They say a true Irishman can count at least 40 shades of green. In comparison the average tourist to Ireland can count just four or five. Have you ever paid much attention to how many shades of green are in your own backyard? We often treat it as a backdrop to all the other colours that compete for our attention but remember that green (and all its 40+ shades) is a colour too.
Summer is often the time when the darker purples and blues become more popular in the garden patio and pots, as we look to create a cooling/ refreshing look. Green's cooling effect on the senses is often overlooked as a feature. This got me thinking about some of the more popular green plants that when used in the garden, can offer some form and structure as well as that refreshing feeling.
The tractor seat plant (ligularia reformis) is a popular contender for the top spot. It is a hardy soul that performs well in pots or in a garden situation. It grows best in shady areas but will tolerate up to four or so hours of sun in a day. It handles wind and dry well. The tractor seat plant is so named as its large growing leaves form the shape of an old fashioned tractor seat. It looks great used as a specimen in a pot by a shady entranceway or back porch. Mass planted as an under planting beneath trees, along a shady fence line or wall of the house, these are an eye catching easy to grow plant.
Another 'green' contender is the pittosporum golf balls or another very similar contender Little Kiwi. The leaves of these plants are a lighter lime green colour. As the name of the plant suggests its habit is to form a tight golf ball-shaped plant. Golf ball needs to be clipped regularly to maintain its form. Both offer a formal, structured look which I have seen used successfully around modern homes and classic villas. A versatile plant it handles sun or shade, and looks spectacular in pots.
The patio that was once a 'flowers in pots' domain is now a place for a wide variety of shrubs. Native plants which have in the past been mainly used to form a strong backbone for a garden, are now also used to give some refreshing green, in pots. Some good varieties include pseudopanax cyril watson and puka (meryta sinclairii). Both of these have relatively large green leaves, their pleasing habit and green toning give a tropical feel. They are hardy to wind, sun, shade and dry so are great subjects for growing in pots. Using a decent sized pot is recommended, at least 60cm high and 50cm wide will give three or four years before the plant is too big for the pot and will need to be replaced.