Nick Bailey says add sculptural plants for style
The clever use of plant forms will create year-round living garden art
Now most of the leaves have fallen, our gardens reveal their structural bones, usually taking the form of evergreen or architectural plants which remain in fine fettle year-round. They’re vital to our plots, not only for their all-season presence but also the sculptural aspects they bring.
From pillars to umbrellas and domes to wedding cakes, there are a host of useful plant forms which can add structure, focus and ‘wow’ to a garden. A small plot might only suit one such plant, but medium and larger gardens can support a near cityscape of juxtaposed sculptural plant forms. And not all need to be evergreen to make an impact.
Some wow-factor plants such as Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’, the wedding cake tree, look striking with or without leaves. This substantial shrub or small tree of 5m (16ft), is famed for its distinct layers of pale white and green foliage arranged in rings around the central trunk. It’s this striking architectural look which sets it apart from other plants. Minimal, judicious pruning will keep this plant in picture-perfect condition all year.
For extra drama, consider introducing a sculptural palm. Phoenix canariensis starts life with a vase shape, followed by a ‘loo brush’ form before reaching its classic ‘umbrella’ climax in several decades. In theory it’s not very hardy, but is worth a shot.
A more reliable hardy palm-like plant is Cordyline australis ‘Burgundy Spire’. With a ‘bottle brush’ silhouette, it has a clear lower stem at maturity topped by a mop of strappy, burgundy leaves. It’ll reach 4m (13ft) or more and looks amazing paired with pale blue conifers such as Picea pungens ‘Edith’, which grows to around 3m (10ft) and is a virtually unchanging, year-round sculpture.
For tiny gardens, ‘lollipop’ evergreens deliver all-season display. Photinia ‘Red Robin’ is a prime candidate, with its strong form all year and flurry of white spring flowers and gorgeous, new, red foliage. And do try rose ‘Nozomi’, too. Grown as a top-grafted weeping standard, this single-flowered plant blooms through summer with pale pink flowers adorning its sweeping waterfall of stems. Like the other plants mentioned, it’s a magnificent piece of year-round living sculpture.