In the past, if you wanted to add some really interesting feature plants to your garden, you had to have the time and the expertise to grow them yourself. Today things are much easier for the busy gardener. It’s possible to simply go along to your local nursery and buy sensational accent plants, fully mature and ready to take home. A good example is the standard plant, which has foliage shaped into a geometric ball on top of a long stem.
Many different plants make good standards, but here are some suggestions to get you started:
English box (Buxus sempervirens)
English box grown as a standard is very low maintenance, requiring only a little bit of trimming every year to keep it in shape.
Japanese maples (Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’)
These have always been popular, but are now cheaper and better than ever. They come in a range of different foliage colours including green, red and purple.
Gardenias (Gardenia augusta ‘Florida’ and Gardenia augusta ‘Magnifica’)
For beautifully perfumed white flowers it’s hard to go past gardenias. Standard gardenias are excellent placed on either side of an entrance or doorway, where their exquisite fragrance can be appreciated. ‘Magnifica’ has larger flowers and foliage than ‘Florida’.
Murraya (Murraya paniculata)
Murrayas have attractive shiny foliage which responds well to clipping and shaping. The small white, sweetly scented flowers often come out after rain.
Weeping figs (Ficus benjamina ‘Exotica’ and Ficus ‘Midnight Beauty’)
‘Exotica’ has been available for some time and doesn’t sulk as much as the original weeping fig. ‘Midnight Beauty’ is a newer variety with dark, almost black foliage and a dense growth habit.
Cost and availability
English Box (Buxus sempervirens) – 400mm (16″) pots, rrp $150-$160.
Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’) – 330mm (13″) pots, rrp $100.
Gardenias (Gardenia augusta ‘Florida’ and Gardenia augusta ‘Magnifica’) – 200mm (8″) pots, rrp $30; 250mm (10″) pots, rrp $40.
Murraya (Murraya paniculata) – 250mm (10″) pots, rrp $60.
Weeping figs (Ficus benjamina ‘Exotica’ and Ficus ‘Midnight Beauty’) – 300mm (12″) pots, rrp $150.
Plants grown as standards are readily available from nurseries and garden centres.