias to add colour to tropical planting in shady areas

You want Yorkshire Kris!!

Exotic Gardening U.K: Yorkshire Kris

I have given up with hostas as well-I resent spending money to give slugs a tasty dinner and to leave me with ratty tatty plants!

Ferns are good, as are cordylines.

Re. my last post I like to get creative with arches and obelisks to add height and interest. Often they help elevate a plant into the sun for a portion of the day 😁

Raised beds and giant planters are a great solution to anchor the above if your garden is patio.

I would go for colocasia if you want the look of Hostas without the slugs

@GarethSouthgatesWaistcoat

I love fatsias

Do you have any fence to cover? Passionflower is pretty tough and comes in different colours. Prefers a bit of sun though. Star jasmine is lovely and evergreen but took forever to grow up my shady fence! In the sun it zooms away. You could possibly grow the latter in a large pot+obelisk support.

I like trailing begonias, impatiens New Guinea and trailing fuchsias to add colour to tropical planting in shady areas

Passionflowers are easily killed by a frost and temperatures below zero, I think you chances of growing one successfully in the north are low.

My ds2 inherited a banana tree and palms at the house they bought.
All seem to be doing very well.
Couldn't get him to mow the lawn when he was at home. Suddenly he's Alan bloody Titchmarsh.

Whoops sorry, he's in St Helens so NW.

kindlingtwigs I'm in the SE but my passionflower's quite exposed and tough as old boots even in minus temperatures 😂

I appreciate I may have got lucky. It was a cutting I took from a neighbour - growing in a load of rubble at the side of their house!

Ours is tough too and has done ok in our part of the south but my PILs are keen gardeners and bemoan that the frost up north always kills theirs when they move them out of the greenhouse. Ours is looking sorry for itself after four inches of snow but I hope it's going to perk up.

If it likes you, Passionflower is extremely hard to kill. It took me three years to kill mine and destroy all the triffid like seedlings that kept popping up everywhere.

Trachelospermum Jasminoides the star jasmine is amazing if you have a sunny wall for it . For palms Trachycarpus Fortuneii is the hardy one . Buy big if you can afford to . Tetrapanax Rex is stunning if you have room for it as is Gunnera which I grow in half a barrel in shade . Bamboo but contain them or they will run . Annuals like Cleome and Heliotrope will add a tropical flavour as will classic red geraniums in pots . Good luck . Ps.. I've given you the Latin names so you can google.

@Beebumble2

Bamboo in large pots on the sheltered side. There are hardy Palms, Yuccas and Cordylines that look tropical. I wrap mine in fleece for the winter. Large leaf Hostas look good, as do large leaf ferns.

I'm in Lancashire, our current round of neighbourhood walks is showing us quite a few gardens with a lot of these types of plant, some on pots.

Not tropical, but pieris can make a good large container shrub - use ericaceous compost.

@Enb76

If it likes you, Passionflower is extremely hard to kill. It took me three years to kill mine and destroy all the triffid like seedlings that kept popping up everywhere.

I really like passion flowers! When do you reckon would be a good time of year to plant one? Presume they need a pretty sunny spot?

I'm loving all of these suggestions, thanks everyone

@Letseatgrandma

Once the frosts have passed next to a sunny wall (if possible). A wall is best because it retains heat. However, one of the seedlings of mine started growing in a sunless narrow channel between a shed and a fence and rebounded from being chopped down in no time. You could practically watch it growing. So, like clematis, I imagine they like fairly cool roots