Green Flowering Plants and Green Foliage for a Verdant Garden

With an increasingly hectic lifestyle to contend with, green tranquility is becoming less and less secure and with ever decreasing green space in cities and towns verdant pastures are diminishing alarmingly. So to ensure a peaceful personal retreat, use green as a single color garden theme for a relaxing garden oasis at home.

Rolling lawns are not always possible or necessary for green success. True, a manicured lawn is to be envied and enjoyed but that illusive, lush green retreat can be created in small town gardens, on balconies and rooftops and in any space where imagination and thoughtful effort is employed. Also true is the fact that there are not all that many green flowers available with ‚”Euphorbia Robbiae” being a notable exception. So for a green sensation foliage will have to be considered and this can be either full green or variegated. There are foliage plants for all seasons.

Green Plants for All Seasons

Foliage plants are first noticed for their foliage but in some cases these plants have flowers which are largely overlooked while creating an all green themed garden. It is also a good idea to select plants with insignificant flowers.

• ‚”Bells of Ireland” or ‚”Moluccella Laevis” is a tall half hardy annual plant grown from seed. Set the seeds where they are to remain in full sun in any fertile soil. They grow 2 – 3ft. tall and look very good in containers. Their beauty is their light green foliage bells containing a tiny white flower. This plant self germinates and despite its name it is not from Ireland but from Indonesia.

• ‚”Euphorbia Robbiae” is an evergreen perennial shrub with lime green flowers in early spring. It grows about 2ft. tall and does well in most soil types. It does best in the shade with a little sun for good measure. For a slightly exotic look plant ‚”Euphorbia Myrsinites” in a gravel patch to enjoy its clusters of green flowers in early spring.

• ‚”Hostas” are herbaceous stalwarts and there is a wide variety to choose from. They grow best in neutral, well drained soil in the shade. Look for ‘Hosta Halcyon” for blue green large leaves, ‚”Hosta Plantaginea” for light green foliage and ‚”Hosta Ventricosa” for attractive curvy foliage as distinct to the smooth foliage of other hostas. These plants are easy to care for and are drought tolerant. They can wilt and bounce back once watered. Protect from slugs.

• ‚”Helleborus Odorus” is a robust, easy to grow plant with lime green flowers early in the year. It is the most popular of hellebores but also look for ‚”Helleborus Cyclophyllus” as it is very similar and equally as robust and reliable.

• ‚”Helleborus Argutifolius” is an evergreen favorite down as far as zone 6 temperature. It blooms early in the season in sun or shade in a neutral soil and it grows to about 3ft. As with all hellebores care is needed when handling and gloves should be worn.

• ‚”Fatsia Japonica” is a good hardy evergreen plant for shady areas and gives a tropical air to a not-so-tropical garden.

All Year Round Green Variegated Plants

By introducing variegated plants into the planting scheme the choice becomes endless. Some good variegated plants are:

• ‚”Hosta Frances Williams” is suitable for shade planting where it will excel with lime green edged foliage. ‚”Hosta September Sun” is another variegated plant, always spectacular as a focal plant in a green ceramic patio tub.

• ‚”Dumbcane” or ‚”Dieffenbachia” is a broad-leaf tropical plant and it will add depth and substance to a green garden.

• ‚”Yucca Gloriosa Variegata” is suitable for most wind protected gardens. It likes good drainage and will grow to about 5ft. On occasion it will bloom but it is grown mainly for its architectural variegated foliage.

Ferns and Grasses for an All Green Garden

Ferns and grasses can add grace and tranquillity to a green haven and some good choices are:

• ‚”Bird’s Nest Fern” is a good choice for moist, shady areas. Also use ‚”Maidenhair Fern” as its bright green foliage brightens dark winter days.

• ‚”Zebra Grass” adds grace to any full sun position and looks particularly well in a gravel area. Other grasses include ‚”Variegated Pampas Grass“, ‚”Fountain Grass” and ‚”Hamlen Dwarf Fountain Grass“. Grasses are easy to care for and always add soft refinement to a garden.

Creating an all green single color garden theme is taxing but is always worth the effort and by using hostas for lush evergreen foliage, euphorbia plants for evergreen flowers, ferns for shady gardens all combined with Fatsia Japonica for an exotic feel it is not beyond the realms of possibilities to have forty shades of green in a very personal verdant retreat.