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Plants for a hot, sunny conservatory

sarahfordsarahford Posts: 8

I have a large conservatory with wide windowsills just crying out for plants (once the trays of seeds have been planted out - and squeezed in between my tender plants being overwintered).

Although its North facing, in the summer it gets full sun from about lunchtime until 8pm or so.  We have no shading or blinds so although we open windows and the door, it does get very hot in the full sun.  In the winter its heated and kept at a minimum of approx 14degrees.

Any ideas for foliage rich, colourful, floriforous plants which could survive the full sun without being scorched would be great.  At the moment I have some Christmas cactus (which have been spectacular), a couple of aloes and sempervirums and a cactus.  I also have a carnivorous pitcher plant which loves these conditions.  Previously I have had scented geraniums but do have problems with whitefly and red spider mite.

I was thinking about something colourful like a Hibiscus - does that like full sun?  Any ideas gratefully received - I would prefer plants to be kept on the windowsills rather than larger planters to be kept on the floor (as I have a very old cat who would use anything as a loo rather than go outside in the rain!).

 

Thank you

Posts

  • SunnydayzSunnydayz Posts: 50

    Hi, How about Bougainvillea? Generally these grow big, but there are smaller varieties. Was chatting to a B. grower and exhibitor at Chelsea this year and he said they just love the sun.

    Saw larger varieities outside in Franceand they looked fabulous, we can't do that here, but the guy at Chelsea said they make lovely conservatory plants. Haven't tried it myself though..... as we don't have a conservatory!

     

  • SFordSFord Posts: 224

    Thanks Sunnydayz, thats another I have been thinking about.

     

  • SalinoSalino Posts: 1,609

    ... I might try would be Dipladenia, which can be a bit pot bound so it flowers better... comes in nice shades of colour and is a twining plant...

    Hibiscus rosa-sinensis - the tropical Hibiscus.. very large flowers, I mean.. huge...

    and something fruity like Meyer Lemon....

    don't get Calamondin Orange as it's toxic to cats I believe...

    restricting oneself to window ledges I might find a problem after a while... but I understand your reasons there...

    Tibouchina urvilleana is another fine looker...gorgeous flowers...

    see what you think of those...

  • Knuxs7Knuxs7 Posts: 19

    Inspiration 101! image

    http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/550x/51/4d/d5/514dd5af27d6a034d3061548f37c74ed.jpg

     

    In our conservatory we have A few Bird of Paradise plants and a largish Aloe Vera

     

  • SalinoSalino Posts: 1,609

    ....for a moment there I thought that was the Eden Project...image fantastic really, ... just shows what you can do...your friends must be impressed... I wish I had a Conservatory....

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