Whatever style of gardening you prefer, I doubt that very many people in the UK grow solely native plants in their gardens. Including plants that originated in other parts of the world gives us much greater scope for colour and interest and variety all year round.  Although we all love to talk about the weather and from season to season it can be very challenging, the UK climate does allow us to grow plants with their origins far away but we do still need to take a little care and think about what conditions those plants need in order to get the best for us and for the plant.  Many of the introduced species that we grow have been with us for centuries and it is hard to imagine a garden without flowering shrubs such as Lilac and Hydrangea or cottage garden perennials including Michaelmas Daisies and Phlox.  The introductions that have been with us for so many centuries may have come from different climates but all are reliable for growing in the UK and the typical wet winter and temperatures dipping well below freezing on occasion.  And as a result we use these ornamentals without a second thought.

It is a different case though for what I would call the ‘exotics’ that you see for sale, especially in summer.  We are citizens of the world and overseas travel shows us new plants that we may want in our gardens either just because they are spectacular or to remind us of a particular place or event.   So my recommendation, when you see a new plant in the nursery or garden centre, is firstly, check the label to see if realistically you can give it the appropriate conditions and care.  Some may be familiar but mainly from holidays and visiting parks or gardens with the ability to provide winter protection or in sheltered parts of the south and south east of England.  Also a quick look at where a plant originates will tell you that something native to South Africa or California is unlikely to be happy and thrive outdoors through winter in many part of the UK.  But there is a good range of plants that have an exotic look, some surprisingly hardy, that can be used as a framework for a border or a corner of your garden.  And then you can add in a few plants that might need to be planted against a south facing  wall or require winter protection but have a particular resonance for you.  As always with gardening, most things are possible with the right information to make an informed decision.

My final reminder is that introduced plants from any part of the world can be a great addition to our gardens but they can also wreak havoc when let out into the countryside where there are no natural pests or controls. Some of these plants even thrive better in the UK’s temperate climate than they do in their own situation and Japanese Knotweed is probably the best known.  It was introduced in Victorian times for its ornamental value without any understanding of how rampant it could become.  But of massive concern are certain pond plants that escape and can completely clog up rivers and streams and more recently Himalayan balsam, appearing on almost every riverside or damp meadow location. This is an annual that self seeds explosively and quickly overwhelms pretty much all other native vegetation on which so much of the wildlife depends.  Local Wildlife Trusts often produce information about plants that are a particular threat locally and some are even banned from sale and from being released into the wild.  Full information can be found on the UK Non-native Species Secretariat website.

So as we come to the autumn planting season, have a look around at the world in your garden and see what new delights are available to fill any gaps. And wonder once again at the beauty and diversity of the natural world.

Happy Gardening from Alison