What’s Happening on the Accent Plant Bench…
The accent bench always brings new things each month. Here’s a sampling of June’s offerings:
Grass, hawkweed, and fern, 22″/ 56 cm. The balance of the three foliage types looks pretty good this year…last year was a different story. To some degree one can trim for balance. One plant should be the boss. The others are accents to the boss accent. At least that’s one way of looking at it.
Giant Helleborine (orchid in bloom), fern, and sedge, 20″/ 51 cm. The Helleborine doesn’t like too much competition with other plants for water or nutrition, so we keep the others trimmed back.
Rush, 11″/ 28 cm. Roots and moss growing happily over the sides of this one, which generally only happens if watered 2-3 times a day. The majority of accents prefer frequent watering.
Lady fern and Licorice fern, 10″/ 25 cm.
Rush, fern, grass, and spiral orchid, 16″/ 41 cm. Not great balance with this one. But originally the rootball was at the level of the pot lip, so it has mushroomed well. (This is actually an appreciated feature of accent plants…)
Not Entirely Sure plant on a rock, 5″/ 13 cm.
Equisetum and Weed From The Front Yard, 34″/ 86 cm. This composition is by Young Choe. Such a large piece is intended to be displayed by itself, not with a bonsai. These can serve as wonderful garden pieces on the ground in choice locations, with a board underneath.
Michael Hagedorn 
9 Comments
think your unknown is a Selaginella
Yes that was one thought we had, thanks for the confirmation!
Really nice, Mike.
Your last comment referring to using accent plants as garden pieces answered my thoughts as I reviewed the pictures. The size of these accent? didn’t register with my thoughts of an accent display being incorporated into a bonsai tree display. Living in a warmer climate area, I wouldn’t venture into “accents” of this size. It would add additional care. But I’ll bet they are beautiful in your garden.
I am especially wanting to find the licorice and lady fern plants to play with in my yard, though.
Thanks for sharing!!
Particularly handsome and pretty combinations. Thank you for brightening our day…!
Your accent plants are beautiful Michael
Very mind provoking to appreciate another experience in the world of ‘Bonsai’….. thank you Dave
On Tue, Jun 6, 2017 at 2:51 PM, Michael Hagedorn wrote:
> crataegus posted: “The accent bench always brings new things each month. > Here’s a sampling of June’s offerings: Grass, hawkweed, and fern, 22″/ 56 > cm. The balance of the three foliage types looks pretty good this > year…last year was a different story. To some degree” >
Are your accent plants locally collected? I know there’s a tree word I’ve not really committed to memory but I don’t know if it applies to non-woody plants as well.
I use the word collected for accents….and yes, they are mostly collected nearby. This is what I prefer.
There are certainly some fun plants one can buy, just maybe stay away from the cultivated, fancy varieties. Go natural.