Monty revisits one of his classic books, Gardening at Longmeadow, in an occasional series.
Purple leaves, which are coming into their full glory now, will make red and yellow flowers seem more intense, and add more depth to a border than any green can, so they are particularly suitable for the Jewel Garden.
I was first struck by how effective purple foliage can be in the garden of Kiftsgate Court near Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire. The way that purple hazels were coppiced there influenced me dramatically.
Monty Don shared his advice for adding depth to borders with purple-leaved plants, as he reveals they need more pampering than green-leaved ones. Pictured: An arch of Corylus maxima ‘Purpurea’