Plant texture is often overlooked in garden design. We have plenty of other elements to consider, such as colour, shape, height, size, soil, and position. But plants with texture add another dimension to borders.
Plants can be divided into three main textures – fine, medium, and coarse. Most plants have a medium texture, so adding those with fine and coarse textures will boost your borders.
Fine textures have small, delicate leaves and petals while coarse textures have large foliage and flowers.
Grasses are perfect for fine texture but if you’d rather have a flowering plant, there are some great alternatives. Here are 12 of the best plants for fine texture:
ACER PALMATUM DISSECTUM ‘SUNSET’
First is a stunning acer with unusual textured leaves, that are fine, delicate, and almost lacy in appearance.
Sunset starts off the year a red-orange colour before fading to a yellow-green colour.
SANGUISORBA TENUIFOLIA ‘CHOCOLATE TIP’
Next up is a perennial that has light green foliage and produces tall stems with dark maroon cylindrical flowers.
They look marvellous in a border where they can grow up to 75cm tall.
BRIZA MEDIA ‘LIMOUZI’
Briza is a great group of grasses for garden texture because they have such attractive flower heads.
This variety has blue-green foliage and tiny flower heads that move in the wind, adding texture as well as a soothing soundtrack.
ALLIUM ‘RED MOHICAN’
This is such an eye-catching and unusual allium! It has long stems with small burgundy florets on top.
It looks great punctuating a border and also makes a good cut flower.
DESCHAMPSIA CESPITOSA ‘GOLDSCHLEIER’
This is a compact evergreen grass with narrow leaves in a dark green shade.
It produces arching panicle spires in a warm golden colour in summer and it’s well suited to grow in any well-drained soil.
EUONYMUS ‘HARLEQUIN’
Next is a euonymus which is a low-growing evergreen shrub with narrow leaves.
The colour is a strongly mottled white and dark green that becomes tinged with pink in autumn and winter.
ASTILBE ‘DEUTSCHLAND’
Astilbe are great flowering plants for texture and will without a doubt look fantastic in your borders.
This variety has attractive leaves and big plumes of tiny white flowers that grow out of the stem in small spires.
PENNISETUM ‘KARLEY ROSE’
These are an unusual variety of Pennisetum grass with shiny, arching leaves.
It has lovely pink flower heads that appear fluffy, like a bottlebrush. It also suits cut flower arrangements.
HELICHRYSUM SELAGO INTERMEDIUM
This is a low-growing shrub with evergreen branchlets that look similar to pine.
It has a dense structure and makes great ground cover, especially in alpine gardens.
GYPSOPHILA ‘SUMMER SPARKLES’
Gypsophila is often known as baby’s breath and is commonly used in cut flower arrangements.
It is easy to grow and this variety is tall and dense, making it ideal for the border. The tiny white flowers have a light fragrance too.
CAREX COMANS ‘BRONZE’
Sedge grasses are great for garden texture and I love this unusual bronze colour. It’s perfect for hot borders.
It’s an evergreen grass with fine leaves that move gently in the breeze.
SANTOLINA CHAMAECYPARISSUS
Sometimes known as cotton lavender, this pick is a clump-forming Mediterranean plant.
It has silvery evergreen foliage and bright yellow button-like flowers in summer that will be sure to add some cheer.
With these picks your border will be bursting with texture. So, add a new dimension to your border with pretty plants.
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
Loving the Astilbe and red alliums.