Green Fingers
GOING FOR GOLD
with Linda Regel
Aucuba is a great plant for a shady corner. Large spear shaped leaves are splashed with freckles or blobs of yellow, depending on the cultivar. Unfortunately, it is a favourite of deer and the plant in my garden is regularly reduced to a few bald stems. However it always springs back to life, which shows just how tough it is. After insignificant pale green flowers in the spring, the plant has the bonus of bright red berries, which look very jolly in the winter.
Another tough choice is the lower growing shrub Euonymous fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’. Pretty, small gold and green leaves make good ground cover and need hardly any maintenance. For a striking combination, plant them with a red stemmed dogwood in a corner lit by the winter sun.
Vareigated hollies are another popular choice. You need a female variety for berries, like ‘Golden King’, which has round green leaves with wavy yellow margin. Hollies grow into large shrubs or trees, so site them carefully.
For a quick growing shrub to hide an ugly corner or screen a fence, use Elaeagnus pungens ‘Maculatum’, with deep green and gold leaves. It has the bonus of scented flowers in the autumn and will grow well in a shady position.
Osmanthus ‘Goshiki’ would do well in a small garden. Often mistaken for holly, this is a slow growing, rounded shrub with mottled leaves. It grows on any soil and is only 1m high and does not need pruning. It will form a focal point in a border all year round.
For something which can be kept even smaller, try variegated box, Buxus sempervirens ‘Elegantissima’. The small leaves are edged in creamy yellow and can be clipped to form neat structure, in a sunny or shady position.
A variegated plant will often start to produce stems with plain green leaves. These should be removed, as they are more vigorous than the original plant and will soon take over. Take out the whole stem, or cut back into part of the plant, which is still variegated.
As well as filling out the borders, you can use small evergold plants to add colour and structure to winter containers. Create jewel boxes overflowing with dwarf golden conifers, rich, purple heucheras and golden thymes. Plant golden variegated periwinkle around the edge of a tub of dark coloured pansies and add drama with golden grasses and phormiums.
Variegated evergreen shrubs are very useful for flower arrangements for the house too, making the most of a few expensive winter flowers. The leaves combine well with blue and white flowers, but clash somewhat with pink blooms.
So join in with the theme of Going For Gold in this Olympic year, by adding some Winter Winners to your garden. Happy New Year!
The author Linda Regel runs a garden design, coaching and consultancy business, Green. Telephone 01344 844320
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