Let’s hear it for large-leaved evergreens. They’re such invaluable plants. Why is that, you say? Well, look at it this way: today’s fashion is for wispy perennials planted with grasses — the souped-up meadow look — all awave with veronicastrums, verbenas and flaxes. It’s a delicious romance and the perfect antidote to an urban lifestyle.
Yet the meadowy look needs structure to set it off. An endless mass of wispy perennials is no more dramatic than a stodge of rhododendrons or heathers. Contrast is what brings a garden to life.
X Fatshedera lizei ‘Annemieke’
ALAMY
Sure, there is contrast to be had from the clipped planes of hedges and topiary, and the clean lines and textures of conifers, but you can’t beat big glossy evergreen leaves, strong but natural, to