Large Leaved Plants – 8 Big Bold Beauties For You To Try

It’s fair to say that the areas in my garden with a real wow factor have one thing in common – large leaved plants. In some cases the big leaves are creating a real impact all on their own. But more often than not, they’re wonderfully contrasting with something much smaller nearby.

You don’t need a huge space to enjoy them. If you’ve only a small garden, many large leaved plants still work brilliantly. Creating instant drama and actually making a space look bigger than it is! While if you’re trying to create a jungle style, you definitely will need some jumbo-sized leaves to complete the look.

Lastly, while they’re high on impact, in my experience many large leaved plants are low on maintenance. They cope with our winters without too much mollycoddling (ooh I’ve not typed that word before).

So without further ado, here are some of my favourites.

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1. Ferns

There are a number of ferns which create huge drama with their fabulous fronds. Regal Fern (Osmunda regalis) is perhaps too big for most of us. OK – it’s massive! But if you’ve the space, a large water feature like the one above and preferably acid soil, then all I can say is wow! It bears huge, bright green fronds that grow 2 metres high.

I don’t have this fern but I do have loads of others. So for something on a smaller scale but with plenty of “frondy-va-va-voom” try the deciduous fern Dryopteris wallichiana. This beauty unfurls to produce striking fronds that are 90cm high. Mine is in a pot which constrains it. But if you have the space, I think it looks particularly effective planted in a group.

Or if you’ve the budget you could go for a pricier Tree Fern – dicksonia antarctica. They produce wonderfully large fronds but grow oh so slowly. As a result a large Tree Fern will set you back a lot of money.

But if you have a small courtyard garden and want a high impact plant that looks super chic, a Tree Fern (or two) could be the plant for you. This show garden at Hampton Court in 2014 made wonderful use of them. And while not many of us could afford nine, it illustrates how impactful the dicksonia antarctica is as a statement plant.

On a much more modest scale, I have a Tree Fern growing in a container. It’s very small but even so, is still one of my favourite large leaved plants.

2. Ensete

If you’re after something big and bold, Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ is a must. Although they like full sun, I have one growing in a pot in a semi-shaded corner of my patio. These conditions stop mine getting to ginormous. But even restrained in this way, mine is still a good 1.5 metres tall and has masses of impact.

On my patio it’s combined with ferns, the red heuchera Fire Chief and the chocolatey Dahlia Mexican Star. I know it sounds an odd combo but it somehow creates a wonderful jungly effect. Well I think so anyway!

The ensete is one of those large leaved plants which won’t cope with our winters. So before the first sign of frost – when it’s still looking lovely – I cut it right back. I then lift the pot into my shed, wrap it in a blanket for extra protection and let it go dormant. I replant it in fresh soil in the spring and bring it back to life in my very sunny sitting room, moving it back into position on the patio once all risks of frosts have passed.

3. Need Smaller Large Leaved Plants? Meet Spotty Dotty!

Not all large leaved plants need to be tall. ‘Spotty Dotty’ is a hybrid podophyllum which is relatively low growing but with wonderful leaves.

I discovered mine at a plant sale when visiting glorious gardens at The Coach House at Ampney Crucis.

It bears upright hairy extended stems in spring, from which huge, lobed umbrella-shaped leaves with large contrasting spots appear – almost floating above the plant. The leaves look a bit puffy like a prehistoric plump toad! I know I’m not selling this to you. But if you have a shaded spot and want to inject some leaf drama, I think it’s a great option. People say they can be smelly, but mine isn’t an issue at all.

I have my Spotty Dotty in the ‘blue pot’ area leading up to our back door. It’s a shaded spot, which is what it needs. I keep it well watered and the plant contrasts wonderfully with the jumble of hostas, ferns, acers and grasses in this area.

4. Gunnera

For such an enormous water feature you need something significant to have any kind of impact – and the Gunnera has it in spades. That’s why it’s in this selection of large leaved plants.

However it’s not for the faint-hearted nor the space-constrained. It grows 1.5-2.5 metres tall and 2.5-4 metres wide. It likes a permanently damp spot, sun or light shade (but not deep shade). Over winter it needs a bit of protection. Popping its decaying leaves over the crown of the plant will do. And it needs to be constrained. In the wild it can become invasive.

Having said all that, if you have the space and the right conditions, few large leaved plants will rival it. The huge, deeply veined, jagged-edged leaves, held horizontally on robust, upright, prickly stems – all I can say is wow!

5. Ginger Lily

These beauties also known as Hedychiums produce tall, upright slim but sturdy stems. I think these alone are lovely enough – like a lush jungle. But from late summer through to autumn they add to their loveliness by rewarding you with a chunky, exotic-looking and very fragrant, flowerhead.

Still not convinced? Well, let me add that although they’re tall, they don’t take up a lot of space. You can pack them into quite a small space in a sunny border or confine them in a container.

This is my second year growing a Ginger and mine is in a container. Last year I made the mistake of surrounding it with other plants. It didn’t get enough light and so barely grew. This year the poor thing has had to contend with erratic watering due to the weather! It’s not been the best of years in which to keep containers perfectly watered.

But even with my terrible treatment, it’s already proving a great performer on the leaves front. I’ve found that the Ginger’s slender stems don’t flop over (though I’d shelter them from high winds).

Also, they don’t need to be dug up to be over-wintered. I’ll just cut them back at the first sign of frost and put a mulch over the top of my container to protect the plant from frosts.

Mine is Hedychium aurantiacum, which will (one day!) produce lovely orange flowers. But if you want to check out some alternatives I heartily recommend taking a look at the The Big Plant Nursery

6. Cannas

Cannas’ paddle-like leaves are often variegated which makes them a really interesting addition to a planting scheme. For instance, Canna ‘Tropicanna Orange, has stunning leaves striped green and yellow with reddish undersides. These alone, combined with its 1.5m stature, would secure its place in my garden. But it then from June to September it goes one better and treats you to vibrant orange flowers.

Cannas aren’t hardy, so need some winter protection by lifting in the autumn and storing in a frost free spot until spring. But that’s a small price to pay for so much loveliness.

7. Large Leaved Plants Good for Ground Cover – Bergenia

I don’t have them in my garden but if you have a partially shaded spot that needs a bit of ground cover, Bergenias are well worth investigating. Although low growing, they have thick leathery large leaves and produce attractive pink flowers on tall stalks in the spring. The one in this photo is pretty standard and rather on its own (I prefer them in a clump).

But if you are going to plant a lot, it’s worth shopping around and looking at the different varieties. For instance, some have a very attractive red tinge in winter. While Bergenia cordifolia ‘Purpurea’ has purplish leaves all year round.

8. Hostas

I can’t complete this blog on larged leaved plants without mentioning hostas. I have gazillions of them and as long as you don’t panic about the potential threat from slugs and snails, I think they’re fabulous. In pots, edging beds like above – indeed everywhere!

I blogged about my top 10 hostas a while ago. So a quick look there will give you some inspiration. But cutting to the chase, my favourite in terms of sheer leaf size has to be Sum and Substance. (My friend Kay will be raising her eyebrows now, as she thinks I go on about this hosta too much). But he merits such recognition.

Sum and Substance rules the roost on my patio. Although he’s kept in a corner spot, to give him wind protection, he’s still a real statement plant taking centre-stage.

The experts say he grows to 90cm tall and 1.5metres wide if not bigger when given the space to grow. But because my Sum and Substance is in a container, he’s constrained. But he’s very happy.

The leaves are thick and substantial and at 45cm long and almost 38cm wide – really big. They are a glossy chartreuse but the leaves will go gold, if you grow the hosta in the sun. Yes, you read that right, this hosta is happy in full sun.

If you want a ‘bluer’ leaf – perhaps to complement pale pink planting – I’d suggest Deane’s Dream. It is a lovely blue, medium sized hosta. His maximum height and spread is 40cm x 70cm. His leaves, while not enormously fat are substantial in their length. The long blue tapering leaves just look gorgeous.

Large Leaved Plants – Final Suggestions

If you’re keen for even more large leaved plants, there are many others you could check out such as:

• Chinese Rice Paper Plant, Tetrapanax papyrifer ‘Rex’ – leaves can reach 60cm!
• Schefflera – bold and architectural
• Fatsia Japonica – classic choice
• Angelica – perennial with fab foliage and rounded umbels up to 25cm across!

That’s it from me. Hopefully this will give you a little inspiration when you’re looking to inject some large leaved loveliness into your garden. If I’ve missed off your favourite, let me know and I’ll add it to the list! Happy gardening X