Thriving Through Neglect: A Visit to Mark’s Exotic Lincolnshire Garden

When I think of tropical gardens, I usually picture Bali or Barbados — not a garden in Lincolnshire . But that’s before you’ve seen Mark’s place. Mark’s an exotic gardener with a collection of palms, aeoniums, bananas, and blue garden spheres that look like they belong in a rainforest, not a northern garden.

George and I headed over to visit, cameras in hand, expecting to see something impressive. What we found was a garden that’s grown into itself — beautiful, wild, and, according to Mark, thriving entirely by accident.

A Garden That Thrived on Neglect

The day started with a laugh, as always. Mark admitted he hadn’t done much gardening this year — “The garden’s been the least of my priorities,” he told us — but somehow everything looked fantastic.

Nothing had been fed or watered much, yet the plants were thriving. Aeoniums, mangaves, and succulents looked better than ever. His borders were overflowing, full of texture and colour. It was proof that sometimes, less really is more — or at least, that nature has a brilliant sense of humour.

George told him it looked like professional curation; he said it was mostly “overbuying and overcommitting.” We laughed because we all know that feeling — one more pot, one more plant, no plan where it’ll actually go.

Palms, Bananas, and… Blue Balls

We wandered down to the main garden, past palms that have matured beautifully and bananas stretching skyward. Everything looked lush, despite a summer of “benign neglect,” as Mark put it.

And then there it was — a large blue water feature gleaming in the sunlight. Mark’s gone from green balls to blue balls,” That set the tone for the rest of the day. Garden tours with Mark are never short on banter.

But in between the jokes, I was genuinely impressed. Those plants that started off small a few years back now tower overhead. His Aralia was covered in flowers, the Rudbeckia was still glowing, and the whole garden had a maturity that comes only with time and patience — or in Mark’s case, time and neglect.

The Tree Fern Debate

Further down, we stopped to admire the tree ferns — a proper jungle feel down there. Mark started on about his no-pruning approach, letting the old fronds stay in place to protect the crowns. “No one’s cutting them off in the rainforest,” he argued.

I couldn’t help but laugh, but he’s not wrong. I agreed that it’s a balance — sometimes you tidy up for space or appearance, but waiting until spring to cut the old fronds makes sense.

It’s moments like that which sum up Mark’s garden perfectly: natural, practical, and always with a touch of chaos.

Inside the Greenhouse Jungle

The greenhouse… well, that was something else. “It’s had absolutely no care or attention whatsoever,” Mark confessed as we ducked inside. Passionflower vines tangled across the ceiling, bromeliads clung to every surface, and a banana plant was stretching desperately towards the light.

It looked like a botanical experiment crossed with a jungle. In truth, it was full of charm — a moody, atmospheric space where tropicals and houseplants coexisted in a kind of beautiful mess.

Some plants thrived; others sulked. But that’s gardening, isn’t it? It’s about trying, failing, and trying again — sometimes leaving things to their own devices and watching what happens.

Bananas, Hinibas, and the Joy of Hard Choices

Out in the borders, the bananas were doing brilliantly — especially the Hiniba, an absolute monster of a plant. “If there’s a plant worth overwintering, it’s that one,” I said, and Mark agreed.

We all shared the same philosophy: if you don’t love it, don’t overwinter it. You can’t save everything. Focus on the plants that genuinely excite you — the ones that make the effort worthwhile.

A Woodland Dream in the Making

At the back of the property, Mark showed us his next big project: a huge, newly cleared area he’s transforming into an exotic woodland and Japanese-inspired garden. It’s got space for ponds, ferns, gunneras, and plenty of hardy tropicals.

We joked about how much work it would be? — a few lads and a digger might clear it in a week. Still, the potential is incredible. With that natural tree cover and sheltered aspect, it’s the perfect spot for Scheffleras, maples, and bamboos. Standing there, imagining what it’ll look like in a few years, I couldn’t help but feel excited for him.

Final Thoughts

Mark’s garden isn’t about perfection — it’s about passion, personality, and perseverance. It’s proof that gardens don’t need to be flawless to be inspiring. Sometimes, letting go a bit and letting nature lead gives the best results.

Check out Georges Video Tour here: https://youtu.be/J6LsXE1BcqI?si=ew7LABwm8mY_JJCx