Coloured foliage

Flowers are generally regarded as the main source of colour in a garden, which is of course true. But some foliage can also add vibrant colour. In the picture above the three main characters are Heucheras - 'Caramel', 'Key Lime Pie' and 'Palace Purple'. The colour is purely from the foliage, and they are evergreen (or should that be everlime and everpurple! The other plants are Bellis perennis, dark red wallflower and Polemonium.

Are there any other suggestions for coloured foliage?

 

Heucheras are a very useful garden plant, Peter, but seem to be much underrated.:thumb:

 

Nice show Peter, they look good together

 

There are so many colours now and with the Tiarella crosses even more. They should be used more often.

 

I used to always grow some coleus for summer bedding back in the eighties.
Dont think they are in fashion anymore.
But I still have iresine, similar but is better as it never flowers, I find.

 

I had forgotten Coleus Pete. Will they grow OK outside? I grew some last year for the first time, and they were lovely inside, but when I put them outside they really suffered - scorched and torn leaves etc, so I brought them back inside again.

 

Pete.

I've three Palance Purples in my garden and, you're right, there's nothing quite like folliage to add colour. I have to admit that when I first planted them I wasn't sure if I'd done the right thing. I've now change my mind.

I'm no expert in gardening but at the moment i've been doing something similar with Lamiums.

Ant.

 

Hi Ant. What Lamiums are you using? - I have never thought of them as foliage plants.

 

Coleus always did alright outside for me Peter, not saying you didn't, but I think they are fairly tender and benefit from careful hardening of so as to stop them getting checked.
Last summer was a bad one.:eek:

 

I will have to try again Pete. Mine must have been hardened off in the traditional sense - they were in my summerhouse with an open front for months before I put them outside. I think the problem was that they were so happy inside in still air that they grew huge leaves, and then couldn't take the wind outside. Which, I suppose is a sort of failure to harden off. :confused: - just testing smilies - have only just found them.

 

Hi Peter.

I bought three Lamium Maculatum Beacon Silver today. They've silvery white leaves with green edges.

I guess what i'm trying to do is to make sure my garden stays as interesting as possible once the flowers are all gone.

Ant.

 

Peter, your Heucheras look really lovely. A good example of colourful foliage. I had one, with 'red' leaves, but I think it's popped it's clogs, got moved round quite a bit :( Also noticed your red daisies
We have Cloeus as a house plant, 4 different ones in the same pot, lots of reds and greens, it looks good, flowering at the moment.
Anthony, we have a couple of quite well established lamium, including 'Beacon Silver', it doesn't take long to get going, and has pink flowers. Our other (cultivar unknown?) has yellow flowers.
In one particular corner of our garden it's very wet, and get's little sun, and some of the foilage plants including hostas and the lamium really add coulour to an otherwise dingy spot. My favourite at the moment is lysichiton americanus Skunk Cabbage, I love the big waxy mottled dark green leaves.
Beki x

 

LOL my college tutor didnt look to impressed when he was showing us some coleus and i said that it looked like a bad 1970's paint job:D

 

I have to admit Pete that photo is a stunner and being a girly I just love pink!:D

Is the plant pretty easy to grow then? What's it's high and spread? Thanks in advance.Hel.xxx.

 

Unfortunately my Keylime pie is nearly dead, though the purple ones are hanging on. Hubbie loves the colour of spirea leaves (Anthony Waterer) they are a collection of oranges, yellows and reds in spring all on the same plant. Ajuga has purple leaves I have one growing through the grass which looks quite interesting.