Plants for a tropical paradise

There are lots of exotic plants, and exotic looking plants, that will grow happily in our gardens in the UK, to help create a tropical paradise in your own back yard. A sunny sheltered site is best and while a few of the plants listed below may appreciate some extra winter protection, most are fully hardy:-

LARGE SPECIMENS
Aralia elata
Arbutus unedo
Arundo donax
Chamaerops humilis
Cotinus ‘Grace’
Eriobotrya japonica*
Eucalyptus gunnii
Ficus carica
Gunnera manicata
Hibiscus syriacus
Magnolia grandiflora
Myrtus luma*
Paulownia tomentosa
Rhamnus frangula ‘Aspleniifolia’
Tetrapanax papyrifera*
Trachycarpus fortunei

SHRUBS
Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’
Fatshedera lizei
Fatsia japonica
Fuchsia magellanica
Hebe ‘Great Orme’
Hebe parviflora ‘Angustifolia’
Hydrangea ‘Limelight’
Hydrangea preziosa
Hydrangea quercifolia
Nerium oleander*
Phormium
Pittosporum ‘Tom Thumb’
Pittosporum tobira*

CLIMBERS
Campsis radicans
Clematis armandii
Passiflora caerulea
Trachelospernum jasminoides
Vitis ‘Purpurea’

BAMBOOS, GRASSES & FERNS
Asplenium scolopendrium
Blechnum spicant
Luzula sylvatica
Miscanthus sinensis (many varieties)
Ophiopogon planiscarpus ‘Nigrescens’
Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hamlyn’
Phyllostachys ‘Aurea’
Sasa palmatum ‘Nebulosa’

PERENNIALS
Abutilon (many varieties)*
Acanthus mollis
Agapanthus (many varieties)
Crambe cordifolia
Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’
Cynara cardunculus
Euphorbia characias
Euphorbia griffithii
Euphorbia mellifera*
Geranium (many varieties)
Iris confusa
Libertia formosa
Lobelia cardinalis
Lobelia tupa
Melianthus major*
Salvia (many varieties)*
Tradescantia (many varieties)
Zantdeschia aethiopica

BULBS & TUBERS
Allium (many varieties)
Canna (many varieties)*
Dahlia (many varieties)*

*may need some winter protection