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Garden design | ALLADIO SIMS
story a garden tells – a spiky plant is contemporary and sleek, it’s a full stop, because it commands attention making the viewer stop and look at it. Phormiums, with their upright and spiky form, are an emblem of confidence and showiness, while a trailing or spreading plant is much more informal, perfect to create an intimate atmosphere – think of a trailing nasturtium against a brick wall, or a billowing geranium spilling out of a border. Mastering clever contrasts between two opposite forms can produce stunning results: an upright allium or a spiky eryngium emerging through the soft fronds of a tall grass, one rigid and sharp the other softly arching in the wind.
This happy mix of spiky and coarse textures amongst soft and fine grasses has a visual appeal and makes us want to stroke the plants. Image courtesy of Alladio Sims Garden and Landscape Design Ltd., The Secret Garden Party @ RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2015
Foliage textures are all important too. In general, leaf types can be divided into four main categories and they too look stunning when contrasted between each other: Simple leaves – these could be oval, round or heart shaped etc – are provided by common plants such as bergenias, brunneras, foxgloves, tiny thyme or box. They form the base of any planting composition and can look stunning when contrasted between each other – not only in terms of proportions, but of hue too. >>>
Similar leaf shapes in contrasting proportions, such as those of thyme and foxgloves, can be very effective when combined together. Image courtesy of Alladio Sims Garden and Landscape Design Ltd., private London garden
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