1. Clematis: climber with green potential
You can enjoy the cascade of flowers on the evergreen clematis in the spring, the green foliage brings pleasure all year long, with sometimes a second bloom again in the autumn. You can get the most from clematis in the second half the year by supporting the plant with a sturdy frame or crisscrossed string. This will help it to cope effortlessly with an autumn storm, and give you a green view all year round.
In the same category: ivy, pyracantha, star jasmine, evergreen honeysuckle, pileostegia (not hardy, so place it in a sheltered spot).
2. Leucothoe: not just green, but red as well!
Always beautifully green, combined in autumn with a selection of red tones. This low shrub can be planted in the ground or kept on the patio in a pot. The elegant branches retain their leaves well. The plant also blooms with small white flowers in early summer. So success is guaranteed in every season of the year.
In the same category: variegated Photinia fraseri, Nandina, Japanese maple, Pieris.
3. Japanese laurel: plain or with yellow spots
Suitable for natural dividers, beautiful as a container plant, long-lasting when planted in soil, Japanese laurel is incredibly easy to care for and has fantastic foliage in all variations of green and yellow throughout the year. Ideal if you love plants that keep their leaves in the autumn.
In the same category: buxus, bay laurel, privet, juniper, holly, camellia.
4. Bamboo: waving and rustling
Evergreen bamboo varieties are suitable as a hedge and available in non-invasive varieties from dwarf to giant. There is such a wide range on offer that you can even choose between upright varieties and bamboo with overhanging blades. These always move beautifully in the wind and give a friendly rustle as you walk past them. Also works well as a natural partition.
In the same category: pampas grass, sedge, ornamental oat grass, juncus, spiky fescue, field wood-rush.
5. Prickly heath: a living luxury carpet
Prickly heath’s leaves, which change colour from green to purplish brown, contrast beautifully with the large white and pink berries. The plant looks good in pots and containers, but also works well as groundcover. It has something to offer throughout the year: leaves that change colour, beautiful bell-shaped flowers, and finally large, full fruit.
In the same category: checkerberry, Irish moss, wild ginger, rose of Sharon.
