Garden Style - This Week: Sculptural Plants
The Sunday Age
Sunday April 20, 2008
Contrast shape, size and colour to make a statement, writes landscaper Jim Fogarty.
There are so many plant varieties available that planting combinations are almost endless. The sculptural aspects of plants provide definition and contrast in garden beds. In older gardens, hedging plants were clipped to form geometric shapes, and also figurative shapes, such as bird forms. Modern garden design, however, takes a different approach: often the sculptural effect is achieved by the shapes of leaves, or the way the leaves sit on a plant.The right combo We now have the ability to be more experimental with plant combinations. Colour can be bright, shapes can be clearly defined, and often foliage colour is the primary source of interest. Modern architecture tends to be neutral in colour so more varied plantings can provide excitement, or they may run with a neutral tone to add to the drama of the architecture. Whichever way you go, sculptural plants are often the ones that make big statements in a garden, and modern gardens are big on impact.Defining sculpture Sculptural plants are plants that stand out in garden beds and help to make them more interesting. These are the living sculptural elements in a garden. The qualities that make a plant sculptural might be size of the plant, size and shape of the leaves, foliage colour, or structure of the foliage. In some cases plants can be pruned so the shape becomes sculptural. The idea of a sculptural plant is that it contrasts with the rest of the planting scheme or the surrounding landscape to draw attention.In the mood It is worth remembering that sculptural plants can help make a garden more relaxing. Balls, domes and curves make a garden more subdued, which is very important as the aim of most gardens is to create a peaceful atmosphere. A sculptural plant might be used discreetly to sit within a garden rather than to stand out. The key with this approach is subtlety. Where to use them Sculptural plants can be used effectively as focal points in a garden. Identify key views from windows of the house and by using careful placement you can make these plants stand out as features among garden beds. You can use sculptural plants within large garden beds where the strong foliage shape will contrast against softer foliage. They can define pathways or, more subtly, a strategically placed plant slightly hidden from the main view works as a little surprise when you wander around the garden.How do I use them? The best way to understand how to use sculptural plants is to think how you create accents in a sentence. You might use them like commas to create rhythm along a garden bed or you also might use them as full stops or exclamation marks at the end of a garden bed. Again, look for focal points and align vistas from windows and doors to make sure you get the most out of them.PlantFocusFurcraea bedinghausii This is a large, showy succulent with upright, sword-shaped, toothed fleshy leaves with sharp points. In the right conditions, Furcraea sp. will grow more than 2m tall in Melbourne. Make sure it gets plenty of hot sun. It likes well-drained soil, with gravel or even sand being a good planting mix. Furcraea bedinghausii is commercially grown in Melbourne.Phormium ''Yellow Wave'' There are many varieties of this New Zealand plant and they all vary in foliage colour. Phormium ''Yellow Wave'' (yellow flax) has striking golden foliage that stands out in a dark part of a garden bed. Growing to about 1.5m diameter, the leaves overflow gracefully, giving it a sculptural appearance. Use it as a highlight, making sure you don't use too many other plants with the same foliage colour. Flax likes water but will tolerate short dry periods once established. Echinocactus grusonii Commonly known as the barrel cactus, this is a slow-growing plant that grows in a natural barrel shape. Hundreds of yellow spines contrast with the green flesh of the plant making it a colourful addition to contrast with neutral building materials. It will grow eventually to about 1m diameter and needs well-drained soil in a hot, sunny position. Tip: wrap a towel around the base of the plant when lifting it to prevent being caught on the thorns.
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