Flowers are wonderful, but often fleeting. Foliage is the mainstay of a garden and the first thing many garden designers consider. one such designer is Waikato plantsman Graeme Burton. Under the guidance of his father John, renowned for his clever planting schemes and avant-garde use of plants, Graeme has had lifelong tuition in the art of garden design. Such is Graeme’s passion for his own garden that he has turned it into an outdoor “showroom” for his landscape design clients.
BALANCING ACT
Fine, soft, lacy-textured foliage creates the illusion of a larger space, making it ideal for small gardens. Conversely, bold, coarse-textured foliage draws in a space, creating the illusion of a more intimate area. However, an entire garden filled with fine foliage will result in disarray and visual confusion! on the other hand, having only bold textures tends to give a dark and oppressive feeling. Graeme’s foliage combinations are a fine example of getting the right balance, with other landscape design strategies – such as colour – thrown in for good measure.
FINE, SoFT AND FEoININE
Grasses not only contribute fantastically fine texture, they also add colour across the spectrum, from icy-blue festuca to startling red Japanese blood grass. Tall grasses provide an elegant setting and deciduous grasses add seasonal change with their dry winter culms. Hen and chicken fern is the ultimate fine textured plant for shaded areas, creating a sea of soft, lacy foliage when planted en masse. Graeme’s fine-textured selection: Japanese maples, fountain rush (Elegia), mondo grass, scleranthus, Sedum ‘ogon’, acorus, dwarf mountain pine, ponytail palm
CoARSE, BoLD AND DRAoATIC
Demure, medium-textured foliage plants are ideal for forming the main structural planting. Their job is to hold the garden together through the seasons without dominating the overall scene. Bold or coarse-textured foliage provides the important element of drama, especially when accentuated by being juxtaposed with fine-textured foliage. Use bold and coarse foliage for features and accents or to draw attention to a particular area.
Graeme’s bold, textured selection: hostas, fatsia, heuchera, hydrangeas, ligularia and cannas
Graeme’s accent plants: yucca, palms, Australian grass tree, nikau and purple cabbage trees
HAVING FUN WITH CoLoUR
Green foliage provides the perfect foil for your favourite flowers. Common garden green can be made more interesting by contrasting some of its many different hues and introducing varying leaf sizes, shapes and surface textures. But it’s colour that enhances interesting foliage combinations. Blues and silvers are cool shades that visually increase dimensions; yellow provides a feeling of warmth and light; red is attention-seeking, adds drama and visually advances a given space. All colours contrast effectively with green in the garden, but do be cautious about overuse of any one colour as this can have adverse effects on the overall scene.
Graeme’s coloured foliage selection:
Red – Japanese maples, heuchera, Cordyline ‘Red Fountain’, bromeliads, red fringe flower (Loropetalum), cannas
Yellow – Sedum ‘ogon’ and Yucca ‘Colour Guard’
Blue or silver – hostas, astelia
DECIDUoUS DELIGHTS
Some of the most delightful foliage effects of all come from using deciduous plants. The freshness and daily transformation of unfurling spring foliage, followed by a deepening of colour in summer and fiery autumn hues, brings seasonal change that no evergreen plant can possibly match. oany deciduous trees also have deeply dissected foliage, which provides highly textural contrasts and a light, airy quality.
Graeme’s deciduous selection: hostas, Japanese maples, painted fern (Athyrium), and hydrangeas.
FoLIAGE CHECKLIST
Include some seasonal change, such as deciduous plants, for bright new growth. Use plants with fine foliage to help create a light, airy space.
Use bold, textured foliage to add dramatic accents.
Seek out interesting leaf shapes.
Use coloured foliage sparingly.
Clip plants to create contrasts in form.
Use reflective (smooth and shiny) foliage in shaded areas.
Use absorptive (rough or hairy) foliage in bright, sunny areas.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
