Foliage and flowers with eye-catching textures can anchor any garden
In horticulture , plants are often delineate as have all right , average , or bold ( coarse ) grain . Bold - textured plants have large leave of absence and sometimes large blossoms to meet , although “ bold - textured ” really refers to leafage . These plant life provide interestingness even without flowers , which pee-pee them excellent specimens for wintertime gardens after the flowering season has ended . They also exercise well in funny spots , which typically do n’t allow as much of a blossom show as sunnier locations do .
Bold - textured plant provide a foil to surrounding fine - textured plants . The trick to maximizing their shock is to not crowd too many bold beauty into one space , but rather to expend them more sparingly as ground tackle among finer - textured species . fortuitously , there are plenteousness of sheer - textured plants to take from for different dirt wet level — from very dampish to quite dry . That means that the long , hot summers of the Southern Plains do not prevent us from throw beautiful , bold choice in our gardens .
Bold-Textured Species for Dry, Sunny Gardens
I have an all - champion cast of bold - textured beauties for teetotal , sunny garden spots .
Giant coneflower
This cousin-german of the more familiar purple coneflower ( Echinacea purpurea , Zones 3–9 ) makes a grown shock in the garden . For most of the year ( even in winter ! ) giant coneflower ( Rudbeckia maxima , Zones 5–9 ) has a enceinte , greyish - gullible stem canker about 2 groundwork in diameter . In the summer each rosette sends up a 3 - to-4 - animal foot - tall flower spike with a cheerful xanthous blossom . En masse shot , this coneflower looks gorgeous and makes a strong opinion .
White rosinweed
If you are looking for a long - lasting bold perennial for your dry garden , white rosinweed ( Silphium albiflorum , Zones 5–10 ) is an excellent pick . It bring forth medium - sized white bloom in early summer , but the foliation is the star feature . The deeply lobed grey-haired - unripened foliage are redolent of staghorn fern ( Platyceriumspp . and cvs . , Zones 9–12 ) . It is a slow cultivator but is long - lived and produces a farseeing , tenacious taproot that drop anchor it in rocky , juiceless locations .
Maximilian sunflower
Maximilian sunflowers ( Helianthus maximiliani , Zones 5–10 ) , or “ max sunshine , ” are recurrent helianthus that remain firm 4 to 8 base grandiloquent by early fall . They are big and stately and make an excellent anchor product line at the back of a bed . They are extremely drought tolerant and cater interest through the winter if you bequeath them standing .
Yucca
Yucca ( Yuccaspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–10 ) , with their coil of farsighted , thick leaves and spires of fat clean blossoms , are nothing if not bluff . Some excellent yucca species for Texas are those commonly refer to as Spanish obelisk or Spanish bayonet : Yucca treculeana(Zones 8–10),Yucca faxoniana(Zones 5–10 ) , andYucca torreyi(Zones 5–10 ) . Further northerly in Oklahoma and Kansas , suitable yucca species admit Arkansas yucca ( Yucca arkansana , Zones 4–9 ) , soapweed yucca ( Yucca glauca , Zones 4–10 ) , and Adam ’s acerate leaf yucca ( Yucca filamentosa , Zones 5–10 ) .
Bold Textures for Moist Soils and Shade
While the bold - textured plants for dry region sometimes give off a desert vibration , the keep up species for moister soils and wraith create a tropic feel .
Leopard plant
I still remember the first time I consider leopard plant ( Farfugium japonicum , Zones 7–10 ) growing in a flower bed in San Antonio . I was so impressed by the sizing and bod of the foliation . The leaves of ‘ Aureomaculata ’ are large ( about 6 to 8 inches ) , round , and glistening dark immature with yellow-bellied spots . They have a lush , lush look , and the flowers themselves resemble bright yellow daisies . Another variety , ‘ Gigantea , ’ has even larger leaf , about the size of dinner plates !
Swamp mallow
Swamp mallow ( Hibiscus grandiflorus , Zones 4–10 ) is a perennial hibiscus that produces immense , pinkish blooms on 6 - foot flower stalks . The large leaves are pale green and fuzzy . swampland mallow depend corking in a grouping in a rain garden .
Oakleaf hydrangea
This darling shrub specie thrives in much of the Southern Plains region , from North Texas and East Texas up through Kansas . The large , oaklike leave of oakleaf hydrangea ( Hydrangea quercifolia , Zones 5–9 ) make a beautiful green canopy , turn gold and red in the fall . In addition to the bluff , attractive foliation , oakleaf hydrangea also tout great strobile of white-hot flowers that last for calendar month , sour pinker as they mature .
Crinum lilies
sturdy and long - lived , crinum lilies ( Crinumspp . and cvs . , Zones 7–10 ) can reach up to 4 feet in diam . The strappy dark-green leaves of these so - call lily always leave an equally sheer statement behind their with child flowers . Some of my favorite crinum varieties are ‘ Ellen Bosanquet ’ , ‘ Peachblow ’ , and ‘ Marisco ’ .
Japanese aralia
This tropical - look shrub can reach about 10 feet in summit and diameter with invisible white blooms . Its crowning glory is its foliation , which is bombastic , dark common , and deeply segment . Japanese aralia ( Fatsia japonica , Zones 8–10 ) is a classically sheer - textured industrial plant and does well in warm mood .
Bold - textured plants are show stealer , draw the middle and making a scene . These are just a few species of sheer - textured plants for our region . The next time you ’re out look up to a garden or a rude landscape painting , you may realize that many of the plants that draw your eye right away are bold - coarse-textured . You may also notice that they really seem to down when surround by fine - textured or medium - textured coinage . Have fun conflate up plant textures in your own garden !
— Karen Beaty is a horticulturalist at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin , Texas .
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The striking foliage of Japanese aralia will upgrade any warm shade garden.Photo: David Cavagnaro
Giant coneflower provides interest from top to bottom with cheery yellow blooms and light green rosettes of foliage.Photo: Michelle Gervais
White rosinweed will provide years of interest to any garden with its daisylike white blooms and lobed foliage.Photo: Clarence A. Rechenthin, USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
The pointed petals of Maximilian sunflower provide their own textural interest alongside long, thin foliage.Photo: Karen Beaty
Yuccas can grow an extra few feet when in bloom, adding to their already eye-catching stature.Photo: Karen Beaty
The round, creased leaves of leopard plant grow in a number of sizes based on the cultivar.Photo: Karen Beaty
Swamp mallow produces flowers with thinly lined petals in addition to fuzzy leaves.Photo: Karen Beaty
The zigzag cut of oakleaf hydrangea’s leaves draw the eye, while the conelike flowers point outward to the rest of the garden.Photo: Michelle Gervais
The thin, ribbed petals of ‘Peachblow’ crinum lily flowers nod above strappy foliage.Photo: Karen Beaty
Japanese aralia will give your garden a tropical look and provide small, white, airy blooms while doing it.Photo: David Cavagnaro
