Real gardens: taste of the tropics

When visitors arrive at Steve Moodey's ordinary terraced house in Oxfordshire, they don't expect to be transported to the tropics upon stepping into the back garden. Steve has squeezed a dazzling array of plants into his 23mx8m garden, to create a space that is bursting with colour and textures. He combines exotic plants, such as tetrapanax, colocasia and schefflera, with more familiar garden favourites, such as dahlias, nasturtium, cannas, agapanthus and amaranthus, which add colour and look tropical when combined with palms and other lush-leaved plants.

Meandering grass paths take visitors on a journey through the garden, allowing them to get close to the plants. While the densely planted borders mean that the whole garden cannot be seen at once, making the space feel much larger.

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What was the garden like when you moved in?

The garden was laid to lawn and a bit of a dumping ground. It had old bikes, mowers and all sorts of rubbish. There were two old sheds full of junk too, but once this was all cleared it was a blank canvas for me to start my garden.

How have you transformed your garden?

I have turned the garden into an exotic paradise. Meandering paths take you on a journey of discovery through the space, slowly revealing the garden in little vistas, rather than seeing it all at once. Finding the enclosed seating areas gives you the chance to stop and view the garden in more detail. There are plants that aren’t widely grown, or are hard to source, combined with familiar favourites such as dahlias and marigolds. I’ve created privacy and an escape from everyday life.

What has been the biggest challenge?

The biggest challenge has probably been learning how to overwinter plants that shouldn’t really be able to grow in a UK garden. I tried out various techniques to achieve this, although, surprisingly, most of the plants I grow need no protection at all during most winters here in Oxfordshire. Building the block walls and rendering them, was a totally new skill for me to learn. I am happy with what I have created though.

• Plants to protect over winter
• How to protect a banana plant over winter

What have been the biggest successes?

Creating a garden that takes you away to a different place. Putting all this collection of plants together to create a garden of layers, from the tallest palms and hardy bananas, to the smallest ground cover and mosses, whilst attempting to attract as much wildlife to the garden as possible.

What do you love about the garden?

I love everything about the garden. I have planted every plant, placed every stone. Each plant evokes a memory of where I got it from or who gave it to me. I love the surprised faces of people when they visit. I love the structure in winter and the voluptuousness of planting in late summer. I love the sense of achievement it gives me. It’s full of the plants I like.

Is there anything you would change?

If I could change one thing about the garden it would be to make the Koi pond bigger and deeper. I wouldn’t want to take out any of my beautiful plants though, so I guess that I really ought to say I’d change it for a garden three times the size.