Light-leaved Plants In Garden Compositions. Plants With Light Foliage In Landscape Design. Photo

2023 Author: Ava Durham | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 07:13

The most cheerful plants in any ensemble are always not the brightest blooming stars, but cultures with light leaves that have the effect of inner radiance. They literally replace the sun and create a feeling of additional illumination of the composition, set off other cultures, give the ensembles multidimensionality and depth. Such plants allow the garden to remain attractive in any weather and are the main tool for playing with optical illusions.

Content:

• Secrets of the charm of light-leaved plants
• Assortment of light-leaved plants
• How to correctly introduce "backlit" crops into garden ensembles

Secrets of the charm of light-leaved plants

Plants with light leaves or light patterns on the leaves instantly change the atmosphere of any composition. Their influence on garden ensembles is similar to the effect that crops with snow-white inflorescences and flowers have: any light "details" are perceived against the background of ordinary greenery and other colors glowing from the inside. But decorative leafy crops that can create optical illusions have their undeniable advantages over white-flowered ones: they decorate the garden throughout the active season, and some plants do it all year round, while even the most persistent flowers will not last longer than several months.

Placing cheerful accents and creating a special light atmosphere, they compensate for any oddities of the weather and make every composition attractive, even when the sun is hidden behind the clouds. Conventionally, such crops can be called "stabilizers" of the appearance of the garden: they allow in any circumstances to maintain the very attractiveness and radiance of lush greenery and lush flowering, which everyone strives for. If you use plants with "backlighting" in the design of flower beds, flower beds and other compositions, then you can not be afraid that some corner of the garden will look too gloomy.

Light-leaved garden plants are one of the most affordable optical illusion tools. Thanks to the competent use of plants with internal glow, you can expand the boundaries of the zone, emphasize the foreground, "highlight" the dark areas of the garden, compensate for shading, create points of attraction that emphasize the most favorable angles, etc. Light spots seem more "close", they favorably set off bright colors and dark greens, allow you to bring harmony and cheerfulness to any ensemble, it is advantageous to use small areas and emphasize lush, voluminous compositions. When placed in the background, they visually increase the area of the entire garden.

Assortment of light-leaved plants

The variety of light-leaved crops will allow you to find the right plant for any decorative task. After all, light leaves, various patterns and the glow effect are inherent not only in classical herbaceous perennials from among decorative deciduous crops, but also in numerous trees and shrubs. New variegated varieties that can illuminate ensembles appear almost every day and are found in almost any type of garden plants from periwinkles to ivy and maples. Edges, stripes and spots resulting from a lack of chlorophyll are mainly acquired by such plants due to the efforts of breeders. It is easy to recognize variegated or light leaves: in the name of the variety, they are usually denoted by the terms 'alba', 'variegatum' and 'variegata'.

The most spectacular and catchy light colors are typical for plants such as:

• shade-tolerant, durable and showy hosts and their various light-leaved varieties, differing in size, width of the edging and stripes and spots on the leaves (for example, wavy hosta variety "Univittata" or the famous hybrid hosta variety 'Albomarginata');
• hardy perennial lungwort with light leaves (the variety 'Majeste' decorated with white spots is especially effective);
• inimitable, round-leaved brunners with dark veins and a silvery surface (varieties 'Jack Frost' and 'Looking Glass');
• light-leaved varieties of heuchera with silvery colors;
• variegated ivy varieties;
• variegated varieties of trees with a light edging on the leaves - varieties 'Spaethii' and 'Argenteomarginata', as well as the controversial variety 'Variegata' with unusual almost horizontally spread shoots;
• an ideal partner for rhododendrons not exceeding 1 meter in height Japanese pieris of the "Variegata" variety;
• light varieties of ash-leaved maple (for example, "Flamingo");
• variegated forms of Fortune's euonymus;
• ornamental grasses - conical sedge with silvery tints of color of medium-sized and quickly filling free soil sod (variety 'Snowline'), slowly growing tall phalaris (variety Mervin Fizi and Pikta), gigantic miscanthus (striped varieties Zebrinus, Variegatus "And" Strictus ");
• lover of swampy areas near water bodies smooth iris, which needs flooding to a depth of 10 cm, etc.

How to correctly introduce "backlit" crops into garden ensembles

In order for the plants to fully reveal all their beauty and really seem to be a source of inner glow, a small "substitute for the sun" in any, even the most modest ensemble, they must be presented correctly. Light-leaved crops will create optical illusions only if you place them so that they do not get lost in the general background and do not merge with it.

First of all, make sure that the partners for light-leaved crops are in contrast to them in color, shape and size of leaves. The flowering or growth characteristics of the plants themselves are not so important, but the contrast of the greenery is of key importance. Even in hedges, light-leaved shrubs should be introduced so that neighboring crops emphasize their beauty.

In order for a light-leaved plant to play its role as a "backlight", it must be clearly visible. Place such crops in the "darkest" points of the flower garden or flower bed, where the eye lacks bright spots and colors, and so that the plant is "caught" from the very first time. The more vividly you reveal the silhouette and beauty of the greenery of such plants, the more vivid their role in the composition will be.

Leaves with "backlighting" look best in the foreground or at least in the middle ground, they should be placed as close to viewpoints or paths as possible, where the patterns will be clearly visible. If you want to visually increase the size of a garden or a specific object, light-leaved plants should be placed around the perimeter. Such cultures are the more beautiful, the more asymmetry and unexpected contrasts in the ensembles, the more expressive the relief and structure of the composition.