Can you advise a leafy plant to fill out a cottage garden to bulk out with perennials?

Question

I have a cottage garden with plenty of trees and shrubs and roses and perennials but need a a foliage plant to tie the garden together and make it more lush and complete.I also need tough plants to plant under giant lillypilly trees at the back fence as underneath is bare and spoils the look of the garden.It is a very dry spot.

Answer 1

How about Cotinus?  it is commonly known as Smokebush.  There are quite a few varieties, and if it is cut back will not get too large.  Maybe a Buddleia or a Vitex will also fill out the garden and return every year.  If I knew what hardiness zone you live in I would be more help.

Answer 2

A great FAST growing, huge, lush looking annual is the Castor oil plant. It will fill out an empty space in no time. But the beans (seeds) are poisonous. If you have children or pets that might eat them do not grow them. And not all seed catalogues carry them but they are spectacular.

Answer 3

If it is very dry you are not going to be successful with ajugas and annuals.

Cotinus is a good choice for a large shrub 2 to 3 metres, but not suitable if you want a small plant.

If you want a plant about 1/2 to 1 metre high go for acanthus mollis (oyster plant) or believe it or not artichokes.  Both are large leafed and put up with drought, poor soil etc.  I had artichokes growing in my front beds and people where really impressed they thought they were a rare plant, and all wanted cuttings (massive gray architectural leaves).

If you have 1/2 day sun any of the artemisias (wormwoods) would suit.  There is also tough old Senico cineraria tough in this situation and gives a nice grey appearance.

There is a new miniature bottlebrush (callistemon), called 'great balls of fire'.  Has hot pink new growth (not grown for the flower).  this may suit.

Spindle bushes will put up with drought and competition, Euronymus - the yellow variegated ones might suit your colouring.

If you want a groundcover under the lillipillies try and pick a native so it can compete with them.  if you have the sun prostrate Grevilleas such as Gaudii Chardii are good.  natives usually don't like too much shade.  

Perhaps liriopes may suit or if very shadey mondo grass.  Lambs ear (stachys) don't care how much sun they get and are drought hardy.

Answer 4

WELL HERE ARE SOME NOT TOO TALL GROUND COVER TYPES.

Perennial geranium, Ajuga, creeping flox, Hens and Chicks, and Sedum.  There are many types of Oxalis also and with a variety of leaf color...but I loathe them, because in a greenhouse the become a noxious weed.

  For taller plants,Canna are really good and a huge variety of flower and leaf color is available.

In Northern hemispheres you will have to dig the bulbs in the fall and store them in a cool but not cold place..

  I am sure if you click on the site of a local University or Agricultural and farming web site that you will get a better answer for your specific area of the world!

Answer 5

creeping mrytle is nice and gets little blue flowers. makes a good ground cover

Answer 6

Have you ever grown Tidal Wave Petunias?  They are amazing filler-inners in the garden.  They wend their way hither, thither and yon.  I put 15 Silver Tidal Waves into a sunny hillside garden I have.  It is about 50' x 20'.  Planted them on Mothers' Day.  Today, it is impossible to see one square inch of bare ground.

They tolorate heat, dryness <after established> and don't seem to be terribly fussy about sunlight.  Also, they never need dead-heading.

Have never seen anything like them!  They are truly prolific and lush!

Here's a photo:

http://www.naturehills.com/product/tidal...