Plants in The Hierarchy of Plants Garden

“Chosen for height, structure, and its easy maintenance level.”

The upright, unbranching stem is clothed with fan-shaped, rich green fronds that can grow up to 75cm long. As the plant matures, it will also produce pendulous clusters of yellow flowers near the leaf bases in summer, which on female plants will be followed by near-black fruits. A wonderful plant for exotic and jungle-style planting schemes, it can tolerate short periods of light frost, but will need protection in more exposed areas.

“Chosen for its beautiful canopy and stunning fronds.”

A fast-growing tree fern reaching 5m in ideal conditions, with a slender stem and mid-green fronds up to 4m long

“Chosen for its stunning leaf form.”

A large, fast-growing shrub or small tree to about 5m high, producing a thicket of upright stems topped by large, palmately lobed green leaves. New shoots and leaves have a coating of fine coppery hairs. Creamy pompoms of flowers are produced in large sprays in autumn, followed by black fruit.

“Chosen for the incredible heart-shaped leaves.”

Elephant’s ears can be planted outside after frost, or started off in pots under glass in late winter to early spring. Plant the bulbs so that their growing tip is just above the soil surface (if there are no noticeable shoots or roots, the end with the concentric rings goes uppermost, while the end with the holes will produce the roots). 

“Chosen for the leaf form and ease of propagation.”

An upright, frost-tender, evergreen perennial. The large palmate leaves, held on red-purple cane-like stems, are divided into lance-shaped, hairy leaflets. Pale yellow to white, fragrant flowers are borne in clusters above the leaves from spring into summer.