What is it about big, bold foliage that appeals to gardeners?  Like the  Victorians who wanted to evoke the feeling of an exotic  jungle landscape,  I find I too am drawn to tropical looking  plants with oversized leaves like the Umbrella plant, Bananas, Cannas, Elephant Ears, Castor Bean, and the Chinese Parasol Tree to name a few.    If your garden doesn’t have space for one or more of these dramatic plants, you can create a tropical corner with plants in containers or add a single plant to your perennial border for summer flair.  Combining plants with leaves of different sizes and shapes adds variety and helps create a sense of motion. (more…)