A scene in the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

It seems such a long time since my last blog on 5 December - and how much life has changed for us all since then. As ever, our gardens are here to provide solace, distraction and a haven away from the world. With lots of rain, humidity and heat this summer, there has been incredibly abundant growth. Many warm-climate plants are looking spectacular right now and I was very fortunate last week to visit the garden of a dear friend who lives but a stone's throw away from me. I have had the pleasure of seeing this garden develop into a gorgeous, lush, colourful oasis over the past 15 years or so, full of the 'Sydney' plants that I love and which flourish in our crazy summer weather.

Agapanthus Queen Mum

Agapanthus Queen Mum

There are so many beautiful flowers spangling this garden at the moment, including Abutilon and a variety of Salvia plants, including 'Amistad' and 'Joan' providing height and rich colour; a number of cane and shrubby Begonia, so long-flowering and handy for shadier spots; Plectranthus, including the compact Cape Angels types that have white, pink or purple spikes of blooms, and the lilac-flowered Plectranthus saccatus; sun-hardy versions of New Guinean Impatiens; the bicoloured Agapanthus 'Queen Mum'; spidery Hymenocallis peeping out of a shady corner; and stalwart Pentas shrubs. Many are used to create 'colour echoes' with verdant foliage plants, which are grown in generous clumps and merge to form a seamless whole, reminding me of how the creative use of leaves is really what brings a garden together and gives interest over an extended period of time.

Massed foliage plants in the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

Massed foliage plants in the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

For example, the hue of gorgeous crimson New Guinean Impatiens in the central urn (pictured at the start of the blog) is repeated in the leaves of Iresine herbstii growing nearby. This wonderful foliage plant also has varieties with purplish-brown or yellow-and-green striped leaves, which are used effectively in this garden. They grow into robust shrubs and do equally well in sun or shade. The quaint 'freckle-face plant' (Hypoestes phyllostachya) with its cute leaves smattered with pink, red or white dots is also an excellent foliage plant in this garden. The colour of the spots can be matched to nearby flowers, making a pretty picture, being especially useful in shaded areas.

Colocasia Black Magic and Tradescantia zebrina the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

Colocasia Black Magic and Tradescantia zebrina the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

Another eye-catching vignette is a bold specimen of Colocasia 'Black Magic' rising dramatically above a lavish carpet of Tradescantia zebrina. The dark markings of the groundcover are echoed in the giant, purple-veined, blackish-green, heart-shaped leaves of the Colocasia. The finely divided strappy leaves of mondo grass fringing the planting, and a veil of shiny green star jasmine foliage on the fence behind complete the picture.

Plectranthus Nico in the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

Plectranthus Nico in the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

Across the path from this combination is a luxurious carpet of Plectranthus 'Nico', a groundcover with purple-veined and purple-backed foliage continued the colour theme of the Colocasia and the Tradescantia. In early autumn, this plant will have veil of long spires of dainty lilac-tinged flowers over a long period. Plectranthus are such valuable plants for shady areas, and they have a diversity of forms, from groundcovers through compact shrubs to quite tall specimens, such as Plectranthus ecklonii for the back of borders. Many have interesting foliage, including the silvery shrub Plectranthus argentatus (combined in this garden with silver-flecked perennial Pilea cadieri) and the white-variegated Plectranthus forsteri, which both really light up shaded spots with their leaves.

Golden foliage plants in the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

Golden foliage plants in the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

Further on in the garden, the pointy, glowing leaves of Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious' are paired with a fancy-leaved Pelargonium with rounded, crimped foliage of the same hue. A stunning, dark red coleus with a golden edge to its leaves is placed between them, linking the group. Luxuriant green foliage spreading between these plants provides an apt background to the combination - a necessary foil to any coloured-leaf arrangement.

Colour echo in the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

Colour echo in the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

Coleus come in such a wide range of patterns and colours, offering great scope for pairing with other foliage and flowers. A specimen with salmon markings on its leaves is tucked under a Salvia splendens with blooms of the same hue. Elsewhere in the garden, pink or yellow-splashed coleus echo the colours of nearby flowers and leaves, giving a harmonious coherence to the garden for many months.

Silvery-veined Ruellia makoyana is another excellent foliage plant growing in the garden, and does well in shade. Clump-forming Ctenanthe setosa 'Grey Star' with its bold, metallic-hued, paddle-shaped leaves is also useful in shade and provides interest throughout the year. It is contrasted with plants that bloom in other seasons and have attractive green foliage such as the bold, strappy leaved Clivia and Crassula multicava with its chunky, rounded, succulent foliage. An established bird's nest fern provides a striking, sculptural focal point amidst this tapestry of foliage.

Green wall in the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

Green wall in the garden of Kathryn Hipkin in Sydney

An excellent collection of bromeliads in pots and on a 'green wall' is another source of diverse foliage sizes, shapes, hues and patterns such as spots, stripes, blotches and bands. Neoregelia is perhaps the most notable type for foliage colour. The leafy centre of these bromeliads becomes brilliantly hued red, orange, pink or purple at flowering time in summer (the tiny, inconspicuous clustered flowers are held low in the centre of its vase), remaining colourful for some months afterwards. Flower spikes of the other types of bromeliads grown offer an added bonus at different times during the year!

I came away from the garden with a renewed sense of enthusiasm about gardening and what can be achieved in our unique Sydney climate!