How to recreate the Great Dixter exotic garden – in pictures

Musa basjoo This hardy banana has come through two harsh winters in Sue Beesley's Cheshire garden, regrowing from ground level. Outside sheltered urban gardens, it will need winter protection. Up to 3m tall. Photograph: GFK-Flora/Alamy

Tetrapanax papyrifer Huge, deeply cut leaves give the rice paper plant a lush, tropical look. This plant will reshoot from ground level after a very cold winter, reaching 2.5m tall. Photograph: Steffen Hauser/botanikfoto/Alamy

Miscanthus sinensis 'Cosmopolitan' Wide bands of green and white foliage to 1.8m. Arundo donax is a good alternative. Photograph: Holmes Garden Photos/Alamy

Dahlia 'Arabian Night' Dark red double flowers on 1.2m tall stems. Mulch heavily in winter, or lift and store frost-free. Photograph: Anne Gilbert/Alamy

Salvia patens ‘Guanajuato’ Vibrant blue flowers from June to October. Dies back to ground level in winter. 90cm tall. Photograph: Anne Gilbert/Alamy

Crocosmia 'Lucifer' Strappy leaves and bright red flowers in August and September. 1m tall. Photograph: Andrew Fox/Alamy

Allium 'Gladiator' This 1.5m tall allium produces purple flowers in June for early height and colour.
Photograph: Steffen Hauser/botanikfoto/Alamy

Begonia boliviensis 'Bonfire' Tender, but can be lifted and kept frost-free over winter. 70cm tall. Photograph: Steffen Hauser/botanikfoto/Alamy

Geranium psilostemon This hardy geranium’s magenta flowers scramble through other plants and reach 1.2m. Photograph: CuboImages srl/Alamy

Ricinus communis The castor oil plant is a tender annual that needs to be grown from seed each spring. 1.2m tall. The seeds are highly poisonous. Photograph: imagebroker/Alamy

Ipomoea 'Kniolas Black Knight' An annual climber to clothe a rear wall or fence with rich, dark blooms. An alternative variety is Ipomoea 'Star of Yelta’. Photograph: Zena Elea/Alamy

Tulipa 'Brown Sugar' 45cm tall blooms in April and May will provide early colour. Photograph: Pawel Garski/Alamy