Agapanthus praecox in my driveway, from clumps from the garden of my mother

When I first started gardening, all those years ago, I was only enraptured by the prima donnas of the horticultural world: showy flowering perennials, deciduous shrubs with their exquisite spring blooms and exotic, colourful annuals. Even better if they were totally unsuited for the climate I lived in and required heaps of TLC and work to keep them alive. I cared nothing for the workhorses of the garden that stolidly filled less-than-ideal spots with year-round greenery, asking very little in return, and being quite drought tolerant. Nowadays, I have a huge respect for these stoic plodders - the older I get, the more grateful I am for plants that need little ongoing attention. Moreover, I think we need these modest, unassuming swathes of permanent greenery in our garden to provide an apt backdrop for the plants whose moments of glory come and go. This week I wandered in my garden to look at some of the perennial types of these faithful fillers.

Clivia miniata from the garden of my mother

Clivia miniata from the garden of my mother

I realised that some of the ones I found were plants I had been given by my mother when I started gardening, 40 years ago, dug up from her Blue Mountains garden to help me fill the blank slate that was my first garden. Generally, they are evergreen clumping or rhizomatous perennials, and expand gradually to form a good mass. Some, such as Agapanthus and Clivia have the added bonus of seasonal flowers as well as their lush, strappy leaves. Others, such as Alpinia nutans rarely bloom but form an imposing presence in a dark corner. Iris japonica was another plant Mum liked and it forms low-maintenance drifts under trees, delighting me with its dainty white or milky-blue flowers in spring. Later, I discovered the variegated-leaf form, which is an excellent foliage plant for shade.

Massed bromeliads in the garden of Anne Prescott in Sydney

Massed bromeliads in the garden of Anne Prescott in Sydney

Mum also was very keen on bromeliads, and gave me lots of the ones she grew, such as Billbergia pyramidalis and Billbergia vittata, which filled gloomy corners with ease, prompting me to add more to my garden. Over time I discovered Neoregelia, Vriesea and Aechmea species and cultivars, and I found that many bromeliads have interesting coloured and patterned foliage. These plants are such an easy way to fill difficult areas, only requiring occasional dividing to keep them in good fettle.

Aspidistra elatior

Aspidistra elatior

Other good doers that made their way into my garden included the so-called cast-iron plant, Aspidistra elata, which has long, elliptical leaves and expands into a thicket that requires nothing to be done, except to perhaps be thinned once in a blue moon. I was pleased when I found there was a cream-variegated form, and then later I was given a spotted cultivar of a related species (Aspidistra lurida 'Ginga'). Aspidistra fills several corners in my garden and I try to salute it whenever I pass it. Another clumper is the renga renga lily (Arthropodium cirrhatum), which has arching, strappy leaves with the added attraction of sprays of dainty white flowers in mid-spring.

Native fern, possibly Microsorum pustulatum

Native fern, possibly Microsorum pustulatum

Ferns can fill in gaps, and one of the best I have found is the kangaroo fern (Microsorum pustulatum), which I received from the property of a keen local gardener before it was razed by new owners. It is a tall, robust fern with bold, divided foliage that is quite dramatic, often with decorative raised 'pimples' along the length of the fronds. It grows quickly from a creeping rhizome and is an excellent filler. Sometimes it does stray a little too far, but the shallow rhizomes are easy to dig up.

Thaumatophyllum xanadu

Thaumatophyllum xanadu

Previously called Philodendron bipinnatifidum 'Xanadu', Thaumatophyllum xanadu is a popular and compact plant with deeply lobed leaves, eventually making a 1-2m-wide mass. All Liriope are excellent groundcover plants for low-maintenance areas and the tall 'Evergreen Giant' cultivar makes an imposing clump over time. Its slim, grassy foliage make a good contrast to larger-leaved plants such as Thaumatophyllum Xanadu.

I don't completely ignore my faithful fillers. They get a handful of organic fertiliser in late winter when I am doing the rest of the garden and some occasional watering when times are dry. I do also try, once a year, to remove any shabby leaves: this grooming really does make them look smarter!