Go larger than privet for lush planting
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever read about designing borders was if you want success, go for big-leaved plants. If there’s nothing bigger than a privet leaf, it will look bitty. The second – use verticals – see my tall plants article. Both these ideas will make your border 3D – it will jump out and grab you. The eyes will pause at these ‘full-stop’ plants before viewing the rest.
I’m concentrating here on purely hardy plants – of course, tender perennials such as bananas, cannas, ginger and palms all add to the picture. To overwinter Musa basjoo plants outside, follow my in-depth guide using Woolch. I know it takes courage to introduce big-leaved plants, but be brave. Here are my favourites – all herbaceous perennials, apart from the Angelica and Verbascum, which are biennial. Get wonderful inspiration from the planting at Helmsley Walled Garden – read my review.
Acanthus mollis (bear’s breeches)
Handsome shiny green leaves that are almost evergreen, except in bad winters. Purple and white hooded flowers, growing to approx 1.5m. Tasmanian Angel has cream variegated leaves and cream/pink flowers.
Big-leaved plants – Angelica
Large bipinnate leaves, growing from 1-2.5m, depending on variety. Most usually grown is the green herb Angelica archangelica. A. gigas, the purple form, is also popular. Umbels of white/green/pink flowers in summer. Biennial, but self-seeds.
Astilboides tabularis (shieldleaf Rodgersia)
Formerly known as Rodgersia tabularis, the plant makes a large specimen-sized mound of deep green, circular, umbrella-like leaves. Creamy plumes of flowers appear in early summer. Loves very moist soil, even acting as a pond marginal. Likes partial shade and rich soil. Height 1.2m.
Bergenia (elephant’s ears)
The shortest plant here at 30cm, but invaluable. Admiral’s large green leaves turn purple in winter, and bear pink flowers in spring. The leaves fade to green in summer, forming an excellent foil for summer flowers.
Big-leaved plants – Ferns
Shuttlecock, or ostrich fern and the shield fern are good. In spring, lance-shaped, sterile fronds are produced in regular ‘shuttlecocks’ up to 1.5m tall, followed in mid-and late summer by smaller, more erect, darker, and longer-stalked fertile fronds, which persist over winter.
Globe artichoke/cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)
The pair are closely related and look much the same, with large dissected, silvery foliage, rising to large, thistle-like, edible flower buds/heads about 2m high.
Big-leaved plants – Gunnera manicata – NOW BANNED IN THE UK
Sometimes known as the giant rhubarb, it has the biggest leaves of any garden plant. It grows to 2.5m tall by 3.5m or more if you let it. Leaves with diameters over 1.2m are common. The underside of the leaf and the whole stalk have spikes on them. Obviously, not great for a small garden. However, after recent research, the benign plant we thought he had is an invasive hybrid. If you have any, read what to do.
Hostas
Choose from Big Daddy (70cm), large corrugated blue leaves (30cm x 25cm), cupped and almost round with off-white flowers. Blue Mammoth (90cm), puckered blue leaves (34cm x 30cm), near-white flowers. Empress Wu (1.2m), huge dark green leaves (70cm x 60cm), pale lavender flowers. Read more about hostas.
Ligularia
Othello is my favourite, with purple new foliage turning dark green and purple undersides and bright orange daisy flowers to 1m. Looks good with sister variety The Rocket, slightly smaller with green jagged arrow-shaped leaves on dark stalks with yellow thin spikes of blooms.
Big-leaved plants – Rheum palmatum (ornamental rhubarb)
From a brown crown, red buds and purple leaves sprout, fading to dark green. A cream flower spike 2.5m tall appears by June. Plant something in front as the lower leaves get raggy as summer progresses.
Rodgersia
Green/bronze pinnate leaves grow from a spreading crown, turning green as summer progresses. Elegant spires of cream/pink flowers in early summer. Goes well with the ornamental rhubarb. Does not like drought – read more on Rodgersia’s troubles.
Tetrapanax papyrifer Rex (Chinese rice paper plant)
A large, fast-growing suckering shrub with very large, lobed green leaves up to 1m across. Creamy pompoms of flowers are produced in sprays in autumn, loved by bees, followed by black fruit. It can grow up to 8m but is often deciduous in colder areas, even dying back to the ground, although supposedly hardy to -10C.
Big-leaved plants – Verbascum bombyciferum (giant mullein)
Its silver, furry leaves form a rosette 1m across and in its second year, a huge flower spike erupts, carrying a yellow candelabra of blooms up to 2.5m tall.
