Re: Sculptural plants for coastal Med Garden

I think Cotinus, Hydrangea quercifolia, Hedera and Parthenocissus will suffer a bit in the torrid dry dummers of Costa Blanca. A bit too risky in my opinion for Southeastern Spain.
 
As Joe says, Brahea armata would be a very good choice and it is quite frequent in the area.
 
If you have some water available as weel as plenty of space, Ficus elastica can be another choice.
 
Ceratonia siliqua doesn't have really big leaves, but it sure has a sculptural trunk and habit. Mature trees look to me like giant bonsais. It won't need any more watering than what you get from rain.
 
Ficus carica can have really big leaves and it does well in your climate wit little extra water. The delicious fruits are a bonus!
 
Fran
Miraflores de la Sierra
Spain
 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: Joe Seals
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2005 3:27 PM
Subject: Re: Sculptural plants for coastal Med Garden

Pamela, et al:

 

Another "list"...

 

Dramatic and/or Big-leaved Plants

for summer-dry landscapes --

 

Trees --

 

Brahea armata                                    MEXICAN BLUE PALM

Butia capitata                                      JELLY PALM

 

Shrubs --

 

Cotinus coggygria ‘Golden Spirit’     GOLDEN SMOKE TREE

Cotinus coggygria ‘Purple Robe’, ‘Royal Purple’, ‘Velvet Cloak’

                                                          PURPLE SMOKE TREE

Cycas revoluta                                    SAGO PALM

Hydrangea quercifolia                         OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA

 

Perennials --

 

Acanthus mollis                                   BEAR’S BREECH

Aspidistra elatior                                 CAST IRON PLANT

Helleborus argutifolius (esp. ‘Janet Starnes’, ‘Pacific Frost’)

                                                         CORSICAN HELLEBORE

Melianthus major                                 HONEY BUSH

 

          Vines --

 

Clematis x cartmanii ‘Avalanche’

AVALANCHE EVERGREEN CLEMATIS

Hedera colchica ‘Dentata Variegata’, ‘Sulphur Heart’

                                                VARIEGATED PERSIAN IVIES

Parthenocissus henryana           SILVERVIEN CREEPER

Parthenocissus quinquefolia ‘Star Showers’   

VARIEGATED VIRGINIA CREEPER

Semele androgyna           CLIMBING BUTCHER’S BROOM

 

Grasses and Grasslike Plants --

 

Chondropetalum tectorum           SOUTH AFRICAN RUSH

Cordyline australis ‘Atropurpurea’, ‘Pink Stripe’,

‘Red Sensation’, ‘Red Star’, ‘Sundance’         

                                      HARDY DRACAENA

Phormium tenax hybrids (esp. ‘Apricot Queen’, ‘Dazzler’,

‘Duet’, ‘Maori Maiden’, ‘Maori Queen’, ‘Maori Sunrise’, ‘Rainbow Warrior’, ‘Shiraz’, ‘Surfer’       

                                                NEW ZEALAND FLAX

Rhodocoma gigantea                           DEKRIET/BAMBOO RESTIO


 
Joe

Pamela Steele <pamela@nznf.co.uk> wrote:
I am slowly getting my coastal garden on the Costa Blanc organised with some excellent help from members of this group. - Joes lists are  marvellous!
I am now looking for ideas for some large leaved interesting sculptural type plants ( Not agaves or cactus) for this dry summer area.  I am wondering if banana plant would survive here as we had a few nights under 0 degrees C this winter.    Shards of ice on our swimming pool one night would you believe!
 
I look forward to your advice
Thank you all
 
Pamela
 


Joe Seals
Santa Maria, California --
where the weather is always perfect
and my NEW garden will soon be blooming and full of birds and butterflies

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