▷ Forget colors: know the texture of plants

Colors are the most obvious and clearly identifiable element of the environment. However, there are other important things that are no less important: shape, height, texture. Garden designers would also talk about statics, dynamics and many other elements. But today we will try to explain it in a simple way, what is plant structure.

What is plant structure

Plant structure is basically the surface of the plant. And the surface can be very varied:

Think and name at least five other plant surfaces and you will see how amazing the variety of textures can be. Interestingly, our imagination works better: we can perceive structures better by touching them, feeling them, etc. However, it is not at all necessary, because we can evaluate them after observing them. Therefore, the texture of plants affects us even if we do not physically touch them.

This is also interesting different parts of the plant have different textures. The most beautiful example is a rose. Its stem is thorny, its leaves are smooth and shiny, and its petals are incredibly soft. Furthermore, the consistency of the plant can also change with the change of season. For example, as it grows, miscanthus has only leaves, later in autumn it releases fluffy, soft brushes, but in late autumn or winter they lose their softness and thus become bristly.

Let’s look at some other examples of typical textures.

Large, shiny leaves

Typical – the bluethe queen of shade plants. The large leaves of the plant often frame the edge of the flowerbed. Melsve is fantastic contrasts with many other structuressuch as openwork foliage, spiky leaves or delicate flowers. Melsvea is a proven, economical choice if you need a wide-textured plant. Choosing a type with wavy leaves will give you another texture feature. And if you choose a blueberry variety with hard, fleshy leaves, slugs probably won’t bite it either. The broad leaves also contain shallots, broom and bergenia.

Bergenia, plant structure.

“Cloud” is an openwork canopy

Typical – smudging. The leaves of the plant, similar to threads, seem to ask to be touched. The foliage looks particularly beautiful up close, giving the garden the impression of movement, but without overdoing it. Leaves with too much feathery texture will look like a distended spot. It is the aspen that most needs contrasting neighbors to bring out its leaf structure.

Other plants with a similar visual effect are smooth, cosmeia, gubia, asters (small flowers), a wide selection of ornamental grasses.

Leaves with fluff

This is – Our betrayed. Plants with fluffy leaves are usually gray, they come from countries with a warme

The smooth surface of notres makes these plants attractive, although the gray leaves disappear in the garden; Plus, they make a wonderful accent to other plants. Due to its shape and soft texture, the notra is called “lamb’s ears” in English.

Soft and pointed

These are herbaceous plants, which in our country are still called differently: fennel plants, ornamental herbs, etc. In the past this type of plant was not commonly grown in Lithuania, so this type of weaving was mainly represented by day-old foliage. Current landscaping trends (more here) brought to Lithuania a large selection of decorative grasses, so to achieve a moving and waving effect you will definitely choose, these are various sedges, fescue, spiky-flowered sedges, whip millet, etc.

Decorative herbaceous plants not only stand out in shape, but also add sound and movement to the garden. No other plant plays with light in such an intriguing way. Large areas of these plants will make an impression, and you can even fit herbaceous plants right in between other flowering plants. Excellent solution – revive decorative conifers, which do not change over the years and become a little boring, by planting decorative grasses next to them

Most Americans aren’t particularly attractive, but bulls AND coastal probes looks gorgeous both in bloom and after bloom. The steel blue color is another plus. To feel the breath of the tropics, you can plant in a decorative bed artichoke. This plant has sharp needles and broad leaves. You can use the shoots as food, as long as you save the flowers that bloom later.

FLESH AND SMOOTH LEAVES

Shylock and others with smooth, broad leaves succulentlike turnip, calanka, wax grass, they have leaves that appear to have been waxed and polished. Such plants come from regions with a warmer climate, so not all of them are suitable for growing outdoors in our conditions.

However, many of the fleshy succulents that are often grown in rock gardens have exactly this texture. They not only balance the sharp leaves, but also grow in narrow rosettes, thus creating contrast and highlighting each other.

IMPORTANT ADVICE

The colors are more noticeable than the texture of the plants. Therefore if you want to emphasize texture, don’t choose bright colors of plants. They would divert attention and the textures would remain as if unnoticed.

It is better to choose: a similar color palette and combinations of bold, contrasting textures, or vice versa: a similar texture, but several bright colors.

Keep this in mind the famous white gardenswhich are basically dominated only by green and white, the play of textures is very clearly visible. These gardens seem truly special, because their beauty is subtle and unusual. The same goes for creating gardens with other dominant colors, as long as the colors do not overwhelm the dominance of the textures.

Especially since the texture of the plants becomes particularly important when creating a corner of shade. You have such shady places on the plot? Then it is relevant to you too. Shade-tolerant plants usually do not flower or flower in dull, indistinct colors, the flowers are usually small and non-dominant (more on flowering shade plants).

And there’s certainly a variety of green textures to choose from for shade: from thorny yews and boxwoods to broadleaf bluebells and glossy bergenias.

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