5 Plants to add drama to your garden borders

If your garden needs a bit of drama to liven up the borders, there are plenty of plants to choose from to give a striking focal point, no matter what the light levels or soil type you have – here’s five of my favourites and there will be at least one suitable for you:-

Colocasia esculenta

These plants can be grown from a bulb so are cost effective to buy and grow. They have amazing ‘elephant ear’ shaped leaves and will grow to around 1.5m tall and up to 1.5m wide. They are happiest in part shade in a sheltered spot.

When planting the bulb, which is approximately the size of an avocado, it can be confusing as to which way up to plant it – the holes are where the roots will emerge from and the concentric rings will be where the leaves sprout from.

colocasia elephant ears large green leaves

 

colocasia bulb elephant ears green leaves

Gunnera manicata

This looks like giant rhubarb! It will grow to around 2.5m tall and up to 4m wide – so a big space is needed for it to thrive.  It likes a permanent plot in moist and nutritious soil. It’s a perennial which means it dies down during the winter months. It grows well in full sun or part shade in clay or loam soil.

gunnera large green leaves

Canna indica ‘Purpurea’

These bulbs will add a touch of the tropics to your border and pots. This particular variety has large bronze leaves with a purple stripe with vivid orange/red flowers. It grows to around 1.6m tall and 60cm wide. It loves full sun in fertile but well-drained soil. It’s not frost tolerant, so it will need protection through the winter. A stunning flower though!

orange flower canna banana plant

Stipa gigantea

A fabulous semi-evergreen grass which grows to around 2.5m tall and has arching stems of oat-like flower-heads. It looks stunning in the winter with frost on it, so it’s a great year-round plant for texture and interest. It loves full sun in fertile well drained soil and can tolerate sand, loam or chalk soil.

stipa gigantea grass oat flowers

Cynara cardunculus

Commonly known as the globe artichoke and is one of my favourite architectural plants to look at.  It has enormous silvery green leaves and grows to around 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide. They have huge purple thistle-like flowers from June to September. They also look wonderful throughout winter. They need full sun with fertile well drained soil (loam, chalk or sand)

globe artichoke purple thistle