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Focus on Flowers

Layering Plants And Adding Texture To A Landscape

By Moya Andrews
Published September 9, 2019 at 6:56 PM EDT

When we look at a mature landscape we see many layers that provide dimension and depth to the overall pattern. Trees and large bushes offer solidity and varied shapes and foliage types to a garden. Herbaceous perennials and annuals merge with the trees and shrubs and knit them together to form an overall tapestry of form, color and texture.

Ideas for Adding Texture to Landscape

  • There are usually sentinel plants that stand straight and tall and spreading plants with horizontal arms and others that mound and weave.

  • A layer of ground-hugging, large-leaved hostas may circle the base of a tree or may be massed under trees and bushes.

  • Burning bushes, for example, can be limbed-up to accommodate a skirt of hostas to contrast with their vivid red foliage in the fall.

  • Other deciduous or evergreen shrubs, and roses, too, look elegant with low growing plants that creep around their ankles.

  • Try some cranesbill perennial geraniums like the long blooming Rozanne to set off the pink flowers of Clethra or a New Dawn climbing rose.

  • Low-growing catmints with grey foliage are also good companions to creep among tall annuals such as cleome, gladioli and nicotiana.

  • Low bushy or mounded plants are also good company for the pale pink Lycoris lilies with their tall bare stems that give them the common name of Naked Ladies.

    • Focus on Flowers