Plants grown mostly for their leaves are called foliage plants, and they are very reliable. Flowers are often the best thing about gardens when they are in bloom. Blooms come and go. But if you plant plants with leaves that last a long time and look good, your garden will always have something to please you. Often, foliage plants are used in shady locations, since most flowering plants dont perform well in these conditions. But there are also foliage plants that work well in sun. These 12 options offer something for every situation and climate.
Some ground covers are pretty but invasive. You can grow such plants in pots so as to contain them while still enjoying their marvelous foliage. An example is bishops weed (Aegopodium podagraria), one type of which has variegated leaves.
Flowers bring joy with their ephemeral blooms but the backbone of garden beds is greenery. Foliage plants provide structure texture, and year-round color. They act as the perfect foil to flowering plants, adding dimension and visual interest. When designing flower beds, go beyond blooms by incorporating plants with stunning leaves. Read on to discover gorgeous green options that make flower beds pop.
Benefits of Foliage in Flower Beds
While flowers attract the most attention, foliage is the unsung hero that rounds out beds and borders. Here’s why green plants are integral:
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Year-round color – Unlike fleeting blooms, leaves persist to offer ongoing color Dark foliage contrasts brightly with flowers
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Texture – From huge hosta leaves to delicate ferns, foliage offers diverse textures that flowers alone lack.
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Dimension – Combining plants of different heights, shapes and sizes adds depth versus flat flower-only beds.
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Structure – Foliage frames beds, providing visual cohesion and an anchor for blooms.
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Filler – Leafy plants seamlessly fill spaces between flowering plants to complete the look.
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Versatility – Foliage thrives in sun or shade, expanding placement options.
Without foliage, flower beds lose their visual framework and lack sophistication. Thoughtfully blending greens elevates any bed into a showstopper.
Factors for Choosing Foliage
When selecting foliage, consider how leaf color, size, and texture will complement existing plants. Seek contrasts and combinations that up the visual intrigue.
Colors – Mix silver, purple, chartreuse foliage with bright blooms. Red or black leaves make dramatic accents.
Textures – Combine fine, feathery ferns with big, bold hosta leaves for dimension.
Size – Vary heights. Use low groundcovers alongside tall background plants.
Light – Match sun-lovers with other full sun plants, and shade varieties together.
Spread – Check growth rate and size. Give plants room to fill out over time.
With smart pairings, foliage and flowers play off each other for maximum impact.
Best Foliage Plants for Sunny Flower Beds
Full sun beds love these vivid foliage choices:
Coleus
Coleus supplies dazzling color in shades of red, pink, yellow, green, cream, and purple, often combined in bold patterns on a single plant. The colors intensify in bright light. Use coleus as edging, in containers, or massed as a colorful hedge.
Copperleaf
Brilliant copper-red new growth makes copperleaf (Acalypha wilkesiana) pop against its older green leaves. The bushy annual reaches 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, working well in beds and borders. Pinch it back for fullness.
Dusty Miller
Fine, silvery foliage sets off the flowers of neighboring plants. Dusty miller’s (Senecio cineraria) lacy leaves look almost white and give lightness to beds. Use it as a neutral edging plant or weave it informally throughout the bed.
Ornamental Peppers
Edible and ornamental pepper plants like ‘Black Pearl’ flaunt stunning purple-black foliage all season. The color is intensified by sunlight. Mix them into beds and borders or grow in containers nearby.
Sunpatiens
Vigorous sunpatiens (Impatiens hybrids) laugh off hot sun with colorful variegated leaves in hues of white, pink, and green. Use the spreading annuals en masse or tuck them around sun-loving blooms.
Best Foliage for Shaded Flower Beds
These eye-catching greens thrive in shade:
Astilbe
Feathery plumes of tiny Astilbe flowers in white, pink, or red sit atop fern-like foliage. The mounding perennial combines well with bleeding hearts, coral bells, and hostas. Grow Astilbe in borders or part-shade containers.
Caladium
Caladium fill shady beds with vibrant tropical color thanks to their colorful heart-shaped leaves in shades of white, pink, red and green. Mass them as edging plants or tuck them under tree canopies and shrubs.
Crested Iris
For cool blue-green foliage, try crested iris (Iris cristata). The grassy perennial remains evergreen in mild climates, spreading slowly. Short-lived flowers are a bonus. Use it as a carefree groundcover.
Japanese Painted Fern
Tricolor fronds of Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum) display hues of silver, burgundy, and olive green. The deer-resistant perennial prefers part shade with consistent moisture and combines beautifully with hostas.
Rex Begonia
Rex begonia (Begonia rex) supplies spectacular color and patterns on its large leaves, which range from solid silver to deep black-green with white contrast. Give the shade-loving bulb filtered light and rich soil.
Care Tips for Keeping Foliage Healthy
Foliage plants may need:
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Consistent water – Don’t let plants dry out, which causes leaf scorching and drop.
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Mulch – Maintain moisture and suppress weeds with 2-3 inches of mulch.
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Pinching – Pinch off leaf tips to encourage bushy growth.
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Deadheading – Remove faded flowers to promote new foliage growth.
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Thinning – Divide overgrown plants and remove congested interior stems and leaves.
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Fertilizer – Feed plants with slow-release granular fertilizer or compost.
With simple care matched to their preferences, foliage plants deliver beauty beyond blooms!
Enjoy the Benefits of Foliage
Adding colorful, textured foliage plants to flower beds:
- Creates intrigue with varied shapes, sizes, and hues
- Provides dimension, structure, and visual balance
- Blends seamlessly with flowering plants to complete beds
- Offers year-round color that persists after blooms fade
- Thrives in both sunny and shaded bed locations
For flower beds that impress with sophisticated designs, look beyond flowers to incorporate showy greens. Foliage deserves equal billing for taking beds to the next level.
Helpful Foliage Resources
Find more inspiration for adding fabulous foliage:
Growing Foliage Plants – Tips for incorporating leaves into garden designs.
Bold Foliage Plants – Eye-catching options to grow in beds and borders.
Hostas – Profiles of these classic shade-loving foliage plants.
Let vibrant hues and diverse textures take your flower beds’ allure up a notch!
Beyond Bedding Plants
Larger options for outdoor foliage include trees and shrubs. Look for types with flashy colors to inject added interest into your plantings. Some have golden leaves, like Blue Star juniper (Juniperus squamata Blue Star) and Blue Rug juniper (Juniperus horizontalis Wiltonii). Others have blue leaves, like blue spruce trees (Picea pungens Glauca). You could also grow a vine, like golden hops (Humulus), if you want gold quickly and at a high level. The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our.
- Teucrium chamaedrys. North Carolina State Extension.
- Hosta. ASPCA.
- Colocasia. North Carolina State Extension.
7 Evergreens for Every Garden!
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