Need inspiration

[hammerman]

For a proposed tropical garden in my small Sussex (Lewes) garden.

I have a little bit of patio next to my koi pond...about 12' x 12'. There will be a small bench in there and it is in full sun, but nicely sheltered all day in summer.

My plan is to use pots, although there are two paving slabs that have been removed for permenant planting. There is fencing and trellice around all sides....apart from the entrance gap.

My planting list consists of several species of banana including beshojo and the red banana (maurelii) which will form a canopy when they get to 8' ish.
There will also be a few citrus trees and different heights and colours of canas. I have a bamboo, a fatsia, a plumbego and i will also be planting a golden Catalpa and keeping it small.

Can anyone else suggest plants that look exotic. They must have nice foliage and not be too invasive. Flowers are not essential but would be an added bonus.

I've thought of Datura and Nerium but i'm worried about how poisonous they might be and i'd also like to grow a passiflora quadrangularis over the trellice.

If anyone has any further suggestions, i'd be very grateful

TIA

[hammerman]

Gee....thankx guys !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Genuisscuffy]

Passion flower grows 20ft plus! I have Datura - not suitable if you have children - every part poisionous but if you dont they are great and smell devine in the evenings. The moths pollinate it and we also have a bat that eats them - fascinates my 15 year old!. Have you tried Cannas? They are lovely and also Lillies and Zantateshias (perennials) - look like lillies but stay out in the garden?