Accent Plants – What Are They?

ACCENT PLANTS: Individuals planted singly or in small groups for emphasis in the garden picture. Usually kinds having marked characteristics of form or color are chosen, though any plant may become an accent when in strong contrast with its surroundings. Great discretion is needed to introduce an accent at the proper place and not to overdo the idea.

Among trees the spire forms such as the Lombardy poplar, red-cedar, arborvitae, Lawson cypress, Italian cypress, upright Japanese yew, and, to a slightly less degree, the ginkgo, are notable for use as accents. Yet an accent is not necessarily the exclamation point which these forms contribute to the landscape, although it is true that similar forms among flowers furnish effective emphasis. Hollyhocks, foxgloves, delphiniums, yuccas, lupines, false dragon-head, red-hot poker and Kansas gayfeather are examples. But among the flowers useful for accent, color is as important as form; therefore it is not possible to limit the desirable kinds to any one shape, size, foliage type, or form of inflorescence.

mature Italian Cypress lining a road

An accent is needed in garden composition:

to introduce life where the effect may otherwise be monotonous
to emphasize a change in the character of the planting, or in the grade or ground levels
to draw attention to desirable vistas or other features
occasionally to neutralize the bad effect which some element which cannot be eliminated would otherwise produce.