The flowers may take centre stage at the Chelsea Flower Show, but foliage is a garden design hero. It makes the perfect backdrop to emphasise other plants and adds texture and greenery to your garden.
Great foliage can turn a nice border into a really special one. Here’s some great leafy colour from the Chelsea Flower Show.
Podophyllum Versipelle Spotty Dotty
This unusual plant has fleshy, speckled leaves in a maple tree shape. It’s great for low-growing interest in a woodland garden.
Heuchera ‘Fire Chief’
I love this deep red heuchera – it has autumnal leaves and tiny pinky white flowers on tall spires.
Athyrium Niponicum var. Pictum
Also known as a Japanese painted fern. It has a metallic finish that would suit a contemporary garden. It grows best in shade.
Hosta Undulata Mediovariegata
A great compact hosta to brighten any shade garden. I love the strong white streaks down the centre of the curly leaves. Who says greenery has to be green?
Pieris Flaming Silver
This is a lovely evergreen shrub. The new foliage is a pinky colour that gradually turns green. The older leaves develop a silvery edge.
Lagurus ovatus
Also known as hare’s tail, this grass has fluffy seed heads. It’s great for texture, height and movement in a border. Plant it in full sun.
Gold tipped oregano
This will add interest to your herb garden! It’s a lovely yellow-green oregano with decorative leaves. It will also produce soft pinky flowers during summer, but it’s the leaves that steal the show.
Physocarpus ‘Lady in Red’
A striking deciduous shrub with reddish purple leaves. It also produces little round flower heads filled with tiny pink blooms. Great for some darker colour in the garden.
Brachyglottis Drysdale
I love tactile plants, and this one is crying out to be touched! It has soft leaves in a silvery colour. It makes a great backdrop for brightly coloured flowers, including these on-trend orange ones!
Cornus alternifolia Argentea
This is also known as silver pagoda dogwood. It has stunning variegated leaves and white flowers. It also produces black berries in autumn, making it a great shrub for year-round interest.
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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