ideas for a specimen plant needed

hello chaps
We're digging out a new bed this evening and we'd like some ideas for a WOW specimen plant for the middle.
We live in a chalky area, but the ground is not visibly chalky. The ground drains nicely, but is at the damper end of the garden. It borders a path, so a spiky plant might not be the best idea.
Ideally it would be evergreen, architecturally interesting, but it must, must, must have white flowers, if any at all. I don't mind if it's purely foliage!
I've no doubt that the good people of GC will lend their collective wisdom to this challenge! Do your worst!
thanks in advance
lynne

 

Hi Lynne, there is a lot of choice out there. How big do you want the plant to grow? You could try Pampas Cortaderia selloana 'pumila' which is smaller then many pampas grasses. Or one of my favourites is spirea 'bridal wreath' which has masses of white flowers in spring and an arching shape when not in flower. I'm sure the others will be able to draw up a sizeable list for you with lots more interesting ideas.

 

The most gorgeous plant I've come across would do ok with you, Lynne, although it would do better in acid soil - that's Eucryphia Nymansensis.

Here's a pic I took of it at the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh



It's gloriously evergreen, and those flowers are beautiful - photo taken late August - early September, can't remember exactly.

This link tells you a bit more about it, and confirms that it can tolerate lime soil. And has some more nice pics! :D

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~gdk/stabotanic/septpom02.htm

 

Cor, what a beauty, and so BIG ! ! !

 

That's the one snag with it....... :rolleyes: I was gob-smacked when I first saw it!

 

For spikey and specimum plant - consider phormium. My neighbour has a bronze one - that now stands taller than I am - and I have just got a variegated one.

 

Hi Fran
I have a beautiful phormium - I think it's called Apricot Sunset. I don't really want a spiky plant in this new bed though; it borders a path and I don't want people to get scratched!
I do like the Eucryphia, it's lovely! I guess it can be pruned to keep its size down?

 

Ok - then how about a Golden Choisia (?spelling - its evergreen and has white flower)

 

oooo a Golden one, would that be choisya sundance?

 

As I recall - yes

 

Yes, you can keep anything down by pruning, Lynne, no probs there.

Choisya ternata 'Sundance' - a favourite plant as a 'wow' factor plant in Herts - pretty chalky there. It has white flowers, and a "basil-like" smell when pruned.

The other one that's a favourite around there is a small specimen willow, Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki' with variegated greenwhitepink leaves. It looks like it needs a haircut if left to its own devices, as in the pics, but can be kept tidier by pruning. Likes a lot of water, though, as all willows, which could be a drawback.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2006-49,GGLD:en-GB&sa=N&resnum=0&q=salix%20integra%20hakuro%20nishiki&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&tab=wi

 

How about a Viburnum plicatum 'mariesii'? It is a beautiful specimen shrub that has branches layered in tiers and white flowers all along the tops of the branches. Also good Autumn leaf colour.

See here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/968.shtml

and here
http://www.greenbeam.com/features/plant061702.stm

 

A couple more for you..
Sambucus nigra 'Black Lace', lovely fine-cut very dark foliage, creamy pink-flushed white flowers, dark red berries, responds well to hard pruning, will grow anywhere.
See http://www.easytropicals.com/pp/Other_Exotics/Sambucus_Black_Lace.html

And the golden leaved form Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland Gold' with red berries.
See http://www.crocus.co.uk/plantdoctor/coastalgardens/?ContentType=Plant_Card&ClassID=4356&CategoryID=

 

Spikey with white flowers: Yucca gloriosa. Needs sun and a little patience.

 

Fatsia Japonica.