Native plants are becoming trendier and, they are, without a shadow of a doubt, a great option. However, sometimes we want to have a garden that makes us wander, that carries us into other worlds, and that allows us to be surprised by its colours, its shapes and textures or its different seasonality.

It was just in the XVI century that the world witnessed a real boom in terms of exotic plants brought in by the discoveries, and that is why we still find a lot of those same plants in our parks and gardens, and even in our meals.

Picking plants that are non-indigenous to our country takes a lot of care, firstly because some of them may become invaders and alter the ecosystem, and secondly because they come from other parts of the world may not adapt to their new environment.

In Portugal the success of adaptation for this kind of plan will depend on the climate of the area where you live, on the soil, but also on the maintenance and care you take with them.

In this article we suggest a few plants that may add something surprising to your garden:

Passion fruit– a flavour that is much appreciated by most people, and also a well known fruit, despite not being a Portuguese native. What you may not know is that the passion fruit is a climbing plant that blooms the most beautiful flowers, which will not go by unnoticed, due to their colour and geometry.

Bromeliad– the bromeliads belong to a family of tropical plants whose main feature is the rosette shaped foliage. There are over 3000 species, so, as you may imagine, flower and print variety is never lacking.

Monstera deliciosa– the great leafs cut in the shape of ribs (hence the Portuguese name Costela-de-Adão – Adam’s ribs), are the element that draw attention to this plant, and also the reason why it is used more and more often to achieve a tropical environment, whether outdoor or indoor.

Strelitzia reginae – is commonly known as the crane-flower or bird of paradise, and is an herbaceous plant indigenous from South Africa. Its large and colourful flower is very appealing, and resembles the head of a bird, which is the reason for its common name.

Yucca spp. – the yuccas get along well in the Portuguese climate, and they are now easier to spot in urban gardens. Their foliage is succulent and sword shaped, and their presence transports us to an exotic environment.

Azalea – the pink, red or white tone flowers from this bush do not go by unnoticed, forming beautiful bundles, very much appreciated in parks and public gardens.

Hibiscus – you will certainly recognise the hibiscus flower, it’s a kind of plant with about 300 different species and countless varieties. Its flowers are large, showy, solitary and come in a multitude of colours. Its growth is fast and flowering is long lasting.

Are you motivated to bring new colours to your garden? Be more attentive to your surroundings, you may find plenty of inspiration and interesting oddities in both cities or country…

Amália Souto de Miranda
Landscape architect