Flower Power's favourite reliable landscaping plants
Flower Power's favourite reliable landscaping plants
There are some plants that are just so reliable in gardens that they are on every garden designer’s plant list. These reliable plants are often referred to as ‘landscaping plants’. They can be used to form a basic planting scheme that can be embellished to create an individual garden. Most also lend themselves to mass-planting for low-maintenance areas, or to plant in a row forming a hedge or to edge a garden bed.
Flower Power's top landscaping plants
Here are some of Flower Power's favourite landscaping plants that are widely grown in temperate climate gardens. All can be relied on to grow and flower without too much trouble or care.
Japanese box (Buxus microphylla japonica)
This sturdy evergreen shrub is widely grown as a hedge to around 1m high. It can also be clipped as a topiary. It grows well in warm temperate zones and is vigorous but easy to maintain. Japanese box grows best in full sun with well-drained soil, but also tolerates shade. Water well to get plants established and prune regularly during spring and early autumn when plants are growing strongly.
‘Teddy Bear’ magnolia
‘Teddy Bear’ is one of several varieties of evergreen magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), grown as a compact tree, tall hedge or a feature plant in a large container. It grows to around 4m high. As well as large and fragrant cream flowers, ‘Teddy Bear’ has dark green leaves that have an attractive felted brown underside. Evergreen magnolias grow in sun or shade. Water well to establish and when soils are dry. Plants can be pruned to shape or to control size.
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Lomandra
Also with strappy leaves, lomandra is a very versatile, low-growing native perennial for sun or shade. It can be mass-planted for a very low-maintenance garden, or used as a soft edging along a path, driveway or garden bed. There are many named varieties with different heights and growth habits. Some are variegated. Lomandra has purple or white flowers and berries.
Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae)
Loved for its handsome orange and purple, bird-shaped flowers, the bird of paradise forms a large, leafy clump. The flowers are long lasting and produced on tall stems well above the leaves. Use as a clump, mass plant or plant as a row. Strelitzias can also be grown in a large container as a feature plant. The common bird of paradise has broad leaves, but for something a little different look for juncea with narrow reed-like grey-green leaves.
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Loropetalum
Also known as Chinese fringe, Loropetalum chinense is a versatile shrub growing 1-2m high. It can be grown as a feature plant, mass planted in a border, or grown as a hedge. For real impact in the garden, select a variety with colourful foliage such as ‘China Pink’ or ‘Plum Gorgeous’. Loropetalum flowers in spring and is evergreen. Its flowers can be white or pink. It grows in sun or shade, but leaf colour and flowering is best with more sun. To create a formal clipped hedge, prune after flowering.
Alternanthera
This small perennial is planted for its vibrant red and pink or green and yellow leaves. It can be mass planted as a mounding groundcover or used as a low edging to a garden bed. It grows in sun or shade. There are named varieties such as ‘Little Ruby’ with outstanding dark red leaf colour and compact form which are often used as landscaping plants. Protect from frost in cold winter areas.
Coprosma
There are many forms of coprosma. Some have green or variegated leaves while others have dark red or purple leaves. Coprosma can be grown in a pot on an exposed balcony, massed or grown as a hedge. It tolerates sun or shade and a wide range of growing conditions and soils - this versatility makes it particularly popular among landscaping plants. Coprosma repens (mirror plant) is weedy in some coastal areas.
Gardenia
The gardenia (Gardenia florida) is a very popular evergreen shrub grown for its highly fragrant creamy white flowers that are seen from late spring to autumn. Gardenia can be grown in a pot, as a specimen plant or to form a hedge. The small growing species, radicans, is a good choice for planting in a rockery or as an edging plant. Gardenias grow in sun or shade but flower best in full sun. Keep well-watered and fertilised for strong growth and lots of flowers.
Westringia
This native shrub is very versatile and is often known as coast rosemary. It is salt tolerant so is one of the best landscaping plants for coastal gardens. It can be massed for a low maintenance garden, grown as a formal or informal hedge or clipped to form a ball. Westringia has small grey green leaves and white flowers. It grows in sun or shade. Water well to establish and when soils are dry.
Rhaphiolepis
Also known as Indian hawthorn, rhaphiolepis is a very tough shrub that tolerates a wide range of conditions including coastal or wind exposed. It grows in sun or shade. It grows around 1-2m high and can be grown in a garden bed, as a hedge or in a container. It is happy to be clipped and shaped. Plants have small, glossy green to bronze or copper toned leaves and white or pink flowers in spring. While the species, Rhaphiolepis indica, is weedy in some areas, there are many named varieties and hybrids to grow including ‘Snow Maiden’ (white) and ‘Apple Blossom’ (pink).
Agapanthus
These green, strappy-leaved perennials have been widely used in landscapes for many years. They look attractive as a border or edge, even when not in flower. However, in summer when they burst into bloom with tall heads of blue or white flowers, they look very elegant. Agapanthus are best grown in full sun but will tolerate some shade (although flowering may be reduced). Though reliable as landscape plants, agapanthus do come with a warning – they can become weedy and may be environmental weeds in bushland areas and along roadsides. To reduce weediness, prune flowered stems after flowering (before seeds form) or search out sterile forms such as ‘Black Pantha’.
Aloe-aloe
This is a group of small-growing aloes selected for their long-lasting and colourful flowers, which are reliable in autumn and winter. As succulents they grow in full sun, can be mass planted and are drought-hardy once established, making them great landscaping plants. They are highly bird-attractive in flower. Aloes do have prickly leaves, so keep them back from pathways and away from children’s play areas.
