The feeling of using leaf as a originative manner to heighten a garden is often leave out . One of the advantages of using foliage to add impact to gardens or container plantings is that plants with fabulous colored leaves , interesting texture or forms offer plenty of interest justly through the crepuscule , without add expense .
But how do you incorporate foliage into your landscaping and container gardening?
Below are three simple ways.
1) Start with color
It ’s the best jumping off point as you cut into into your fabulous foliage adventure . When choose a new plant , see not only at its flush ( which generally do n’t last throughout the season ) but its foliage as well .
With some flora , the leaf may start out in various tint of green but then changes color as the season comes to a finale . This pass not only with trees and shrub , but can also include many perennial such as hardy geranium which turn from greenish to bright scarlet , genus Hosta which turn to shade of brilliant gold and yellow , peonies that turn from a rich honey oil to deep loss or purplish and ornamental grasses that , in late season , extend a variety of shades and colors – from bright oranges and reds to lenient salmon pink and golden yellows .
Many other plants start their lives with rich , vibrant colors . Some are unanimous while others are streaked , stripy , spotted , or edge . CannaTropicanna , for instance , unfurls gorgeous multi - colored striped leaves throughout the season , adding an exotic sense of touch to any garden or container . NewTuxedo ® mophead hydrangea feature coloured glossy purple leave that look vivacious even once the prime have faded . Festival Raspberry’sstrappy sour burgundy leaf is edged in raspberry pink . And in direct contrast to those darker rich colors , the soft downcast shades of artemisia and Japanese paint ferns can help to soften keen edges .
Then , of course , there are plants that offer both gorgeous blooms and interesting foliage . Coreopsis ( tickseed ) blooms for long periods of meter , but even when not blooming , it ’s lacy is adorable . Flower Carpetroses have glossy green leafage that adds vibrance to the other outpouring garden , even before they ’re in peak . And with its multicolored green and white stripy leave , Rock & Roll ® Alstroemeriais a tangible attention grabber long after its bright red flush fade .
Flower Carpet ’s glistening greenish leaves look great even when the plant is n’t in flower . shop at by Anthony Tesselaar Plants .
When selecting plants for their foliage color , you have plenty of pick – from soft ice blues and bright Paris green common to robust crimson and burgundies . So , be sure to take advantage of these option and admit a mix of colors in your palette . For example , Festival cordyline ’s dark pinkish or burgundy foliage really stand out when it ’s plant next to the yellow green or lime green plants or interplanted with Tropicanna Gold . With its dark purple - black leave , Tropicanna Black works nicely with lucky Hakone grass .
Do n’t be afraid to go dark . gloomy foliage is great any time of year as long as it ’s used in mitigation . In the spring and early summer , plant likeFestival ™ Burgundy , Heuchera ‘ Plum Pudding ’ , sedum ‘ Mohrchen ’ and ‘ Huskar Red ’ penstemon contrast nicely with spring - blooming tulips and daffodils and other floweringStorm lily of the Nile . However , dark foliage plants are particularly arresting during the fall when contrasted with those plants that are turning gold and orange , or with later flower perennial and yearly . For instance , a container that includesTropicanna Black , orange marigolds , gilt mum and some ornamental peppers make a fabulous crepuscle container .
2) Vary plant forms
Foliage color is n’t the only affair that can add impact . The shape and form of your chosen plants can increase involvement as well . plant with strong leaf come in various size and form including columnlike physical body like the evergreen plant upright Genista raetam , Italian cypress tree , columniform blue-blooded spruce , andBurgundy Star ™ magnolia ; low - growers like Flower Carpet ® Roses with their bright green leaves , sedums , ajuga and prostate gland rosemary ; and cascading plants such as many decorative grasses and Festival Cordyline . Pacific ™ Sunset and Sunrise coprosmas , boxwood , lavender and many smaller shrubs are examples of mounding plants .
Even when the flowering works in this bed are n’t in blooming , the various textures of the iris , nepeta , Lady ’s mantle and Flower Carpet blush wine keep it interesting . patronize by Anthony Tesselaar Plants .
For maximal appeal , let in a mix of industrial plant conformation in your garden or container . This mixture help to move your line of sight throughout the garden . When determining plant placement , loosely it ’s best to keep taller , more upright forms to the back of a garden border or center of an island garden , and then move forrader with medium - acme and then low cultivator to the front .
3) Contrast textures
Just think how boring your abode would be if everything were the same grain . The same is true of garden . Without acontrast of texturesand surfaces , the garden becomes mediocre at well . Think about all the foliation texture possibilities that exist in the industrial plant world . Fine - textured foliage ranges from the lacing - similar tansy , fern frond and astilbe to the touchy mounding coreopsis and silver mound artemisia . Spiky foliation plants of varying peak let in phormiums , Festival genus Cordyline , yucca plants , many cosmetic green goddess , violent storm agapanthus and Tropicanna cannas . The options are endless !
Consider the real size of it and texture of the leaves as well . For representative , the small-scale leaves on the multi - toned Pacific ™ coprosma are extremely sheeny and counterpoint nicely with plant that have less shine . Lady ’s mantle ( alchemilla ) offers scallop - edge leaves that sparkle after a rain or heavy morning dew . And do n’t forget the indulgent profane , pelt - like grain of lamb ’s ear – always a favorite of small garden visitant . As part of the contrasting texture , consider conflate plants of various leave-taking size and shapes but to maintain a harmonious flavor in your garden , be careful in coalesce plants with utmost variance in size and texture .
With the array of foliage plant life available for any climate – from heat - lovingTropicanna cannas , Storm ™ agapanthus and Elijah Blue fescue grass to drought - tolerant yuccas , Festival genus Cordyline and miscellaneous sedum to moth-eaten - hardy heuchera , Flower Carpet ® roses and Nipponese painted ferns , using foliation to add encroachment and allurement to your garden or container is easy , regardless of your climate and produce conditions . Explore the possibilities !
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With its strappy burgundy leaves, Festival Burgundy cordyline adds impact to a small mixed-texture foliage bed.
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Foliage plants are also ideal for creating stunning shade gardens, adding color, texture and interest in spaces where many flowers won’t bloom.Sponsored by Anthony Tesselaar Plants.
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Earlier in the season this area was totally green! Sponsored by Anthony Tesselaar Plants.
Tropicanna’s brilliantly striped leaves add an exotic touch to any garden.Sponsored by Anthony Tesselaar Plants.
Flower Carpet’s glossy green leaves look great even when the plant isn’t in bloom.Sponsored by Anthony Tesselaar Plants.
Festival Raspberry cordyline in a bed of Blue Storm agapanthus.Sponsored by Anthony Tesselaar Plants.
These mixed containers started out as “foliage only” with Tropicanna cannas, ornamental kale and mixed coleus. Fall mums were added in September to add more impact. Sponsored by Anthony Tesselaar Plants.
Without these dark burgundy Festival cordylines, this landscape would be quite boring! Sponsored by Anthony Tesselaar Plants.
Even when the flowering plants in this bed aren’t in bloom, the various textures of the iris, nepeta, Lady’s mantle and Flower Carpet roses keep it interesting.Sponsored by Anthony Tesselaar Plants.
With their large bold leaves, Tropicanna Gold adds interest to this all-green bed.Sponsored by Anthony Tesselaar Plants.
The rich shiny leaves of Coprosma Pacific Sunset™ contrast nicely with ornamental grasses.Sponsored by Anthony Tesselaar Plants.
These Snow Storm™ agapanthus are well past their bloom stage but their spiky golden-yellow seed heads are still striking. Sponsored by Anthony Tesselaar Plants
