Contrasting Foliage is as Beautiful and Colorful as Flowers
When designing a garden, it’s easy to get fixated on flowers and forget that for most plants, the flowers are fleeting. That means it is also important to think about what the foliage will look like before and after flowering. And for many perennials, their foliage is pretty uninteresting and in some cases down right ugly.
We all can think of a few plants that are grown just for their foliage, like hosta, but here are a few lesser-known plants that would be a welcome addition to any garden (even if they didn’t have flowers).
- Amsonia hubrichtii (zone 5 – 9): Not only is Amsonia covered with blue flowers in June, it’s fine and feathery foliage turns a bright yellow in the fall.
- Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ (zone 4 – 8): Use Jack Frost to brighten up the front of a shady border. The leaves are so intriguing by themselves that I consider the pale blue flowers a bonus.
- Heuchera(zone 4 – 9): There is a Heuchera leaf in a color to complement any garden theme. In the Walter’s Garden, Inc.catalog, I counted 40 different cultivars! Besides the foliage colors, the other thing I love about Heuchera is that so many of them are named after food (Caramel and Brownies) or drinks (Southern Comfort and Pinot Noir). I feel a theme garden coming on!
- Sambucus ‘Black Lace’ (zone 4 – 7): Black Lace is a tall upright shrub with lacy foliage and pink flowers in the early summer. The fall brings black fruit that attract the birds to your garden. The texture and color of the leaves will make a unique contrast to other shrubs in your garden.
- Hakonechloa (zone 6 – 9): This is one of my favorite ornamental grasses. Click here to read my blog post with more information about this 2009 Perennial of the Year.
So remember, when you’re designing your garden, don’t obsess over flowers. Consider the impact the foliage of the plants you are using has on the form and feel of garden. The contrast of foliage color, shape and texture is much more lasting than any flowers you might be growing.
If you have a favorite foliage plant that I didn’t include on the list, I’d love to hear all about it.
