Cordylines seem to become more dramatic all the time, judging by the arrival of exciting new varieties such as ‘Midnight Star’. This dark foliage cordyline, or cabbage tree, looks good just about anywhere, in the garden or in pots. This is a perfect plant for contrast, for it provides dramatic shape, with its spear shape leaves, as well as superb foliage colouring. It can lend a touch of class to bright plantings of annuals or perennials - try it as a focal point in a bed of brightly coloured pansies, or in summer golden marigolds. Or use it to add drama to a planting of bold summer perennials, such as red flowered single dahlias. As a companion for deciduous shrubs and small trees which have brightly coloured foliage over summer and intense autumn colourings, such as Japanese maples and Cercis ‘Forest Pansy’, it provides added interest, and the bonus of continuing foliage colour during winter when the others have shed their leaves.

In gardens which are very sunny, with well drained soils, Cordyline ‘Midnight Star’ can be grown with succulents. Low growing succulents will emphasise the upstanding habit of the cordyline, as will low growing grasses such as bronze tussocks and green or black mondo grass. Remember that dark wine and bronze colours can look their most dramatic with green foliage, so you could combine it with dwarf green flaxes or with renga renga, Arthropodium cirratum ‘Matapouri Bay’, a popular plant for its broad, light green, weed suppressing foliage and white flowers in summer.