This year, more than ever before, I've come to appreciate the incredible contribution of Euphorbia rigida. For way too many years I dismissed it, and that may simply have been due to my preference for tall perennials, amongst which it's meaningless. But in low, drought tolerant planting, it's a revelation. It's stiff, blue grey foliage twists around the stem in a perfect gesture of some Fibonacci-like mathematical sequence, and gives rise to screaming lime flowers in late winter that then, if in full sun and poorish soil, age to coral, and eventually to a eye-rubbingly implausible bricky-burgundy. Very few plants can claim to be without a downtime, and fewer still combine this with an unmissable floral climax.
How about you? What plants have you come to a belated appreciation of?
What plants have you recently discovered that you've been underestimating?
Discussion
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This year, for the first time, I’ve planted Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ – I am really enjoying its upright, but relaxed and light, contribution to the overall planting. I had planted Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’ to provide a strong vertical element, but was disappointed with its stiffness. I’m both pleased and amazed by the difference the Calamagrostis makes.
And I find Calamagrostis far more drought tolerant that the Panicums. I put a good chunk of that tolerance down to its life-cycle ie that it emerges early, bulks up early and flowers early – all before we really dry out. If it then gets dry, it gives up on much of its foliage but its brown flower stems remain. Its performance isn’t compromised by dry. But the Panicum emerges late and flowers late. The performance of all late-flowering grasses is compromised by a dry summer in my experience.
It’s also a matter of where our forms of Panicum have been collected from. I’ve seen super-drought tolerant forms in Germany – collections from dry localities in the US.
Having said all that, I don’t know what I’d do without Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’. Hoping to be similarly indebted to C brachytricha, recently purchased from Antique Perennials
For the last four years, Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ has been right under my nose – literally. There is an existing mass planting of it leading up to my front door so I see it every day. The old plants had become woody and brittle and I nearly ripped them all out in winter in favour of grasses and flowering perennials. Then came the most obvious revelation – I was dismissing a plant that was never meant to have a starring role. But Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ is the perfect supporting act. It’s soft, silver, feathery foliage is the perfect foil for flowering perennials – it makes everyone else look better! It’s a sensational contrast with grasses and at somewhere between 50-80cm creates soft mounds that taller perennials can grow through. If it starts to smother other plants, it loves being pruned and will also lean into empty spaces and layer itself. I’ve never had a flower and I abuse it like the rest of my garden with very little water and a late winter hard cut back. So it’s no longer on its own – I’m trialling it with grasses, agastache and achillea in my limited space. But it would work beautifully with pastel shades of perennials and all shades of blue and purple. Sometimes the answer really is right there in front of you.
How often I’ve made that mistake – harboured long-term irritation or frustration at a plant not quite living up to its expectations, when the real problem was my misunderstanding about its perfect role. My best example – Triteleia laxa. Grew it (cos it was cheap), and came to hate it. Then planted my steppe garden, depending heavily on low evergreens such as Euphorbia ‘Copton Ash’ and the above-mentioned E rigida, and Trieteleia suddenly shines. It’s found its home.
How often do you find you have to hack into the Artemisia to keep it fresh and contained?
Likewise, Kate, I’m using Powis Castle more with other plants in my predominantly perennial bed. It misses the water in one spot, but shines on. And best of all? Last year, the frenzy of grasshoppers in my garden left it largely alone.
Hi Kate, you’ve opened my eyes to the possibilities of Powis Castle. I have it in a big pot, and every time I walk past I feel guilty that I’ve been excluding it from the garden. It needs a chop, but you’ve given me some good ideas for how to include it. Thanks!
One big hack back in late winter Michael and a lighter go in late summer if it’s overtaking other things. It seems to have an uncanny knack for filling vacant spaces you’d intended for other plants. A gentle cloud-like smother…
While l can’t say l’ve been ignoring this beauty as I’ve only just planted it for the first time, but l’m in love with Vancouveria hexandra, purchased from Antique Perennials. It’s a beautiful ground cover, very feminine and delicate yet proven to be pretty easy going so far. It’s settled in well to my woodland bed and spread significantly in one year threading itself through more robust plantings of Hellebore and other darker foliage plants. It’s lime / mid green colour and soft form really lift the bed which may have otherwise read as a dark static mass. And while the Epimedium (which l also love) next to it has been the target of rabbits the Vancouveria has been left alone.
I really love this plant too. It’s like someone has looked at an Epimedium and thought ‘These are brilliant, but how could we make them better still?’. My love was taken to a new level about five years back when I was wandering knee deep through a ground cover in an NZ woodland garden, and realised that it was Vancouveria. Seriously! Knee deep!
I am in the arid Mallee region and I thrilled with my mass planting of Globe artichokes. I planted them on the west so they have copped the full brunt of our 45 degree summer, but have never had a sulky moment. They have a striking resemblance to scotch thistles that grow well on our farm so I think the conditions suit them. The fruit and growing habit are very showy. Behind them I have planted a row of Gleditsas. In contrast to the artichokes they have not enjoyed the summer but I am hoping all my tlc this year will result in an explosion of growth in their second year. So in summary, in a warming climate, I think artichokes have merit