{"id":32763,"date":"2024-02-27T16:34:33","date_gmt":"2024-02-27T15:34:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/6f6860df-777f-4647-b530-0c628c685a91"},"modified":"2024-02-27T19:34:51","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T18:34:51","slug":"the-scene-stealing-plants-that-will-stop-you-in-your-tracks","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/rss_feed\/the-scene-stealing-plants-that-will-stop-you-in-your-tracks\/","title":{"rendered":"The scene-stealing plants that will stop you in your tracks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"rssexcerpt\">Looking for plants with impact? Great Dixter&#8217;s head gardener Fergus Garrett rounds up his top plants for dramatic impact <\/p><p class=\"rssauthor\">By Fergus Garrett\n      <\/p><p class=\"rssbyline\">Published: Tuesday, 27 February 2024 at 15:34 PM<\/p><hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/><?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" standalone=\"yes\"?>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/podcasts\/talking-gardens-fergus-garrett\">Fergus Garrett<\/a> has been head gardener at<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/great-dixter-planting-how-to-create\"> Great Dixter <\/a>in East Sussex for more than 30 years. For the first 13 years, he worked side by side with Dixter\u2019s owner, the gardener and writer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/gardens\/christopher-lloyd-great-dixter\">Christopher \u2018Christo\u2019 Lloyd<\/a>, helping to cement Dixter\u2019s reputation as one of the UK\u2019s most innovative gardens.\u00a0Here he picks 11 plants that always stop him in his tracks. &#8216;I love them for their architecture and impact,&#8217; he explains. <\/p><p><strong>You may also like<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/gardens\/christopher-lloyd-great-dixter\">Christopher Lloyd and the legacy of Great Dixter<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/gardens\/country\/cornish-edible-forest-garden\">Get the Great Dixter look with plants Fergus Garrett couldn&#8217;t live without<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/gardens\/country\/great-dixter-volunteering\">What I learned at Great Dixter<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/gardens\/country\/andy-salter-great-dixter-house-garden\">A Kent garden inspired by Great Dixter&#8217;s borders<\/a><\/li><\/ul><p\/><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-great-plants-for-impact-in-the-garden\">Great plants for impact in the garden <\/h2><p><strong><em>Beschorneria yuccoides<\/em><\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Beschorneria yuccoides \u00a9\u00a0John Martin \/ Alamy<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/house-plants\/large-indoor-plants-best\">yucca<\/a>-like plant that has a little more swagger. It is armed with bluish-grey, sword-shaped leaves ending in a reflexed point. Makes a striking punctuation. In April and May, the largest rosettes push up dramatic, arching, coral-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/pink-flowers\">pink<\/a> stems, bearing nodding green flowers. The flowering rosettes die, giving way to offsets, which take several years before reaching maturity and flowering. Hardy in the mildest areas. <strong>Height (H)<\/strong> 2m. <strong>Spread (S)<\/strong> 1m. <strong>Plant type (PT)<\/strong> Perennial. <strong>Conditions (C)<\/strong> Well-drained soil; full sun. <strong>Season of interest (SI)<\/strong> Spring. <strong>Hardiness rating (HR) <\/strong>RHS H3, USDA 9a-11.<\/p><p><strong><em>Boehmeria platanifolia<\/em><\/strong><\/p><p>A hardy, herbaceous <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/perennial-plants-best\">perennial<\/a> with multiple stems carrying serrated, green, sycamore-shaped, nettle-like leaves covered in minute hairs. A non-stinging member of the nettle family from Japan, it makes a distinct presence in the border. The flowers are small and insignificant, creamy white, and borne in tight drooping tassels towards the end of the summer. Best in semi-shade. <strong>H<\/strong> 1.5m. <strong>S<\/strong> 1m. <strong>PT<\/strong> Perennial. <strong>C<\/strong> Moist but well-drained soil; part shade. <strong>SI<\/strong> Spring \u2013 autumn. <strong>HR<\/strong> RHS H4, USDA 5a-8b.<\/p><p><strong><em>Clematis rehderiana<\/em><\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/02\/rehderiana-22-v2_preview-edited-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Clematis rehderiana\" class=\"wp-image-167454\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u00a9 Rachel Warne<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>A free-flowering species from China and Nepal with coarsely textured leaves and masses of small, nodding, delicate, pale-yellow, cowslip-scented flowers in autumn. Can be pruned back hard in winter or early spring to grow and flower again the following summer. Needs a substantial host or structure to support it. AGM. <strong>H <\/strong>4m. <strong>S<\/strong> 2m. <strong>PT<\/strong> Climber. <strong>C <\/strong>Fertile, well-drained soil; full sun to part shade. <strong>SI <\/strong>September \u2013 October. <strong>HR<\/strong> RHS H5, USDA 6a-9b.<\/p><p><strong><em>Crataegus pentagyna <\/em><\/strong><\/p><p>An elegant, small <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/trees\/how-to-identify-trees-berrying-and-hedgerow-trees\">hawthorn<\/a> with a splaying, rangy habit and widely spaced branches. Has handsome lobed leaves, greyish in colour. Large, creamy-white flowers fill the plant\u2019s long limbs in May<br\/>and June, followed by shiny purplish-black fruit. Adored by flying insects, making it the centre of attention when in bloom. <strong>H<\/strong> 3m. <strong>S<\/strong> 4m. <strong>PT<\/strong> Tree. <strong>C<\/strong> Tolerant of a wide range of soils; full sun to part shade.<br\/><strong>SI<\/strong> Blossom: May \u2013 June; fruit: autumn. <strong>HR<\/strong> RHS H7, USDA 4a-7b.<\/p><p><strong><em>Farfugium japonicum<\/em><\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/02\/ag_1608_100_preview-edited-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"arfugium japonicum\" class=\"wp-image-167455\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Farfugium japonicum. \u00a9 Anna\u00efck Guitteny<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Native to the streams and shores of China, Korea and Japan with dramatic kidney-shaped, deeply glossy green leaves. Makes mounds of bold, shiny foliage, lighting up the darkest corners. In late summer, the clumps are decorated with sprays of deep-yellow daisies. The form \u2018Giganteum\u2019 has bigger leaves. Not completely hardy except in the south. <strong>H<\/strong> 50cm. <strong>S<\/strong> 60cm. <strong>PT<\/strong> Perennial. <strong>C <\/strong>Best in soil rich with organic matter; tolerant of dry shade. <strong>SI<\/strong> Foliage: year round; flowers: autumn \u2013 winter. <strong>HR<\/strong> RHS H3, USDA 9a-11.<\/p><p><strong><em>Ferula communis<\/em><\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/02\/RBD180522_232_preview-edited-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Ferula communis\" class=\"wp-image-167456\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Ferula communis<\/em> \u00a9 Richard Bloom <\/figcaption><\/figure><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/great-dixter-plants-best\">Great Dixter\u2019s<\/a> signature plant. Huge plumes of finely cut green foliage emerge in December. Colossal stems covered in a glaucous bloom erupt from the centre in April, reaching 4m high, with widely spaced branches carrying lime-green umbels in May and June. Seedlings are variable and hybrids give mammoth plants. Loved by all insects. <strong>H<\/strong> 4m. <strong>S<\/strong> 1m. <strong>PT<\/strong> Perennial. <strong>C<\/strong> Well-drained soil; full sun.<br\/><strong>SI<\/strong> June \u2013 July. <strong>HR<\/strong> RHS H4, USDA 6a-9b.<\/p><p><strong><em>Geranium maderense<\/em><\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/02\/C5YCW1_preview-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Geranium maderense\" class=\"wp-image-167447\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Geranium maderense<\/em> \u00a9 Julie Pigula\/ Alamy <\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Native to Madeira, this tender geranium is huge with large, herb robert-like leaves held on stiff, fleshy stems. It makes a rounded mass of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/planting-ideas\/foliage-plants-using-green-garden\">foliage<\/a>, from which emerge large panicles carrying a profusion of rich pink flowers on hairy stems. The old leaf petioles dig themselves into the soil, holding the plant upright. Dies after flowering and setting seed. Not hardy except in the most sheltered spot. AGM. <strong>H<\/strong> 1.5m. <strong>S<\/strong> 1m. <strong>PT<\/strong> Monocarpic herb. <strong>C<\/strong> Well-drained soil; full sun. <strong>SI <\/strong>Foliage: year round; flowers April \u2013 June. <strong>HR<\/strong> RHS H2, USDA 9a-11.<\/p><p> <strong><em>Hedychium<\/em> \u2018Tara\u2019<\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/02\/JI_210921_TomCoward_045_preview-1-edited-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Hedychium \u2018Tara\u2019\" class=\"wp-image-167457\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Hedychium \u2018Tara\u2019 \u00a9\u00a0Jason Ingram<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Terminal clusters of fragrant, richly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/exotic-plants-plants-best\">exotic<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/plants\/summer\/orange-plants-garden\">orange<\/a> flowers are densely packed in racemes and decorated with prominent stamens. Dies down in winter to underground rhizomes that are best protected with a deep <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/garden-advice\/how-to\/what-is-mulching-mulch\">mulch<\/a>, unless you\u2019re in a mild climate. AGM. <strong>H<\/strong> 2m. <strong>S<\/strong> 60cm. <strong>PT<\/strong> Perennial. <strong>C<\/strong> Moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil; full sun to part shade. <strong>SI<\/strong> July \u2013 November. <strong>HR<\/strong> RHS H4, USDA 8a-11.<\/p><p><strong><em>Himalayacalamus falconeri<\/em><\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/02\/MG_7251_preview-edited-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Himalayacalamus falconeri\" class=\"wp-image-167458\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Himalayacalamus falconeri <\/em>\u00a9 Sharon Pearson <\/figcaption><\/figure><p>The most graceful of all the bamboos, with thin, olive-green canes flushing charcoal at each node; naked in their first year, fully furnished with slender green leaves in the second. The second-year stems arch to the ground, making a fountain of foliage. Clump-forming and only hardy in the south. Second-year canes should be cut to the ground every spring, leaving only the naked canes behind. <strong>H<\/strong> 3m. <strong>S<\/strong> 3m. <strong>PT<\/strong> Bamboo. <strong>C<\/strong> Moist but well-drained soil rich in organic matter; full sun to part shade. <strong>SI<\/strong> Year round. <strong>HR<\/strong> RHS H3, USDA 8b-11.<\/p><p><em><strong>Melanoselinum decipiens<\/strong><\/em><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/02\/2M9E7HD_preview-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Melanoselinum decipiens\" class=\"wp-image-167443\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Melanoselinum decipiens<\/em> \u00a9 RM Floral\/Alamy <\/figcaption><\/figure><p>An imposing monocarpic evergreen with giant parsley-like leaves on strong stalks, distinctly scarred at intervals as the old leaves drop off. The young foliage is bronze tinged; the flowers are pink umbels carried above the foliage. Attractive black seeds take the place of the flowers as the plant turns biscuit brown, while remaining attractive through the winter. <strong>H<\/strong> 1.5m. <strong>S<\/strong> 1m. <strong>PT<\/strong> Perennial. <strong>C<\/strong> Moist but well-drained soil; full sun to part shade. <strong>SI<\/strong> Foliage: year round; flowers: April \u2013 May. <strong>HR<\/strong> RHS H2, USDA 8b-11.<\/p><p><strong><em>Paris polyphylla<\/em><\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/02\/JI_140616_MatthewReese_162_preview-1-edited-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Paris polyphylla\" class=\"wp-image-167459\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Paris polyphylla \u00a9 Jason Ingram<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Whorls of dramatic, lanceolate, green foliage decorate all up the stem, terminating in a most curious and complex flower of bold, green sepals and dainty, long, arching, thread-like, yellow-green petals around a dark maroon and brown bulbous knob. A herbaceous perennial, slow to build up, eventually making a sizeable clump. Bright-red berries follow the flowers before the plant collapses for winter. <strong>H<\/strong> 1m. <strong>S<\/strong> 40cm. <strong>PT<\/strong> Perennial. <strong>C<\/strong> Rich and fertile soil; full shade. <strong>SI<\/strong> May \u2013 June. <strong>HR<\/strong> RHS H4, USDA 7a-9b.<\/p><p><strong><em>Trevesia palmata<\/em><\/strong><\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/40\/2024\/02\/Trevesia-palmata-ag1608087-db9047c-edited-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Trevesia palmata\" class=\"wp-image-167460\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Trevesia palmata. \u00a9\u00a0Anna\u00efck Guitteny<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>An exceptional foliage plant, with glossy green foliage that is 30-45cm wide, webbed and finely cut, resembling a large snowflake. The lacey young leaves are a dusky pale brown turning green as<br\/>they age. Makes a single-stemmed tree up to 7m high. Not winter hardy, needing greenhouse protection. <strong>H<\/strong> 7m. <strong>S<\/strong> 1m. <strong>PT<\/strong> Tree. <strong>C<\/strong> Humus-rich, moist, but well-drained soil; best grown in semi-shade. <strong>SI<\/strong> Year round. <strong>HR<\/strong> RHS H1C, USDA 10a-12.<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Looking for plants with impact? Great Dixter&#8217;s head gardener Fergus Garrett rounds up his top plants for dramatic impact <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":32764,"template":"","categories":[1,17,51],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/02\/the-scene-stealing-plants-that-will-stop-you-in-your-tracks.jpg",1707,2560,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/02\/the-scene-stealing-plants-that-will-stop-you-in-your-tracks-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/02\/the-scene-stealing-plants-that-will-stop-you-in-your-tracks-200x300.jpg",200,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/02\/the-scene-stealing-plants-that-will-stop-you-in-your-tracks-768x1152.jpg",768,1152,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/02\/the-scene-stealing-plants-that-will-stop-you-in-your-tracks-683x1024.jpg",683,1024,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/02\/the-scene-stealing-plants-that-will-stop-you-in-your-tracks-1024x1536.jpg",1024,1536,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/02\/the-scene-stealing-plants-that-will-stop-you-in-your-tracks-1366x2048.jpg",1366,2048,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Looking for plants with impact? Great Dixter's head gardener Fergus Garrett rounds up his top plants for dramatic impact","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/32763"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32764"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}