When the sun is in a lazy mood, some shrubs know how to keep a beautiful desire to shine. Their variegated foliage catches the slightest light and attracts the eye as if they were in the sun. Let's learn how to play with them, in the city as well as in the country, to give our garden the sparkle it deserves even in the middle of winter.
Few plants bloom in winter and the garden often seems a little empty... unless you think about planting a few evergreen shrubs. On the one hand, these require less maintenance than flowers, on the other hand, they offer the garden a permanent decor that laughs at the seasons. Some of them have the good idea to bring in addition to the often original notes of color. These are the shrubs with variegated foliage.
The variegated foliage awakens the days in half-tone and revives the dark foliage. Plant them where you can see them from your window, you will be able to enjoy them without having to put your nose outside. Seen from a distance, variegated foliage usually shows its secondary color, green fading almost completely. It is by associating them with darker evergreens that you will notice them better. Your eye is more sensitive to contrasts!
The use of variegated evergreens is recommended in city gardens and in all well-structured compositions. The variegated foliage also always blends better into a whole than a fully colored foliage. It is softer and more discreet. However, it is best not to overdo it so as not to give an artificial impression.
Indispensable on a balcony
In the rather sophisticated context of the hanging garden, variegated foliage is a marvel and can provide much of the winter décor. Golden tones are best suited for white resin planters, while gray or cream variegated foliage is very comfortable in natural pottery.
As a bouquet, all year round
Isn't one of the pleasures of gardening to pick a bouquet for your home? Branches of variegated foliage elegantly enhance the brightly colored flowers. Follow the palette of the seasons.
Complementary tones
Golden shandy: toners
The persistent golden (or yellowish variegated) lingering leaves bring a warm and bright note. They contrast wonderfully with the dark green of conifers or the dark brown of some trunks in winter. They work wonders in the semi-shaded areas of the garden, which they illuminate and to which they bring a luxurious note. Golden variegated plants perform best in a sunny environment, while fully golden foliage will "fry" quickly. Place the golden foliage in the background of a decorative element (statue, bench) that you wish to highlight, the eye will be irresistibly attracted.
In regions with naturally low sunlight, groups of plants with yellow or yellow variegated foliage bring a note of cheerfulness. A yellow monochrome bed is at once cheerful, tonic, elegant.
The golden evergreen shrubs (or variegated yellow) will be usefully supported by the presence of bright green or silvery gray foliage to avoid giving the impression of sulphurous plants. In shaded areas, the combination of yellow foliage with purple creates a luminous and refined effect.
Silvery variegated: refined
Evergreen shrubs with blue, grey, silver or cream variegated foliage are elements of refinement in the garden. They bring a note of softness and make you want to touch them. They should be planted in small parsimonious patches, because in large numbers they create a somewhat sad or melancholic impression. They are plants of great interest in the immediate surroundings of resting areas, as they encourage contemplation and meditation. These foliages will be used especially in areas with little sunlight, because if the light is bright, they shine and hurt the eyes (a bit like white flowers). They are a must in the North, in Normandy, in Picardy, in Ile de France, because their subtle nuances take all their value in gloomy weather and cloudy skies.
The silvery greys make the yellows sing and give brightness to the whites, they underline the refinement of the blues and attenuate a little the brutal force of the reds. With pink, they are combined with tenderness.
Creamy shades: luminous
In dense shade, cream or white shades perform better than grey or silver foliage.
Cream is used like white and is used to lighten dark areas and neutralize strong colors.
Pink variegated: rare
The evergreen shrubs with tricolor foliage where the pink is added, are rather rare (one finds this characteristic rather in the deciduous trees). They are only found in stranvaesia (Photinia davidiana 'Palette') and leucothoe (Leucothoe walteri 'Rainbow').
Nurseryman's advice
Lack of chlorophyll tends to weaken variegated plants. They are therefore less vigorous than green-leaved forms and require more attention from the gardener. Sometimes young, fully green twigs may appear in the bush. Remove these intruders quickly, otherwise they may dominate. Instead of cutting the green shoots, pull them out with a sharp blow to prevent regrowth. This phenomenon is called "back to type".
As valuable as they are, use variegated persistence with care and avoid cacophony in variegated forms. A mixture of spots and stripes, for example, is very hard on the eye, which can no longer find its bearings. You should therefore avoid overloading patterns and the more complex they are, the more sparingly they are used.
