Garden Gate® TOP PICKS
A statement plant has a certain “wow” factor: It may be glorious color—an unusual shade or something shockingly bright. Or maybe it is the plant’s form—architectural lines or soft flowing shapes that set the tone for a landscape or container. The size of a plant can be so enormous it makes your jaw drop, or delicate and diminutive to cause you to pause and look closely to appreciate its attributes. Even texture can speak volumes—velvety foliage creates a cozy, laid-back feel in the garden while sharp, stiff leaves generate excitement.
DEMANDING ATTENTION It can be difficult to use plants that make such a show of themselves. Sometimes they just need a spot to stand alone. But if you take their top attribute into consideration, be it color, shape, size or texture, and play it up with other plants in your garden that accentuate or contrast with it, you’ll be able to find a way to utilize all those “wow” plants. Here are a few of my favorites that make a statement.
‘Variegata’ giant dogwood
Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’
Strong horizontal branching gives ‘Variegata’ giant dogwood, also called wedding cake tree, a unique tiered look in the garden. Young specimens are particularly pronounced. Used as a focal point, this tree will draw your eye, then encourage it to move across the landscape. A long bed of low-growing perennials beneath will
