Less is so often more when it comes to good garden design. But keeping things simple doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go small.
A supersized, statement plant can work wonders for outdoor spaces of any area. Be bold, daring and confident. Anything less than 1m tall should go back on the shelf. You might spend a little more but a big plant is going to make far more impact than 100 small ones, it’s more likely to survive and guarantees the wow factor.
Virtually any tree or shrub will fit the bill, providing it gets the correct amount of light and water, but here are some of the best. Plant them straight into the ground or in a large pot or container.
Magnolia grandiflora
Everything you might want from a plant: thick, glossy, dark green leaves with a velvet-gold underside and huge, cream-coloured flowers with unrivalled fragrance and beloved by pollinators. It will thrive in a sunny spot or in partial shade but does need some sun if you want it to flower. They are slow growers but can get very big. If that’s a concern, look for Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’.
Abyssinian banana
If foliage is your thing and you have a sheltered space, Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’, ticks a lot of boxes. Large maroon leaves unfurl through spring and summer. The more space you give this plant the bigger it will become. Outside central London, it may require protection from the worst of the winter weather.
Common Fig
Almost indestructible, a fig tree makes a great statement plant. In theory, it fruits best when it’s constrained in a pot and grown against a wall. As long as it is in the sun you are likely to reap fruit but beware: in the ground, they can become monsters. They lose their leaves in autumn, revealing an attractive structure of silvery stems.
Birch Bark Cherry
For real year-round interest, Prunus serrula has it all. Masses of pink spring blossom followed by a canopy of neat green leaves, turning a buttery yellow in autumn. Look for a semi-mature tree with peeling bark revealing a glossy red trunk that shines in winter.
Where to buy
Architecturalplants.com has a great selection of big plants and will deliver to London. Alternatively, plan a day trip to a garden centre.
Try Crews Hill, Enfield, one of the largest collections of garden centres in a single area, where you can be pretty certain to find large plants for a good price.
