Elegant, graphic, New Zealand flax is also persistent. It goes very well with a multitude of other plants. It is the clearest of all the phormia.
The ‘Yellow Wave’ phormium: tender and light
The foliage of ‘Yellow Wave’ is arched, light green with cream and yellow central stripes. It will be particularly highlighted by plants with thin stems and very light flowers like those of verbena from Buenos Aires.
Our advice: ‘Yellow Wave’ is more cautious than other phormiums. In winter, think about protecting your feet.
The ‘Sundowner’ phormium: a tricolor symphony
Reproduce this scene rich in contrasts of shapes and colors. At the rear, the phormium ‘Sundowner’ stands tall with its broad leaves.
At the front are a large clump of Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ and a stalk of ‘Plum Pudding’, a purplish purple heuchera. This evergreen trio likes cool, well-drained soils. Water moderately.
Our advice: compose bouquets with the flowering stems of the heuchera.
A shock trio!
To miss the Phormium tenax ‘Black Adder’ peacefully installed in its green and white case is impossible. A fern in the background, a small ball of boxwood as well as white flowering catnip (Calamintha nepeta glandulosa), just in front, highlight its long and thin leaves with a semi-drooping port.
Our advice: some varieties of phormium are particularly dark, even almost black. Let yourself be tempted by ‘Black Velvet’, ‘Platts Block’ or ‘Dark Delight’.
Bring them to phormium tenax
Thanks to the persistence of their leaves, phormiums marry in all seasons, especially in spring with bulbs. The bronze foliage of Phormium tenax is an excellent foil for purple tulips like ‘Purple Lad’, ‘Negrita’ or ‘Ronaldo’.
Our tip: You can also play with darker tulips, such as ‘Queen of Night’, ‘Black Parrot’ or ‘Black Hero’.
Phormium tenax ‘Sundowner’: start the fire!
Bet on warm colors to brighten up a bed or awaken a corner of the garden. Phormium tenax ‘Sundowner’ has stunning, bronze green foliage edged with dark pink, which pairs perfectly with yarrow ‘Paprika’, in bloom from June to October.
Our advice: you can replace the yarrow ‘Paprika’ with ‘Feuerland’ or even with ‘Heidi’.
Play transparency …
The game here concerns both the textures and the height of the plants. A three-story scene, irresistible when the sun shines on it from behind. The light clouds the rose-edged leaves of the phormium, the countless tiny flowers of the ornamental garlic (Allium stipitatum) and the plumes of the stipe (Stipa tenuifolia).
Our advice: among the foliage edged with rose, our preference goes to the phormium ‘Maori Sunrise’.
Read also : Oxalis: a non-invasive outdoor plant!
