Our own and our customers' experience of growing things in conservatories don't entirely coincide with the image often portrayed by conservatory manufacturers and glossy magazines - that they create an ideal environment in which exotic plants will thrive. The reality seems to be that most conservatories are ill ventilated and over exposed to the sun, making a hostile, rather than an ideal environment, for plants. The plants dislike it and the bugs love it - an often disastrous cocktail. Despite this, we feel we can accommodate these problems by giving sound advice on the best plants, names of suppliers of Biological Pest Controls and other useful tips.

Recommended Essentials:

Acacia dealbata

Acacia pravissima

Agapanthus africanus

Agave attenuata

Albizia julibrissin rosea

Azorina vidalii

Canna indica

Canna iridiflora

Canna various

Cordyline australis

Cordyline australis 'Albertii'

Cordyline indivisa

Cordyline kaspar

Cycas revoluta

Cyperus papyrus

Fascicularia pitcairniifolia

Furcraea longaeva

Geranium maderense

Hedychium coccineum 'Tara'

Hedychium forrestii

Hedychium gardnerianum

Musa basjoo

Musa ensete 'rubra'

Musa ensete or Ensete ventricosum

Olea europaea

Phoenix canariensis

Pittosporum tobira

Puya alpestris

Strelitzia reginae

Trachelospermum asiaticum

Trachelospermum jasminoides

Washingtonia filifera