Gone are the days when people grew traditional flowers in their garden and now many people like to experiment and see how far they can go with growing exotic fruits, veg and flowers that are not native to our country.
While I am still not that experienced and my exotic efforts are a little hit and miss, many of my friends are growing fabulous flowers that would not look out of place in The Flower Shop Southampton or London.
You know what I mean, decadent orange Birds of Paradise flowers, fragrant orchids or heliconias, flowers which are not used to growing in our often harsh climate.
They do need a lot of tender loving care, it is true, if you are to have any chance of success, but if you are prepared to work hard, keep a close eye on them and keep them in a warmer place such as a conservatory or a greenhouse, then you have a fighting chance of producing some very unusual and exotic tropical flowers which you would normally only find on holiday or on the internet.
There is nothing more satisfying in successfully growing a plant that for all intents and purposes should not be able to grow here at all and it is testament to your determination if you are able to make it work.