The exotic gardens on the upper deck

The Southern Hemisphere & Exotic garden on the upper deck

There are several domains in the upper deck area, together with a formal seating area that overlooks the wildlife pond in the lower garden.

The Southern Hemisphere and Exotic gardens are inter- linked, and  both feature plants that are tender and exotic with luscious foliage.

There is also a gravel garden that features plants accustomed to hot, dry and sunny conditions.

Lilies, Cannas and Dahlias all add spikes of vibrant colour and pattern. Many of the plants are native to the Southern Hemisphere, and included are species from Australia, New Zealand, as well as China and Southern Europe.

All of the plants are growing in large pots or containers and include:

Gunnera (Gunnera mantica),New Zealand flax, (Phormium),Olives (Olea europaea),Bamboo (Phyllostachys aureosulcata), Patio palm (Cordyline australis ‘Red star’) as well as clipped box and topiary (Buxus sempervirens.)

This area of the garden receives early morning sunshine, and can become very hot during the summer months. The plants are densely planted in large containers, and this helps to keep the humidity levels relatively high.