I always think of Acanthus as an important ingredient to any cottage garden. I don’t have a cottage garden, by any means, but I do have a few acanthus in front of the house. I look forward to their re-appearance each year. They are perfect for my gardening style, as they require NO maintenance.
These acanthus were spotted in front of another house on our recent neighborhood walk and this garden was more cottage garden than I could ever hope to have.
I love the classical leaves, often seen depicted on architectural columns, and also the slightly alien looking flowers. In a good location they can grow quite tall, giving you a bit of height in those beds that need it. Mine typically get 3-4 foot tall measured to the highest stems.