Use Purple Leaved Shrubs Sparingly to Create Dramatic Effects

With reddish, purple or bronze leaved plants the green chlorophyll is masked by a red layer of pigment. This means less photosynthesis takes place so the plants produce less food. In order to maximise the potential for growth reddish-purple foliaged plants are best grown in full sun. Too many dark foliaged plants create a sombre tone, but when used sparingly the contrast they create with lighter coloured shrubs can be quite startling.

Combine Purple and Yellow Foliaged Shrubs

Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ forms a dense mound of rounded, deep red-purple foliage which appears almost translucent when backlit by the sun. To obtain the largest, shiniest leaves possible this shrub must be pruned hard, before bud-break, each spring (to approximately 45cm from the ground.) New growth will easily reach 11 metre long in a growing season.. This shrub goes out in a fiery flourish when the leaves turn scarlet before carpeting the ground in autumn. The down side of this hard pruning means no late summer plumes of the tiny, smoky pink flowers which give the shrub its common name of smoke bush. Placed in close proximity to the golden foliaged Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’ (yellow Mexican Orange Blossom) the composition created is bright and cheery.

Sambucus nigra ‘Black Lace’ which is bred from the native elder has finely cut almost black foliage which combines superbly with its pink flushed flowers. Fewer flowers are borne if it is pruned almost to ground level each spring, but the resultant growth is luxuriant. It is without doubt one of the best plant introductions of recent years. Plant in front of an arbour over which a golden leaved hop (Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’ ) romps for stunning effect. An alternative to ‘Black Lace’ Sambucus nigra, ‘Guincho Purple’ has deeply divided leaves, green at first, maturing to dark purple ten red in autumn.

Japanese Maples Add a Touch of Class

For many gardeners Japanese maples are the ultimate example of quality when it comes to coloured foliaged shrubs. Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ looks magnificent when its dark red-purple, deeply cut five-lobed leaves unfold in May. Acer palmatum septemlobum osakazuki produces extremely handsome large deeply 7-lobed leaves 10-12cm long which are an attractive bronze green all summer before turning brilliant red in autumn.

A Purple Leaved Shrub for the Larger Garden

If space permits the purple-leaved filbert (Corylus maxima ‘Purpurea‘) which if left unpruned reaches 6 metres by 6 metres makes a magnificent purple leaved specimen shrub. Its new growth is most colourful when this shrub is pruned to almost ground level (coppiced) in spring, but as a trade-off the purplish catkins which drape the older branches in winter are forfeited.

So Choose Three or Four Purple Foliaged Shrubs and Place Them Wisely

For most modern gardens three or four purple-leaved shrubs are all that’s needed to add interest and contrasting colour. Always remember that green in all its shades should be the dominant foliage colour .