JEKYLL 8 | Texture in the Garden
Gertrude Jekyll used texture in her garden designs to create visual interest, depth, and harmony. She combined plants with contrasting textures, such as pairing delicate, feathery foliage with bold, leathery leaves, to enhance the sensory experience of the space. By layering plants with varying heights and textures, she created a dynamic flow within the garden. For example, taller plants like irises were placed against finer-textured groundcovers, creating depth and guiding the eye through the garden. Jekyll also paid close attention to the texture of flowers, contrasting soft, velvety petals with spiky, architectural forms to add variety and richness.
In addition to plant textures, Jekyll skilfully incorporated hard landscaping elements like stone walls, gravel paths, and terraces to complement and contrast with the softness of the plants. These tactile differences helped enhance the overall garden atmosphere. She also considered how textures would evolve with the seasons, ensuring year-round interest with evergreen plants and changing textures from seasonal growth. Jekyll’s use of texture was not just visual but also sensory, inviting touch and smell, and creating gardens that were engaging and enjoyable to experience at all times of the year.
Many words can be used to describe plant textures to express the way a plant looks and feels. Here are some of the most common terms used to describe plant textures:
Fine: Refers to plants with delicate, slender, or narrow leaves, stems, or flowers. Fine-textured plants often have a light, airy appearance. Examples include grasses or ferns with thin, thread-like leaves. E.g. Festuca glauca
Coarse: Describes plants with thick, bold, or large leaves, flowers, or stems. Coarse-textured plants typically have a more solid or heavy appearance. E.g. Gunnera manicata
Soft: Refers to plants with smooth, velvety, or hairy leaves, often having a gentle or soothing texture to the touch. E.g. Stachys byzantina
Rough: Describes plants with a more textured or abrasive surface. These can include plants with hairy or spiny leaves or stems. E.g. Eryngium alpinum
Glossy: Describes plants with smooth, shiny, or reflective surfaces, often due to a waxy coating or smooth leaf surface. E.g. Camellia japonica
Leathery: Refers to plants with thick, tough, and flexible leaves or stems, often with a rich, smooth texture. E.g. Rhododendron spp.
Spiky: Describes plants with pointed, sharp, or needle-like leaves or flowers, giving them a prickly appearance. E.g. Yucca spp.
Feathery: Describes plants with light, airy, or delicate textures, often characterized by finely divided leaves or flowers that resemble feathers. E.g. Miscanthus sinensis
JEKYLL 8 | Texture in the Garden
Gertrude Jekyll used texture in her garden designs to create visual interest, depth, and harmony. She combined plants with contrasting textures, such as pairing delicate, feathery foliage with bold, leathery leaves, to enhance the sensory experience of the space. By layering plants with varying heights and textures, she created a dynamic flow within the garden. For example, taller plants like irises were placed against finer-textured groundcovers, creating depth and guiding the eye through the garden. Jekyll also paid close attention to the texture of flowers, contrasting soft, velvety petals with spiky, architectural forms to add variety and richness.
In addition to plant textures, Jekyll skilfully incorporated hard landscaping elements like stone walls, gravel paths, and terraces to complement and contrast with the softness of the plants. These tactile differences helped enhance the overall garden atmosphere. She also considered how textures would evolve with the seasons, ensuring year-round interest with evergreen plants and changing textures from seasonal growth. Jekyll’s use of texture was not just visual but also sensory, inviting touch and smell, and creating gardens that were engaging and enjoyable to experience at all times of the year.
Many words can be used to describe plant textures to express the way a plant looks and feels. Here are some of the most common terms used to describe plant textures:
Fine: Refers to plants with delicate, slender, or narrow leaves, stems, or flowers. Fine-textured plants often have a light, airy appearance. Examples include grasses or ferns with thin, thread-like leaves. E.g. Festuca glauca
Coarse: Describes plants with thick, bold, or large leaves, flowers, or stems. Coarse-textured plants typically have a more solid or heavy appearance. E.g. Gunnera manicata
Soft: Refers to plants with smooth, velvety, or hairy leaves, often having a gentle or soothing texture to the touch. E.g. Stachys byzantina
Rough: Describes plants with a more textured or abrasive surface. These can include plants with hairy or spiny leaves or stems. E.g. Eryngium alpinum
Glossy: Describes plants with smooth, shiny, or reflective surfaces, often due to a waxy coating or smooth leaf surface. E.g. Camellia japonica
Leathery: Refers to plants with thick, tough, and flexible leaves or stems, often with a rich, smooth texture. E.g. Rhododendron spp.
Spiky: Describes plants with pointed, sharp, or needle-like leaves or flowers, giving them a prickly appearance. E.g. Yucca spp.
Feathery: Describes plants with light, airy, or delicate textures, often characterized by finely divided leaves or flowers that resemble feathers. E.g. Miscanthus sinensis
Now that we’ve learnt about different plant textures, can you match the texture to the plant?
Now that we’ve learnt about different plant textures, can you match the texture to the plant?