For years now we have kept some of our more tender plants in situ over winter and given them protection against the cold and damp. But up until now we have only done so in the relatively sheltered Walled Garden West. This year we have decided to try it on a larger scale, and a more exposed position, with the subtropical border, where in the past we have always lifted the tender plants and overwintered them under glass.
Marcia Peacock in the back of the bed, and Liz Blackler plus Adam Bowley, this year's Special Option Certificate Floral trainee are involved in the process. They've cut back the 'leaves' on the Musa basjoo AGM (Japanese banana) and formed a cage of chicken wire around the 'stem' (botanically they aren't true leaves or stems). Having left a 7cm (3in) gap around it they've then packed it with dry straw. Lastly, they've topped off the plants with a plastic lid to stop water percolating through and let snow slide off. If it gets particularly cold, we might wrap each plant with horticultural fleece as extra security against the weather.
Other plants staying out here over winter include cannas, Dahlia imperialis and Solanum rantonetii.
With luck, next spring these plants will be off to a great start with the roots already established. And if this experiment works it's also going to help alleviate a lot of backache!
