Foliage just as important as flowers
IT’S natural at this time of year when there is so much flower colour available that we should crave it so and want to have our gardens full of it. It may be counter intuitive but I feel foliage in the spring and summer gardens is just as important as flowers.
There are some summer foliage plants straddle both leaf and flower camps though. Canna lilies also called Indian shot, because its seeds were reputedly used as buckshot in Indian, are used in summer bedding displays to not only provide vivid flower colours but for their huge tropical looking leaves. The castor oil plant, Rinicus, is also used in this way. Hydrangea is a species that provides plants in this category. The oak leaved Hydrangea quercifolia produces white flowers and a decorative large oak shaped leaf and Hydrangea sargentiana has blue flowers with huge velvety leaves. Geranium palmatum is a perennial that has a ferny rosette of leaves that produces a huge cluster of mauve flowers. Macleaya cordata is another perennial with huge leaves and flowery plumes for the back of a border. Hostas are a fantastic foliage plants but by the end of summer I always lose my war of attrition with the slugs no matter how vigilant I am, my only comfort is that by then it is a pyrrhic victory for them. All these plants are worthy of garden space in the summer for their flowers but I would give them space for their wonderful foliage alone.
Many foliage plants provide contrast and structure and this is never more apparent than with spiky foliage. Phormium or New Zealand flax is a plant that divides people with its bold sword like leaves that come in a myriad of colours these days, yellows, pinks, reds and near black. In isolation it can be quite stark, which is not always a bad thing, but used carefully with other softer plants like Nepeta [cat mint], Anthemis or Penstemons their sharp boldness is a highlight. I like the dwarf varieties personally like Platt’s Black and Cream Delight.
Oddly the equally sword like foliage of Astelia chathamica seems to be loved by all. Astelias also come from New Zealand and have silver foliage that Phormiums can’t provide. Named varieties include Silver Sword and Silver Shadow and can be used in the same way as Phormiums are, both are evergreen so they are good winter fillers to boot.
While there is no need for me to sell you the beauty of Japanese maples but I would just like to point out just how effective they are as foliage plants. No other plant provides such an array of seasonal leaf interest be it spring, summer or autumn and with coloured twigs winter as well. What they bring to the summer garden more than anything else I think is a gentle softness that by late summer is lost on many other deciduous trees and shrubs.
Some of my favourite named varieties, I love them all really, are Phoenix, Shirazz, Seiryu, Katsura and Beni Hagoromo but it is virtually close your eyes and point and you won’t be disappointed when it comes to Japanese maples. Other maples like Acer cappadocicum Aureum or Rubrum have lovely summer leaves along with the cut leafed Norway maple Acer platanoides ‘Lacinatum’
Many trees are fantastic foliage plants. Robinia ‘Frisia’ with the softest yellow leaves is beautiful. The large leaves of Catalpa [Indian bean tree] and Paulownia [Foxglove tree] both flower if its a hot summer but are worthy foliage plants regardless.
Along with the well known water loving Gunnera manicata with leaves a metre across the Chinese rice paper tree [ Tetrapanax papyrifer] has leaves also close in size to that and are probably the biggest Irish gardens have to offer. Looking like a specimen from Jurassic Park its huge palmate leaves will remain evergreen in very sheltered locations in cold areas it can be almost a perennial.
Andrew Collyer provides a garden design, consultancy and planting service. Contact Andrew at andrewcollyer@eircom.net