Ornamental Foliage

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22670, 6 March 1937, Page 10 (Supplement)

Ornamental Foliage

'Planning Colour Schemes : rpHE number of plants with orna'X mental foliage is now so great that It is possible to devise some effective colour schemes for summer without reIvinc on bloom alone. ; The coleus will be familiar to many 'readers as a greenhouse but :there is one species, Coleus Teltii that makes an admirable bedding'plant. With deep purple leaves .the plant only requires the Paction of a frost-proof greenhouse in the winter months. , , t Iresine may also be had in brightlycoloured foliage, and in many p aces in Auckland will survive our winter. As & contrast to these, silvery : fol.aged 'plants are invaluable. Cineraria manXima is an old occupant of our gardens. StS sllverv foliage making an excellent 'edgfne. and the silver-grey of Centaurea candidissima, while rather slower growing, is none the less valuable. • fr There is another silver-leaved plant that has not been seen very much in late years—Leucophytum Brownn. This Is a mere easily grown perennial making a more or less columnar bush some 18 inches in height. The growths are very slender and densely coyeied with the finest silvery hairs imaginable- in iact the growths have all the appear- , Imce of silver wire, so -small are the leaves - set off the delicate silvers and f* reys of these plants one can hardly o better than grow the rec« orach, - :Atriples hortensis cupreata. This is a ;hardy annual which may be sort'n now ■ 'But of doors, and will soon run up to 3S-height of three or four feet, with ihin, but wiry violet-coloured stems and beetroot-red foliage. In view of the ease, with which it may be grown, and ■its appearance, it is surprising that there has not been more demand for it. •?';V ■