walk home from work today , I pass a poor looking clump of variegated phormiums in front of a drab public building . They were ill placed , unkempt and sorry for themselves , with all in leaves at their base and spent flower spikes as stiff as javelin above . unluckily seems to be the lot of these colourful Antipodean natives now .
How different thing were 30 years ago . I remember my nanna , a proper nurseryman with a taste for the strange , purchase her firstPhormium , the basicPhormium tenaxfrom a local nursery . Soon another and another stick with , each with a different leaf colour or variegation . Considered tender and a flake particular they flourish in the cool , damp Cornish clime . Phormiums fit in surpisingly well with the hem in camellia , broom and coniferous tree , adding welcome variation in foliage form and colour . They still grow there today , years after grandmother passed away , no longer pamper , but nevertheless at home .
Today they have become the nonremittal plant for any landscape designer or local say-so want to inject a ghost of the “ alien ” into a planting dodge . And , fair enough , they had in the main proved themselves reliable and tough until last wintertime laid barren to many that were not properly protect . The deplorable sight below greeted visitors to Derby place this February . At least the palm lived to tell the tale . And who are the landscape sustainment mass who insist on chop the leave off about 3 foot from the ground every twelvemonth , creating a 2-dimensional - top of dysphoric foliage ?
Now , sadly , I just ca n’t assist consociate phormiums with uninspiring , low sustentation planting blueprint . That of course is unfair . Used sensitively ( as in the garden at the top of the post ) , with blowy weed or ferny foliage plant life such asAsparagus densiflorusthey can be a marvelous architectural feature . Their evergreen leaves give a garden structure all year around and many will tolerate a large tub or container . This give up them to be moved to a sheltered smudge over winter , although in most years a good mulch is all they need to see them through , followed by a N - rich feed in spring . The RHS on-line plant viewfinder name 101 species and varieties from good old “ Sundowner ” to new hybrid , with leaf from almost black through to skim and red .
So whilst I still prefer the more subtle Astelias and free movingMiscanthusfor my vertical highlight , there ’s no doubt that phormiums have a function to playact in our gardens . It would just be dainty if the landscape architects could give them a spot of a rest .
Share this with others:
Like this:
Categories : Container horticulture , Musings , Planting Design , Plants
Posted by The Frustrated Gardener
