Page 40 - may2021

Shape and Form in the Garden

Architectural plants can actually be any
type, shape, size or colour depending on the
climate, setting, type and size of the garden
… and all they have to do in an appropriate
setting is to add some kind of visual weight
to attract the eye. Architectural plants form
the backbone of any garden and we use
them to create a measure of privacy, to
create a certain atmosphere, to hide unsightly
features, to fill gaps in the landscape and
create texture in the garden. They form the
focal points around which we decorate our
gardens, and use them as they are evergreen
and resistant to seasonal changes. They
provide the same look and feel almost all
year round and can survive the rainy season
as well as the winter drought … and they are
beautiful to look at.
Tall architectural plants are still a firm
favourite in most gardens that boast
excessive sunshine and have adequate water.
We use them to create tall 3-dimensional
focal points in an otherwise flat landscape,
casting some small amount of shade on us
and the plants below them. These include
the usual Palms, Yuccas, tall Aloes such as
Aloe marlothii, but can also include specimen
examples such as Wild Banana (Strelitzia
nicolai, opposite page), Half-mens (Pachypodium
spp.), and Cabbage Trees (Cussonia spp.), and
even climbers such as Bougainvillea, Delicious
Monsters, Syngoniums and Jasmines that
will need something to climb up, whether it’s
a tree, fence or trellis. Many of these speci-
men plants can be planted in large pots that
are effective for those difficult areas that may
have poor soil or paved sections.

Medium and small architectural plants can
also be made into focal points. They can be
made to look taller and more impressive by
40