Spiky

Not all spiky shaped plants will draw blood. Think of a Phormium or an Iris or the spiky leafed Eryngiums. They have the shape, but they are softer, so by introducing these you can have the strong structure and the verticals, you can have the full stops and the rhythms that spiky plants can give your design but without the danger.

Then there are the ‘don’t eat me’ plants with small spiky or prickly leaves. This group includes things like holly, where the leaves, particularly the lower ones are nasty enough to deter grazing animals, or Poncirus trifoliata and the Colletias which have amazingly sweetly scented flowers but carry serious spikes that ensure a cautious approach.

Finally, there are the real bad boys that are the plants that defend themselves. These are the ‘stay out of my space’ plants and they give real structure and impact to gardens with strong shapes and silhouettes.