Surrey Homes | SH61 | November 2019 | Gift supplement inside

Garden
‘
Structural Assets
Jo Arnell shares her recommendations for plants with year-round staying power
A
herbaceous border in full swing at the height of
summer is a wonder to behold, but come the autumn
it does rather collapse into a heap of old sticks. This is
fine if you have an enormous garden and can shut off part of
it for the winter, and not be left to stare bleakly at the scene
from the window, lamenting the end of days and pining for
the colour to return. If only we could have some plants to
enhance the view until the flowers come back in the spring.
Actually, we probably do have a few, but not enough – and
when you look at them with your interview face on, eyes
narrowed, are they really up to the job? We need plants for
structure, some for seasonal interest and some to be quietly
companionable as the garden ebbs and flows through the year.
Where’s your backbone?
Structural plants are strong and reliable, lynchpins, carrying
the border through the seasons and linking one part of the
garden to another. The neighbouring plants will rely on
them through thick and thin – as supports, as backdrops
and as friends to lean on. They need not be evergreen,
but should have some presence over the winter months.
This can come in the simple form of stems and bark, or
as complete and beautiful skeletons. I’m particularly fond
of Cotoneaster horizontalis; its stiff herringbone stems will
spread slowly up walls, or into arching mounds if gently
encouraged and will reward you – and the birds and bees,
with spring blossom and then berries and brilliant autumn
colour. Many dogwood species that might look like
dowdy nothings with their leaves on, reveal their glorious
coloured bark once winter sets in and strips them bare.
Evergreen structure
Well behaved, tidy evergreens are great for low maintenance
borders, acting as anchors and punctuation points. Some are
naturally neat, but if you have time to keep them trimmed,
small leaved shrubs like box will provide formal structure
and a refined and soothing symmetry. Low growing Hebes
fall into the naturally neat category, as would Pittosporum
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