DARK AND SULTRY
I like the weathered patina of rusting surfaces as they provide a good neutral background for foliage and help to give the garden a lived-in feel. I chose quite earthy, dusky-toned plants here to play off the rich, organic shades of rust in the planter and the mild steel wall. The bold foliage of the hellebore, bergenia and euphorbia contrast with the more delicate forms of the leptinella and epimedium. The plants are all evergreen and with careful maintenance should look good long term.
How to achieve the look
Container and composition
I found this cast iron feeding trough at a reclamation yard some years ago. This one is nice and deep, which is particularly helpful if you intend the plants to be in place long term as they are less likely to suffer drought. I’ve placed the epimedium so that the heart-shaped leaves soften the front edge of the planter. Its bronzy pink tones are similar to that of the hellebore flowers, creating a visual link from the top to the lower level of planting. The dark-red winter leaves of the bergenia will fill out to anchor the corners of the planter and create a strong contrast to the paler tones. The leptinella provides a soft, unusual form of groundcover with its feathery, black-tinged foliage.
Cultivation and care
The hellebore and euphorbia flowers should be cut back when they’re over later in the spring to encourage energy into the new growth. The epimedium foliage should be cut back to the base in mid February before the new flowers emerge. Most of these plants are woodlanders, except the euphorbia, so position the planter in part shade, which will also help to reduce the need for watering. As it’s a long-term planting scheme, use seaweed feed at regular intervals to keep the nutrient levels up. You could extend the season by adding some summer-flowering bulbs into the mix. Both Allium ‘Caméléon’ and Triteleia ‘Foxy’ would work well with the other plants in this in this composition.
Plants
1 Euphorbia characias ‘Blue Wonder’ Evergreen perennial with silvery, architectural foliage and distinctive early flowers. 75cm. RHS H4.
2 Leptinella squalida ‘Platt’s Black’
A ground-hugging, semi-evergreen perennial with unusual black feathery leaves. 5cm. RHS H5, USDA 4a-10b.
3 Epimedium grandiflorum ‘Rose Queen’ Deep-pink flowers hover above attractive foliage. Good for groundcover. 25cm. RHS H5.
4 Bergenia ‘Overture’ Leathery, oval leaves turn dark red with winter cold. Magenta flowers. 40cm. RHS H6
5 Helleborus ‘Ivory Prince’ Flushed pink and cream, out-facing flowers with dark red stems. 35cm. RHS H5.