Are we so shallow to think a plant must have flowers? And that a foliage plant is just a work-horse in the garden? Hopefully not – because we’d be missing out. Bred in Europe, the Pacific^™ Coprosmas are certainly as dependable and solid as a work horse. Plant them pretty much anywhere and they will deliver what you want: healthy, lush growth with no effort on your part. Flowers aren’t their thing however, so can these fantastic foliage plants also be a glamorous addition to the garden? Stop and read on below to see how to use foliage plants in the garden and you’ll quickly answer “yes”…

A great looking pot plant: when a gardener plants something in a container, it’s like they’ve turned on the spotlight. The pot usually sits somewhere noticeable – like beside the front door or out on the patio – so whatever’s in that pot needs to put on a good show. And it goes without saying that it shouldn’t die, but instead thrive and keep on looking good for as long as possible. Enter the Pacific Coprosmas. Plant either one of them and you’ll be very confident that they’ll put on a lustrous performance thanks to their tough constitutions and glossy, painterly foliage.

Worth a place in the landscape design: take a look at the work of any good professional, and you’ll soon work out that they don’t tolerate time-waster plants. And by time wasters we mean plants that promise a lot but aren’t great on delivering without a lot of pampering, something a professional horticulturalist hasn’t the time to deliver. No surprises then that Pacific Coprosmas get used a lot. They have substance and a good ‘form’ (aka shape and bushiness), they deliver a colour punch where needed, and they demand pretty much zero maintenance. Copy the professionals and dot them through a mixed planting or use them to create a sweep or block of colour in a massed planting.

And if you need to plant a hedge: Pacific Coprosma offers up an interesting option, where the hedge can be planted to be a feature in itself. The glow of these coprosmas means that you can edge a path or create a wind break, and instead of it being a standard invisible green hedge, it becomes part of the forefront in the garden picture.